The Blumarine world has been in transition of late. Once, it was all about frills, girliness, and a sensual yet traditional take on romanticism. Now, it's sharp and sexy. Yet it still manages to maintain a soft touch, a sprinkle of twisted innocence, which is quite an accomplishment. Even in a slinky chain-mail dress and high-heel patent ankle boots, the Blumarine woman still looks somehow delicate, albeit fierce. After all, Anna Molinari is known as the queen of roses, a title she still deserves. There were plenty of roses in the collection she presented today—turned into silver brocade, morphed into wildly tactile fil coupe motifs. They felt fresh: In a season of fashionable debates around the real and the fake, the natural and the man-made, they looked positively synthetic, in a disco and escapist kind of way. Hemlines were decidedly short, cuts were graphic, and glitz was quite a preoccupation. The long coats and cozy oversize mink cardigans balanced the abundance of dresses that made the collection a bit monotonous. Backstage, the contagiously ebullient Mrs. Molinari talked about "a sophisticated traveler," which explained the protective coats and outsize duffel bags. She also name-dropped Warhol superstar Baby Jane Holzer: Think sass and class. All in all, it was a convincing outing for Blumarine. Next time more variety would be welcome.
