Milan Fashion Week Final

Marni on its 20th anniversary showed a beautiful collection that was an ode to a Japanese garden. The clothes were sensual and graphic, something its designer Consuelo Castiglioni knows how to deliver in spades. The build up was especially poignant. The opening looks of natural jute and muslin bloomed into a floral explosion seen on woven jacquards, appliqué and embroidery. Daffodils, daisies, lilies and chrysanthemums gently unfolded and then some abstract arrangements. It was a floral feast that continued after the show when guests could visit their flower garden in Rotonda della Besana, a famous 18th-century building complex to further the celebrations.

Jil Sander's first women's collection under new creative director Rodolfo Paglialunga saw the company make an effort to the brand's dna of purity, but not minimalism. For SS15 the emphasis was on the uniform, with a palette of blues and burgundies with schoolgirl shirts accessorised with leather socks. They were teamed with shorts, which, seemed too low in the waist with out of reach pockets, or as Suzy Menkes termed them, 'sexless.' What the collection delivered in understatement and control, it lacked in new spirit. Sander's clothes were always masculine, but they had a precision and modernity that didn't come across this first season.

Versace is always bold and molto sexy, but Donatella this season also made it relevant. There were geometric outfits framed by the Versace Grecian border, which looked both fresh and wearable. Versace’s other house icons, like its Medusa logo, got remixed into a pop art print in blues and pinks. These were clothes that had Insta-impact but were not for the red carpet, and more for cocktail hour. There was an element of sportswear and modernism, just what the label needed to stay on top.

Missoni based its Spring/Summer 15 collection around the shirt, masculine cut in bold prints, worn over skirts or shorts. Sea green, yellow and orchid were just some of the explosive colours, which felt like a modern day seventies approach. Famed for its knitwear, this collection was about lightness, and the strength of Missoni's print aesthetic translates as well to its floral shirts, fluid long skirts and palazzo pants. The 70s vibe and weightlessness of the collection was given a surreal touch by the show's soundtrack, a version of Sinead O'Connor's "Nothing Compares 2 U" in Chinese.

Images: MFW SS15