THE TRENDS: MILAN FASHION WEEK

Can you believe it’s already Paris Fashion Week? We started in New York, stopped off at London, flew to Milan and now we are finally in the fashion capital of the world: Paris. For fall 2014/15, we have seen some amazing new trends with British designers Christopher Kane and Mary Katrantzou flying the flag for London and a host of American designers really making their mark. At Milan....there was show after show of sexy, hot, sophisticated clothes which once again put Milano at the fore-front of female empowerment and high glamour dressing.

One of my favourite collections at Milan Fashion Week had to be Gucci. Classic pieces which were quintessentially Gucci in snake skin, pretty pastel colours and fur coats, stylishly draped across the shoulders. I loved Frida Giannini's use of leather as she paired high waist leather skirts with blouses and gorgeous bags with biker jackets in baby pink and blue. Every piece was amazingly chic and the casual elegance which Gucci always get right shone through for autumn/winter 2014. Roberto Cavalli and Versace were also up there in power dressing with a sophisticated edge. Donatella Versace can do no wrong in my eyes, as she gave us a collection full of swinging mini dresses, skinny embellished pants and luxe fur coats in all shapes and sizes. Fur is proving to be a HUGE trend for this winter with almost every Milanese designer was showcasing fur in one way or another..And because this is Milan, fur was 100% real. Not great for animal lovers.

Natasha Poly opened Miuccia Prada's show earlier last week as transparent materials, shearling stoles and colourful layers covered the runway. Inspired by German film noir, this was a dark collection full of over sized coats and geometric prints. My favourite item? A red Mongolian fur coat which could belong on the back of Rita Hayworth or at the V&A Musuem. Fabulous.

Pucci, Fendi, Blumarine and Etro also delivered fantastic shows with large fur hoods and patchwork Navajo fabrics stapled on coats, ponchos, maxi dresses and scarves. Patchwork is also proving to be an enormous trend for fall 2014/15, with a lot of designers at New York Fashion Week picking up on the trend too. I loved the Peter Dundas Pucci collection, just because their prints are amazing, and there were so many wearable pieces. And who could forget the tiny Lagerfeld bag Cara Delevingne opened the Fendi show with? I wouldn't be surprised if it's already sold out!

Milan is bold, hot and has a great sense of humour. Moschino anyone? As Jeremy Scott presented his first collection for the fashion house, he certainly brought the fun factor. Models looked like McDonalds waitresses as they stormed the catwalk in red and yellow designs. Spongebob also made an entrance towards the end of the show as bags, dresses and skirts were decorated with prints of the animated character. Very funny and a great start for Scott too. Dsquared2 as always delivered high end glamour as the 60's were revisited by Dean and Dan Caten. Mini skirts, space-age hats, beehives and of course - fur coats. There were also some lovely coats with huge jewels as buttons across the chest in navy blue and emerald green. At Philip Plein, Naomi Campbell opened and closed the show along with supermodels Izabel Goulart and Irina Shayk who showcased a number of cool denim pieces and chic black leather trousers and coats. And with Rita Ora opening the show by serenading the fashion press, this was an unforgettable collection.

Minimalists Jil Sander, Salvatore Ferragamo and Giorgio Armani all presented collections full of chic, understated elegance as soft greys and whites featured on coats, skirts and peplum dresses. Armani in cooperated sugary lemon hues into his collection as Salvatore Ferragamo played with proportions and tailoring.

The big finale has to go to my favourite designers...Dolce and Gabbana. We can always rely on Domenico Dolce and Stephano Gabbana to deliver a fantastic show, and this fashion week they didn't disappoint. A mechanical willow tree was the setting, magical ballet music from the Nutcraker was the soundtrack, and Eva Herzigova and Monica Bellucci were the celebrity front rowers. This show told a wonderful story full of animals embellished onto dresses and coats, floral prints on chiffon gowns, golden keys on a-line dresses and silvery hoods which looked like pieces taken from a medieval knight. Kasia Struss closed the show in a beautiful red, silk gown followed by the big Dolce finale, as models stormed the catwalk in metallic silvers, blacks and golds, dripping with diamonds and expensive jewels. An Italian army of fierce women ready for the fashion battle of a lifetime. Bravo!