Fabrics and textures key in Bottega Veneta and Blumarine Milan shows

By Giulia Segreti

MILAN (Reuters) – Fabrics and textures took center stage in the catwalk shows of Bottega Veneta and Blumarine on Saturday, in the fourth day of Milan’s fashion week.

Bottega Veneta, part of the Kering group, celebrated its 50th anniversary showcasing a combined men’s and women’s spring/summer 17 collection.

Rich textiles, materials and leather details, including the company’s signature “intrecciato” woven-leather technique, adorned the clean and fresh designs by Creative Director Tomas Maier.

“For me, it is always about simple and easy things that are special for those people who appreciate them. The hard work in their creation is invisible to the eye, the result a pleasure to wear,” he said in a statement.

Bottega Veneta also brought back from its archives 15 bag styles to mark its half-century, including an intrecciato clutch bag used in the movie “American Gigolo”.

On the catwalk, set in Milan’s Brera Academy of Arts, models wore long and short coats in ostrich, crocodile and lamb leather. On their feet wedge heels, open-toes and slingbacks in suede and crocodile.

Neutral colors at the beginning were broken with splashes of orange, yellow and bright pink.

Men wore biker jackets and blousons over light chino cotton trousers.

Dresses were fastened with leather belts and leather straps, and clasps adorned coats and backless dresses.

For the evening, Bottega Veneta proposed dark dresses in linen or cotton with lace details or a-lined long skirts.

American model and actress Lauren Hutton wore a silk mackintosh coat and a paired skirt, carrying the iconic Lauren 1980 clutch bag in red.

She was followed by celebrity model Eva Herzigova in a light navy gabardine wool ensemble, silver earrings and crocodile leather wedges.

In its new collections the company said it was trying to address the problem of a perceived lack of “newness” in its products in stores.

At the end of the show Maier walked down the catwalk followed by his design team to a standing ovation.

Blumarine’s Anna Molinari dedicated most of her women’s spring/summer 2017 to designs in broderie anglaise, and her shoes were decorated with raffia fringes.

“Surfaces get textural and tactile, opposing the delicate and the sturdy.. The crafty touch of raffia details and inlay works,” read a designer note.

Models wore short cropped tops with balloon-shaped shoulders or long camisoles over revealing shorts. Some carried straw pointed hats, giving a nomadic feel to the collection.

The broderie anglaise looks were interrupted by fabrics with brightly colored flowers and light and transparent pink checkered textiles.

Neutral whites, browns and sand colors were invigorated by a metallic bronzed wraparound dress with a belt and leaf-shaped details and pink designs.

A model wore a layered light pink dress with silver sequins recalling blooming flowers.

Milan fashion week runs until Monday. Also showing on Saturday is Italian designer Ermanno Scervino.

(Editing by Hugh Lawson)