Italian designers return to classic tailoring

MILAN – As the menswear preview winter showings wind down it is clear that designers are not in the mood for sports.

After several seasons of safe casual clothes, Italian designers return to their first love — classic tailoring — and in more than one case, go beyond.

Earlier in the week Dolce&Gabbana presented a latter-day dandy who flaunts a velvet tuxedo jacket worn with distressed jeans. On the third of the four day preview presentations for the fall-winter 2011-2012 Monday, Frida Giannini for Gucci created a new dandy based on the rock-star atmosphere of the 1970s.

While every show has devoted a lot of space to revisited suit wear, luxurious fur and ample outerwear also play a big part in the winter fashion scene.

Fur-trimmings, an extravagant detail, are present in almost every collection. Ostentatious jackets, long coats and big furs are another sign that the good life is back.

The new Gucci suit has a classic cut spiffed up by silk ties and pocket handkerchiefs. The jacket is cut short, the pants have a carefree looseness, and the plaids are strictly British.

But where Gucci really goes to dandy town is in the outerwear. Oversized double-breasted shearling jackets, sleek ostrich leather coats, and a big coat in shaggy Mongolian goat are all superbly over the top.

Donatella Versace created a futuristic 3-dimensional fashion, a sort of menswear Avatar wardrobe, for the winter 2011-2012.

 http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110117/ap_on_en_ot/eu_italy_fashion_wrap