The contemporary British artist Jason Martin has replaced Gerhard Richter as Gabriele Colangelo's new muse. Martin, not unlike Richter, creates textural, three-dimensional canvases with acrylic paint. Colangelo modeled a swirling print on his work, as well as a jacquard with an uneven surface that juxtaposed matte and shiny. As always, innovative fabrics were a big story here. A coat that shaded from charcoal through olive, white, and red to black is in a category of its own this season, cool and unique.
The other part of Colangelo's plotline was silhouette. Christian Dior's New Look by way of Phoebe Philo was the inspiration for tailored jackets with rounded shoulders, full sleeves, strongly nipped waists, and exaggerated hips. Tunics worn over tapering pants or pencil skirts followed the same hourglass lines. With other designers putting an emphasis on peplums and bustles for Fall, Colangelo has placed himself firmly within the fashion conversation. It's a relatively new position for him, but he belongs there.
