Last stop of Milan Fashion Week: a car repair shop with a leaky ceiling backstage. Arthur Arbesser landed a creative director gig at Iceberg recently, but his funky location and tough time slot post-Armani, when most high-profile types are quickly hightailing it to Paris, was a reminder of how hard-going it can still be as a newcomer in this town. That, and what a pleasure it is to encounter a promising one with a unique point of view.
Arbesser worked for Giorgio Armani for many years. It showed in this collection, which was built on tailoring and exuded an intellectual point of view. Drawn to simple, clean lines, Arbesser is a technician, not a decorator or a stylist like many of his young Milan peers. Where he’s expressive is with his fabric choices. From least compelling to most, there was the dusty pink plaid of a three-piece suit (jacket, kilt, and leggings), a sky blue wide-wale corduroy trench, and a classic wool loden used for sturdy coats that nodded to his Austrian roots. He reunited with illustrator Agathe Singer for a very pretty autumnal leaf print that appeared on smocklike dresses and a tunic-and-pants set, and the gold velvet on a floor-length A-line dress was Klimtian—it radiated in the small space. Arbesser caught Fall’s feeling for shine, but he’s not a trend-minded designer. His loden jacket, lamé shirt, and openwork knit black pants will be the brainy girl’s answer to all the excess of next season.
