Sophistication, glamour, and extreme sexiness were the key characterizing traits of the latest Gucci show in Milan. Alessandra Facchinetti, who presented her second collection for the Italian label, chose not to deviate from its traditional formula of luxury and seductiveness, created by her predecessor Tom Ford, rather just to add some feminine touch.

For fall-winter 2005-06, Facchinetti played with contrasts, "a provocative duality," according to a news release issued to reporters before the show, "pairing bold with delicate, strict with sensuous, romantic with severe."

With black as the prevailing color, the designer also used of a rich palette of midnight blue, violet, cobalt, steely gray and emerald.

The collection featured super-slim satin pencil trousers, Empire-style chiffon blouses, form-fitting jersey skirts, body-hugging satin cocktail dresses with ruched chiffon sleeves, knee-length silk jersey dresses with scoop-out backs or open fronts, and satin evening gowns covered with meshes of sparkling beads or embroidered with sliver thread.

For cold days, Gucci offered various kinds of jackets of every shape and form, including neat velvet tops, mink jackets with high collars, and mongolian lambswool jackets. The line also embraced heavily embroidered military and suede coats.

Most outfits were paired with knee-high crocodile boots. Accessories included sheared-fur handbags and big box-shaped handbags from thick crocodile and snake skin.

"It was much more 'material woman' than 'material girl'," one U.S. critic told AP after the show.

D&G’s show was anything but subtle, presenting a ready-to-party collection with some elements of Elizabethan style. For the show, featuring a fusion of different styles, colors, patterns and materials,  Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana created a nightclub atmosphere with a glistening golden floor and a disco ball hanging from the ceiling. The collection included gauze ballerina skirts, Elizabethan long-cuffed white shirts, black velvet jackets, studded leather trousers, mini-skirts, blouses with frilly lace cuffs, and even purple velvet capes.

"Pretty rebellious but prettily rebellious," said one guest on his way out of the show.

Photo by Gianni Pucci

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