Coats are the new accessories. In a cold, snowy Milan they've become by necessity a much more important element of what showgoers are wearing than this It shoe or that one. The runways are telling the same story for Fall, Massimiliano Giornetti's Ferragamo runway included. Giornetti opened and closed with outerwear, driving home the house's new message about cool precision. In shades of black, navy, gray, and white, it was a departure from the craftier, even bohemian collections he's done recently here, and a convincing one when coats were on the catwalk.
A black beaver fur and another in white alpaca had a tough-chic vibe that set them apart in a week when ladylike has been the dominant motif. A double-breasted black wool style with a midnight blue ponyhair panel in front was subtler but still cool. The pants Giornetti showed with it were high-waisted and narrow to the ankle, where they split so they flared out slightly in front and back. More often than not, though, it was short dresses and miniskirts on display here, bare legs a canvas for shoe boots with cutouts at the front and laces up the back to the knee. The dresses had an unstructured ease, but they were unmemorable. It'll be the outerwear and accessories that drive customers to the stores.
