MICAM – The Shoe Event in the City of Fashion

September begins the season of tradeshows. Hotels with available rooms are hard to find, restaurants booked, and life is very busy. Milan is the center of Fashion. The first place to see the new styles that will shape the future seasons. The stores in Milan offer the latest and greatest but there is a way to get a jumpstart on even the trendiest stores. MICAM, the shoe fair, opens on the 20th and runs through the 23rd of September. The shoe fair is only open to those who work in the industry and requires online pre-qualification but if you have anything to do with a retail store and can get someone to vouch for you this is the best way to get those great spikes at least a season before anyone else.

The show is laid out by market segment. Entire buildings dedicated to just one theme. This year’s themes are:

Women’s sophisticated shoes
Women’s trendy shoes
Men/Women luxury shoes
Mixed shoes
Young Fashion shoes
Accessories

MICAM ShoeEvent, the Milan exhibition for top- and middle/top-of-the-range footwear, confirms its position as the largest international fair for this sector. It attracted some 42,879 visitors of whom 21,589 came from abroad. The fair covers 730,000 square feet in 8 separate pavilions. There are 1,650, 1,100 Italian and 550 foreign, manufacturers are present.

Tags: Italian Fashion Shows Shoes Milan Women's Fashion Travel Italy

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Italian Hairstyles Fall Winter 2007/2008 – Counter Tendency Short and Sassy

Elaborately adorned hair bands and long hair neatly woven into buns or braids are the primary 2007/2008 tendency but, as with all things, not everyone follows the trend. Counter tendencies emerge and sometimes take over the mainstream as individuals look to set themselves apart from the masses. Most hair stylists are perfecting their weaving skills and ordering numerous variations of clips and bands. Some are specializing in the nonconformist and, sometimes wild, short cuts.

These cuts say that you are confident and vibrant. Perhaps they are the new femininity. The identifying mark of the woman who is confident, sparkling without the traditional constructs. Aldo Coppola's shops are adding some interesting twists with colors and highlights.



Perhaps it is this year’s extraordinarily hot Italian summer bringing out the garcon short cut. The basic is “au nature” but highlights and tints are quickly taking over. The look is very clean with limited volume. Daily maintenance should be minimal with these cuts, perfect for the busy girl. I prefer the longer styles but these may just take over the mainstream or work as an intermediary step toward longer hairstyles.






Tags: Italian Fashion Italian Hair Designs Fall Fashion Womens Accessories Travel Italy

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Aldo Coppola – Hair Stylist for the Fashion Shows of Milan

Milan is the perfect destination for those interested in meeting people in the fashion industry. On any given day in the city of Milan you can bump into more or less famous models, model wannabees, fashion designers and America’s famous of the big and small screen. In Milan you can find the best artisans and quality products from the world of fashion. This includes the hair stylists who care for the stars. The best of the best is Aldo Coppola.


Coppola is the solution when all others fail. When the dye ruins your hair or a cut goes terribly bad then Coppola is the Answer. Raffaella swears by Coppola. She has her own personal favorite stylist and will wait several weeks for an appointment. Lorenzo travels with the fashion shows around the world turning every model into a diva. He can do the same for you. He will give you that next season look before others know it is about to happen.

Aldo Coppola is about artistic creation supported by technical competency. Coppola employs the best stylists and maintains a rigorous apprenticeship program. They start getting coffee for clients and work through years of apprenticeship. He takes only the best and somehow is capable of keeping them their. Even when a stylist leaves Coppola to start their own business they still refer to his shop in Milan as Number One.

Aldo Coppola has locations in the major cities in Italy but the original and the best is in Milan. They can do miracles and even the normal appointment is an experience in high fashion. You would think this is expensive and they do charge about 20% more than other stylists but it is well worth the money. Coppola is busy and cannot take walk-in appointments but call a couple of weeks in advance or have the hotel book for you. Plan to spend a couple of hours. It will be a pleasant voyage of self-indulgence. You will be pampered, primped and treated like a queen. Remember the idea of coffee, cappuccino and/or a glass of wine while visiting an establishment is a century old tradition.

There are numerous Coppola shops in franchising. In Milan you want to go to the original in Corso Garibaldi.

