One cannot fault Bottega Veneta's creative director Tomas Maier for lack of clarity in his approach.
Maier wants women to wear neat, lady like dresses this spring, so his runway show of Saturday, Sept. 22, in Milan featured some 30 dresses out of a total of 33 looks. And precious few coats and jackets, even if � like the dresses in the collection � they were all pretty fabulous.
"I told the first model to act like she had just got her first big job out of law school. 'You bought a dress and a brief case, and you think you are looking very confident and perfect.' But maybe the black tights was not such a good idea, nor the red nails!" Maier � a German who lives in Miami but designs for an Italian label - told FWD post show backstage.
From the sharp-shouldered silhouette of last season, Maier softened his cut and his sleeve lengths to more fluid finish. Yet even though there was a certain sweetness, there was always an undertow of toughness. So the pretty floral silks were mixed up with studs, leather and snakeskin strips.
In a season deluged in prints and colors, it was refreshing to enjoy Maier's take on mixing fabrics. Forget about patchwork, his was a careful assemblage of geometric cuts of material � though all suggesting ladylike poise. So the most dynamic moments were "antique" plaster-colored poplin dresses finished with studs and metal strips that managed to be refined yet suggestive as well.
"A woman is not all that you see but has always secrets underneath," the designer chuckled.