Womenwear Autumn/Winter 2019 Shows

1.Tomo Koizumi

In a climate in which clothes must have a “message”, especially in New York, Tomo Koizumi’s dresses were refreshingly absent of agenda; a series of huge, voluminous ruffled dresses in pretty pastel colours all fabricated in a Japanese polyester organza and inspired, according to the designer, by “abstract paintings, and the colours you see at magic hour when looking at the sky”. They were extravagant and costume-y. Not many of them were very wearable, I watched the Game of Thrones actress and sometime model Gwendoline Christie negotiate the staircase in a spectacular rainbow ruffled jumpsuit with my heart in my mouth. But the show put a smile on people’s faces. It was pretty and fabulous, and fun.

2.Bottega Veneta

The 32-year-old, largely unknown Englishman,Englishman was appointed to the house by Kering last June.As the director of ready-to-wear design at Celine's Celine, he worked with Phoebe Philo to help the brand earn about 800 million euros and cultivate a devout female customer tribe. Fans will recognize many of his signatures in his first Bottega Veneta show - circular knitwear with round cut panels, heavy elastic Chelsea boots, scoop neck tops and bourgeois sensual drama - the smallest corporate cut Jackets, shirts - have more subversive elements, such as wrinkled tulle evening gowns and leather bras. But this is more complicated than I expected. The women's design is ambitious: the skirt is turquoise, folded on both sides, chained; thick quilted motorcycle pants; tailored to mimic the famous weaving of the house; a series of mirrored embroidered dresses and shirts. There are many things to happen.

3.Prada

Miuccia Prada’s collection for Prada was mostly black, staged on a jagged, spiked, sponge floor, sparsely lit, and rather angry. The models wore dark wool separates, tweeds, flak jackets, sparkly shoes and lace. Dresses with the classic Prada sweetheart neckline were fashioned in a raw grey tweed. A rose print motif was encircled by thorns. The models had Wednesday Addams hairstyles but they just as easily recalled Greta Thunberg, the Swedish 16-year-old climate change activist, who also has waist-length braids. Prada said her collection was about fear, and the threat of war “in general”. And romance. And, indeed, this was a show of extremes. It was dark and light, rebellious and romantic. It featured stompy, heavy boots and a goth-metal soundtrack (spliced with campy horror themes such as The X Files) mixed with flashes of deep femininity — lace veils, crystal embellishments and rose adornments (some, stuck on outfits in wilting silk bouquets). It’s dark energy was exciting — the clothes were better still.