Miu Miu, AW13, Paris.
The recent Miu Miu collection was a careful study in how to push a single design idea to the limits, with careful developments of cuts and colours evolving over the course of the show. These ideas were supported by key construction details that supported a variety of silhouettes.
One of the key ideas of the collection was in the use of navy outerwear in a variety of fabrications and silhouettes, from fully-fashioned knitwear through to raglan duffle coats and precise tailoring. These styles often used the same construction details for shaping across the different fabrics and this could be seen through the use of deep tucks at the waists and sleeve heads of the garments.
The considered shaping was carried into the more patterned garments such as the polka dot dresses through the use of darts which were used sparingly to create volume in sleeves and hips, helping to avoid unnecessary seam lines.
There were also common themes of fastenings and closures across the different fabrics and patterns. The use of open and closed zips accompanied by purely decorative buttons was one such theme that continued into the accessories to form the closures for the shoes.
A key silhouette idea was in the balance between hip and shoulder volume across the looks, so wide hip volume was often balanced by wide lapels and dropped shoulders. Similarly narrow shoulders on slim line knitwear continued down the body fitting smoothly over the hips. Another key idea was in the use of a rich navy down to the knee level before the style exploded into pleated stripes and polka dots.
Invisible details worth noting include the centre front zip that was set into the high neck dress without an additional seam – often easier said than done. The use of fur hooks also proved to be a perfectly invisible closure on the fluffier garments.
Images from Vogue.co.uk»
