What's making the Milano scene at present is a look of maximum luxury all a-twinkle with sequins, bead work, crystals, gold, semiprecious and precious stones!

The collections for the coming spring and summer seasons demonstrate clearly that the designers have turned their backs on the austerity of minimalism completely, throwing themselves with naked abandon into ostentatious displays of opulence. For example? There are a total of 260,000 Swarovsky crystals on a $23,000 Gai Mattiolo suit; there's a delightful pair of shoes studded with real diamonds signed by Lorenzo Riva (priced at around $32,000...) and a solid gold Fendi handbag going for around $45,000 if you're interested.

Excess seems to bee the watchword for the coming seasons, not only in terms of rich detail but also regarding color. Mariella Burani, for example, is marked by a vivid sensuality expressed by floral numbers in stunningly bright colors, accented by liberal use of sequins.

Chiara Boni has skillfully employed a multimedia approach to form a bridge between past and future, with an accent on her own participation in the branch: a maxi-screen TV features designs from throughout her 20-year career with a Leitmotif of feminine sensuality.
Even the fairly sober and classic Giorgio Armani has managed an irreverent note with his suits unusual combinations and bare breasted models. The sole exception to the common chorus at the moment is Prada, which relies on gray and black, spiked only here and there by a sting of color. The house has obviously turned up its nose at the overtly over-sexed and excess, though not at the cost of good taste and style!