At today's D&G show, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana embraced the silk foulard in every conceivable pattern and incarnation—every incarnation, that is, except the traditional one of being knotted at the neck. The conceit allowed the designers to touch on a couple of the trends we've seen in Milan—silk fabrics, relaxed silhouettes—and wrap them in a typically upbeat D&G package. They ran up their paisleys and their crested and curlicued prints into jackets, bombers, trousers, shorts, and even fringed moccasin booties. (Just when you thought heavy-soled shoes had stomped the runways into submission, Dolce and Gabbana got firmly behind the soft moc, which they also showed in a low-slung version in red or yellow suede.)
Denim waistbands were attached to the top of many of those flowing pants, as if the models had patched together their jeans with their grandfathers' cravats or their mothers' expensive silk scarves. Right about the time you were starting to wonder how many contemporary men are ready to embrace this much pattern, Kanye's endorsement of a Celine blouse at Coachella notwithstanding, it was time for the finale. Out came a fantastic array of foulard-printed swim trunks. You can see those selling like hot cakes from Capri to Cape Town.