Tags: Women's Fashion Italian Designers Shopping Milan Hairstyles Fashion Travel Italy

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Men’s Fashion Shows in Milan June 2007

Ladies, if you are interested in statuesque men with marbled features then Milan is the place for you. The 2008 Spring – Summer men’s fashion shows will all be in town during the weekend of the 23rd to the 27th of June. Over 50 designers will be presenting in various locations starting Saturday. I believe my female readers will be interested in knowing that over 5,000 young, very fit, good looking, eligible men will be strolling the streets of Milan and visiting the numerous nightclubs. This is obviously in addition to the great Milanese already in the city.

The 5 day calendar starts Saturday June 23 with Jill Sander at 11 AM. In the same day she is followed by Costume National Homme, Gaetano Navarra, Missoni, Burberry Prorsum, Gianni Versace, J. Lindeberg, Denis Simachev, and the two Belgium designers Les Hommes e Dries Van Noten. The most buzz is about Dries Van Noten, the only first timer of the week.

Sunday the 24th Bottega Veneta, Antonio Marras, Frankie Morello, Gianfranco Ferrè, Salvatore Ferragamo - first time back with men's shows after many seasons - Vivienne Westwood, Carlo Pignatelli Outside, Emporio Armani, Neil Barrett, Daks, Prada and Alexander McQueen hit the runway.

Monday the 25th continues with Dsquared2, Valentino, Dirk Bikkembergs, Alessandro Dell´Acqua, Biagiotti Uomo, John Richmond, Moschino, Krizia Uomo, Gucci, Gazzarrini, Giuliano Fujiwara, Intuitive and Roberto Cavalli.

Tuesday the 26th, second to last day of the show, features Marni, Iceberg, Trussardi, Fendi, Etro, D&G, Messori, Calvin Klein Collection, Giorgio Armani (the only designer with 2 shows at 5 and 6 PM), Belstaff and Haute.

Wednesday the 27th brings only 5 shows: Romeo Gigli, Enrico Coveri, Byblos, M+F Girbaud and, to close, Roen, the Japanese designer.

Tags: Mens Fashion Italian Designers Milan Spring Summer Travel Italy

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Car Shoe – Travel shoes by Prada opens in Capri

A passion for motor sports nurtured by an artisan shoemaker led to one of the most comfortable and now prestigious shoes available today. Gianni Mostile handcrafted shoes in the town of Vigevano, outside of Milan. In 1963 his two passions came together to create a business. Hand sewn moccasins, made of the finest leather, with a rubber sole designed to give the driver maximum comfort and control while driving. The shoes are favorites among world’s elite including Gianni Agnelli, JFK and Roberto Rossellini. The company was bought just a few year’s ago by Prada and most recently has moved from Via della Spiga 50 to Via della Spiga 1.


What I found most interesting is that while the shoes are comfortable, the most important thing in this latest press release about the opening of a flagship store in Capri is the store’s design. The newly opened store has the exact same design and architecture as the store in Milan.

What may be so interesting about that?

Perhaps it is a recreation of the Castle of Monza, or perhaps the Basilica of Florence?

Unfortunately it is merely designed to have the feel of the interior of a car. The two primary windows have the front and back of a touring rally car from the 60s.

Perhaps I am just over sensitized to the superficial recreation of this or that look. I am forever reminded of the Las Vegas Venetian and its 12$ a pop ride on a Gondola. Located on the top floor of a shopping area with the star painted ceiling to recreate romantic ride in the Laguna in the post dusk evening. People actually stand in line to ride this thing… I am fairly confident that “Car Shoe” of Capri will not be remembered for the very comfortable driving shoes it produces instead for the mock version of the race car sitting in the window.

Tags: Italian Shopping Shoes Milan Capri Travel Italy

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Osso Buco with red sauce

I know that most just want to read the recipe, know where it came from or why there are several versions of the same dish but I think food is part of life. As if our existence had several crossed together with weights on the ends. There we are, in the middle, trying to stay upright while the platform tilts one way or another. Food, wine, friends, work, travel, culture, education and relax are all things that make the platform swing. Recipes are tied to events, dinners with friends, or just time when we can quietly enjoy rich flavors and each other’s company. We are from Milan. In our section of the woods Osso buco is made with a white sauce and served with a bit of Risotto alla Milanese. When we told our cooking buddies that we intended to make Osso Buco, they immediately told us of how much they loved Osso Buco and the marvelous, velvety red sauce.

