Soft Protest

>> I should be getting mighty mad at all things Milan and going all volte-face on them for the time being despite the fact that this season, a) Prada completely bowled me over, b) Versace and Dolce restored some of my faith in them and c) I discovered an underbelly to Milan that I hadn't on previous occasions.  Just to recap, as it stands in September 2012, Milan Fashion Week will run from the 19th-25th and thus clashing with the last day of New York Fashion Week and eclipsing London Fashion Week completely.  ‚ÄúLet the best one win,‚Äù sneers Mario Boselli, head of the Italian Chamber of Fashion.  Of course, it's been a long time scrap between the Chamber, the CFDA and the BFC over sketchy agreements, production deadlines and public holidays, and I'm still hoping this will be resolved before the next season comes around.  The probable result is that London Fashion Week is likely to be the sore loser (I can't see Conde Nast editors skipping out on all the Milan biggies despite their protestations….) and so this blog will be imminently flooded with HURRAH LFW posts for the next week or so in protest….

However it seems like a shame that just as I was beginning to get to grips with the weird layers of Milan, some big wig up in a fusty old Chamber organisation decides to get all huffy, and as a staunch LFW supporter, I'm supposed to get incredibly wound up and narky.  Well I am narked but it shouldn't be to the detriment of the designers in Milan.  I have Milan's nightlife impresario Marcelo Burlon to thank for introducing (check out his very cute video he directed/made for Lane Crawford featuring the bright young things of Milan) me to a different side to fashion in Milan, including knitwear line Sansovino 6.

Sansovino 6 is a luxurious Italian knitwear label that trades off designer Edward Buchanan and his working knowledge of specialist knitwear manufacturer in Milan R.O.B. srl, owned by Silvana Galbusera.  Together they joined forces to create Sansovino 6.  Buchanan cut his knitwear teeth at Bottega Veneta in the 90s and so that similar air of quiet luxury is embedded into Sansovino 6, although the mood is decidedly younger and approachable, especially in the 'denim' knitwear line which was debuted in S/S 11 by Lea T, and continues on for S/S 12 in set of staples (jacket, shorts, crop top, leggings etc‚Ķ) in a cotton indigo stretch. 

In addition, shades of dusky pink, khaki and grey are offered up as colour alternatives to the indigo, black and white completing a whole range of clothing that has the appearance of denim but the feel of something much softer and far more tactile.  Stripes, floral jacquards and slightly rugged Native American-inspired knits are there to beef up the 'denim-a-like' offerings.  These are essentially the sort of layers that you want to pack away and bundle up on trips as no-brainer items.  Without even touching the stuff, I can already feel the amount of meticulous fabric research that has gone into the collection.  I hope to learn more about their Milano knitwear factory in February and hopefully the September of 2012.  Well, we'll see…