Daily Front Row

2010 February 26

Runway Reviews: Alberta Ferretti

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Alberta Ferretti Fall 2010
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(MILAN) If you liked Ferretti last season, prepare to be stupefied. The grande dame of Italian fashion just presented a truly gorgeous coterie of gowns, coats, day dresses, and cocktail frocks that would please even ardent minimalists. In a palette of nude, blush, navy, smoke, and black, Ferretti did what she does best by proposing a discreetly sexy means of feminine dressing. Each look grew stronger--even if the first look, a nude pleated silk dress with  trompe l'oeil crystals around the neckline, was tough to beat. A skirt, and then dress, made of swingy rust silk cords, attested to Ferreti's miracle-working with materials as much as one stunning net tank dress entirely jeweled in crystals and gold beadwork. Several nods were made to the fur trend, most memorably in an emerald mink cape. The outerwear, especially a cream-colored mohair swing coat and a black wool style that was essentially paved in fur. The gowns, done mostly in nude and black and decked out in more of those jewels, will be seen soon enough on a red carpet. Whatever she's having, we'll have.