This is a sacrilege, although the traditional Milanese Restaurant Gran S. Bernardo prepares Osso Buco with red sauce. We cook, more than for the pleasure of preparing the perfect recipe, more for the enjoyment of our friends. Thus, out comes the Cucchiaio di Argento, the bible of traditional Italian recipes, and we look for a version of Osso Buco with red sauce. Several recipes were scanned and after a bit of discussion and hodge podge mix and match we came up with something we felt we be appropriate. No it is not significantly different from our traditions. Lemon is not part of this recipe and a bit of tomato sauce is added.

Ingredients:

4 Osso Buco
Flour to cover the Osso Buco
Salt
Pepper
50 g ( ½ stick )Butter
1 Onion
1 Carrot
1 stalk Celery
2 cups Full Bodied Red Wine
2 cups Chicken or Beef Broth
8 oz. Tomato Sauce
50 g dried Mushrooms (250 grams fresh mushrooms)

Preparation:

Flour the Osso Buco and set aside on a pan.

Dice the Onion, Celery and Carrot. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion, celery and carrots until the onions are transparent but have not begun to change color.

Turn the heat to medium high. Add the Osso Buco. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side to give the meat a lightly brown color. Add the red wine. Reduce the heat to medium and add the tomato sauce, the mushrooms and ½ the broth. Salt and pepper

Once the liquid comes to a slight boil, reduce the heat to low. The Osso Buco should just simmer. Turn the meat every 15 minutes and cook for about 2 hours. Add broth as necessary. Taste occasionally for salt and pepper.

Remove the Osso Buco from the skillet. Pour the sauce into a mixer or use a soup mixer (boat motor) to reduce the mushrooms and any other vegetables still intact. Return the sauce to the skillet along with the meat and simmer for another 5 minutes.

Presentation:

Serve on a bed of Risotto alla Parmigiana or alla Milanese and sprinkle with chopped Italian Parsley (not necessary but look good).

Serve with a complex, full bodied red wine. Some great choices are Barbaresco, Barolo, Nebiolo, Amarone, or Refosco.

Tags: Italian Recipes Entrees Veal Osso Buco Gourmet Foods Travel Italy

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Trussardi Women’s Beach Fashion Spring Summer 2007

Women’s summer fashion and women’s beach fashion often become the same thing in the mind of Italian designers. Perhaps they have the idea that women should spend the summer on vacation, in exotic locations, catching rays and generally enjoying life. I am all for that one, not only for women. Trussardi’s line has always been part of my personal wardrobe while rarely I will say that Trussardi is my favorite designer in any particular season. Somehow the designs are wearable. They just seem to fit with other things. They are the perfect compliment. Strangely enough, Trussardi seems to be very affordable. Trussardi’s creations are found, not just in the high-end stores, but also in numerous medium priced establishments, often without any special annotation. The women’s collection is no different.

Spring temperatures in the 70s across the Italian peninsula create the desire for endless days on the beach but do not support, except for a few hours in the afternoon, the almost nude attire of the bikini. Some designers use large silk or cotton shawl wraps or light jackets made of the same pattern and the bathing suit to transform the beach attire to appropriate coverings around town. Trussardi seems to have designed the entire line to go quickly from the boardwalk to the city square.

The first designs are cool enough to walk on the warm sands and feel the salted breeze on the skin. As the sun sets just pull these wraps, tie the belt, and it’s off to shopping or aperitivi.


Not everyone has the luxury to spend the entire summer on the coast but this should not keep you from having some fun outfits. The darker fabrics, obviously with contrasting belts, give an air of sobriety yet the designs are definitely summer fun. Keep a box of sand in the car and wear sandals and these outfits will help you live a vacation dream while slaving away in the city.


Let’s say instead that your dream is of summer fields in the hills of Umbria or perhaps in the nightclubs of Rimini. How about tight fitting slacks with patterns of summer flowers or printed floral designs and a yacht club sailor’s jacket.


Sure, it is better to spend the summer on the beach or vacationing in green fields but for those who have to work, why not make life a little more fun? Everyone else will surely be wearing Khaki colored, Bermuda shorts and printed T-shirts. You can be, at least in your mind, 5,000 miles away on the beaches of Italy.

Tags: Women's Fashion Italian Designers Womens Spring Summer Trussardi href="http://technorati.com/tag/Fashion" rel="tag">Fashion Travel Italy

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Bottega Veneta – Italian Women’s Fashion Spring Summer 2007

Italian women’s fashion is not just for the young, long legged beauties so often seen on the runways and magazine covers. It is also very local, representing local tendencies and culture. The idea of Italian fashion is to accentuate the beauty of every individual at every age. Think of Sofia Loren or Gina Lollobrigida, beautiful women with great appeal even though their age is well over the 70 mark. A woman can be beautiful at 70 or 70 pounds overweight. It is all about how she presents herself and what she wears is an important part of this. Bottega Veneta is based in the North Eastern part of Italy. It is a hard land and the women are both strong and feminine. It is also provincial; a place where everything has meaning and is in someway useful.

