MFW Diary: From MaxMara’s sailor stripes to ADR’s smoking hot Prada flame shoes, the news (and a little gossip) from Milan

Max Mara (left) and Prada (right) shot by Peter Stigter
Max Mara (left) and Prada (right) shot by Peter Stigter

Best in show: Prada. The moment the first look (head-to-toe noir with glittering embellishment) hit the graphic purple plush carpet/runway I was in love. It felt classic—very old school Prada (mixed-up prints, clean lines, slick structured bags).

The new suit for fall: Prada’s tailored jacket and cropped trousers. Regardless if you prefer the jumble of mix-and-match prints or the screaming solid orange version, at some point you’ll want them all.

Hottest shoes off the runway: Anna Dello Russo’s Prada Spring 2012 flame shoes.

The bag to buy: MaxMara’s new croc-print Ali bag

Who you need on your speed dial while in Milan: the head security guard with the soul patch. Befriend this tall drink of water and you’ll gain early show entrance every time… with or without a ticket.

Most dangerous place to kill an hour between shows: the Marni outlet.

The texture-mixing award goes to: Fendi. Karl Lagerfeld’s sliced skirts of lace, wool, and leather took the prim out of primitive.

Cutest cocktail companion: the minaudière. From Fendi’s bright, shiny versions to Brian Atwood’s hexagonal shapes, Fall 2012 gives a shout out to this posse of petites.

The colour du jour: plum. This rich purple hue is popping up everywhere from Gucci to Prada. Army green (hello MaxMara jumpsuits!) gets an honorable mention.

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