The Italian Dilemma

Now that New York and London Fashion Weeks have passed and Milan is upon us, I can't help but feel a tinge of disappointment within the cavern of my high standards - although, admittedly, I can be a very harsh critic. (I purposefully restrain from negativity on Girl Loves Color, unless I feel that such opinions provide worthwhile substance.)

Milan Fashion Week hosts a variety of esteemed design houses that have evolved from generations of craftsmanship. Italian brands are notorious for their emphasis on heritage; it is rare to see modern launches, as the country is practically dominated by the old-timers. Nearly all of the well-known Italian brands today started out as small family businesses, dedicated to leatherwork or perhaps knitwear (see Missoni).

The heritage of these brands gives the lines richness and depth that are devoid from most American and British labels. And yet.

In my eyes, the Italian dilemma is that these fashion houses rely too heavily on their pasts. I feel that many Italian brands - in the struggle to match a faster, consumer-driven pace - are falling short of expectations in quality and design. It is difficult to create consistently innovative and interesting designs up to four times a year.

This situation is leading Italian brands in one of two directions:

Some houses are straying from the aesthetics their legacies are built on. Emilio Pucci's Spring 2013 collection had very little to do with its signature graphic prints, instead favoring glamourous solid-colored separates. The overall style was in keeping with Pucci's history, but a novice eye wouldn't connect the two.

Other brands are clinging to the styles that made them famous. The Versace Spring 2013 collection was ultra-sexy, ultra-feminine and ultra-glamourous. The collection was a different interpretation of the Versace aesthetic in that it presented a new theme scenario, but there was little evidence of a brand evolution. Just...Versace, again.

So why is there no excitement in Italian fashion?

I'm big on Prada, but even Miuccia's Spring 2013 collection left something to be desired. I'm perfectly fine with a subdued style, though Prada is generally more ambitious, but so many designers looked to the Far East for this seasons that none of the Asian-inspired renditions interested me.

And so many Italian brands are presenting the same ideas over and over again, in collections that look different but don't feel different. In quite a few cases, taste level is dropping to the point where I occasionally equate "maximalist Italian glamour" with "tacky."

Maybe I'm the only one, but I truly want to see the appearance of fresh faces in Italian fashion. I don't disregard the old hands of design (I'll always be loyal to Miuccia and the Missonis), but I feel that they could use the outlook of a younger generation that is accustomed to today's pace.

One example: Roberto Rimondi and Tomasso Aquilano of recent Italian brand Aquilano.Rimondi. 

Aquilano.Rimondi Spring 2013 collection

Images from Style.com

Their designs feel modern and have hanger appeal, but clothes are also exquisitely crafted, loyal to the specialty of Italian fashion.

Although Milan Fashion Week hasn't lived up to my reasonable expectations thus far, there are still collections to be shown in the coming days.

I'll have to wait and see.

What are your thoughts?