Ermanno Scervino s/s 2011 Milan
Ermanno Scervino’s S/S 2011 collection was paraded to a packed house at Loggia dei Mercanti, right in the heart of Milan, several hundred yards away from the Duomo. The collection introduced a new look that would not be considered synonymous with the Scervino guise of old. The line adopted less flamboyancy, instead looking to the future with conservative silhouettes, borrowing heavy doses of inspiration from the male wardrobe and showing glimpses of matured techniques with a modern twist.
The colour palette was in agreement with the stereotypes surrounding S/S collections for 2011; plenty of whites; with doses of brown, Persian blue, ochre and nude. This narrow range of colours was in turn magnified with an extensive material selection which included organza, plonge nappa, macramé, nylon, light leather and fabrics that mimicked a crinoline effect.
Square pleats were at the heart of the collection. The technique was repeatedly used on dresses as they ambled across the pieces with purpose, in turn evoking a look of modern femininity. A standout piece was a heavily pleated brown and white dress with ethnic print details and symmetric flounces. The concentration for the collection, particularly in the mini dresses, was on the legs of a woman. The silhouettes expressed were exaggerated around the hips, abruptly ending to shift the focus on the legs, and in turn, elongating them. Each piece was deliberately kept short to enhance the beauty of the legs. Transparencies were repeatedly incorporated in the earlier half of the collection. Single pieces shifted from solid colours to transparent sections on blouses which were coupled with white shorts. Another noteworthy case was a minimal bodice in dark ecru that had open lacework for detail at the sides. Asymmetric necklines, ribbings and jabots were other prevalent techniques. The Scervino trench with rounded lapels was heavily detailed with special attention to the cuffs.
The collection incorporated a vast array of techniques offering an equally broad range of looks for the Ermanno Scervino girl. Coupled with a few must have accessories, like the broad belts with Bakelite buckles and high heels, this collection more than lived up to the pre-show hype it tendered.