I have always thought of the Bottega Veneta designs as something for the 30+ woman. The woman from Veneto is wife, mother and professional. She cannot be worried about the skirt inching too high or the silk sash ending up in the door of the car. Clothes must be both functional and beautiful. Yes, to the Milanese they are a bit provincial, lacking the elegance of a Valentino, but they are versatile. In fact, in the shops of Corso Buenos Aires and Corso Vercelli are highlighting Bottega Veneta. Window presentations are featuring at least one and sometimes several of the Bottega Veneta designs. These designs are not Valentino, but every woman deserves an outfit that can frame her beauty.

The first set I have chosen are elegant with natural tones. I think the shoes must go, but outfits are great. They offer clean lines, soft silk fabrics with stiff summer linens in the skirts. They are perfect for most occasions, from the office to the PTA meeting. They can easily be worn both in Milan and Atlanta without seeming out of the ordinary. At the same time the woman wearing these designs will be noticed for all she is.

We then embark on the designs I consider freer, casual while elegant. Perfect for the 30 and up woman who needs the freedom of movement while wanting to a sense of elegance.

Finally the ones I would hope Raffaella would never wear. These are too casual for my taste. Somehow they remind me of the Sunday outfits worn by someone who usually sports only jeans.

Tags: Women's Fashion Italian Designers Bottega Veneta Veneto href="http://technorati.com/tag/Fashion" rel="tag">Fashion Travel Italy

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Moschino – Italian Women’s Fashion Spring Summer 2007

Moschino Italian Women’s Pret a Porter Spring Summer Fashion 2007.

“Why is it that you always write about the more expensive designers? Not everyone can afford High Fashion.”
This was the discussion on Sunday while I was showing Raffaella the photographs for today’s article. So I pulled out the CDs and flipped through this year’s shows. In the search I found many interesting pieces but I write only about what I like so ladies, Heeeerrrz Moschino!

The Moschino Spring Summer 2007 line takes its primary designs and fabrics from the 1950s. The colors range from bright reds and sky blues to deep earth tones. The darker fabrics contain shiny highlights of silks and satins while the bright colors are vibrant with elaborate patterns on white backgrounds. The formal black outfits are balanced with satin bows or embroidered lace. Moschino also sees the future economy positively with nosebleed high hemlines. Open toe sandals with Roman or Greek ankle laces complete the look.

The bright red cotton outfits are light and airy. The design is young and full of life. Big purses and oversized hats easily mix and match with the clean lines. While the skirts or shorts are relatively short they still maintain an aura of office attire for the woman confident of her femininity.

The darker outfits somehow seem out of place. The more austere look with the miniskirt or long dress split to the navel are intriguing but somehow I just cannot visualize them in an appropriate atmosphere. Perhaps the would work for early evening drinks but still it seems a bit much just for a of couple hours during the day.

The more casual light blue scheme are perfect for the vacation or just running around on the weekend. I like the short overcoat with the skirt that reminds me of an Elisabeth Taylor look from back in the day. The slacks and silk blouse are extremely versatile making this a must have outfit for just about any casual occasion where it is important to look your best.

The bathing suits are fun. I do not think Raffaella would ever wear them because they are not the best for catching some rays however they are different enough to give a playful air perhaps setting you apart on the skin dominated beach.

The black outfits are the most versatile during normal life. They can easily go from the office to the evening. If the choice is one outfit the pantsuit is probably the best but I find the black dress with the satin tie extremely sexy. The black lace top dress is also ok but would be more of a cocktail than an all around little black thing kept in the closet as a secret weapon.

These outfits are more expensive than what you will find at your local department store but quality always pays over time. These outfits will last over time and the designs will always be leading edge of the fashion scene. I am not saying that your entire wardrobe needs to be made up of designer clothes but a couple of special outfits for those important occasions is always a good thing. Remember Dress For Success; You are what you wear.

Tags: Women's Fashion Italian Designers Moschino Milan href="http://technorati.com/tag/Fashion" rel="tag">Fashion Travel Italy

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