Paola Frani F/W 2011 Milan

And when we thought the whole Oscar awards madness was over, we realize it is actually not. It just moved from the U.S. to Italy, Paola Frani brings the Black Swan on the catwalks and into our closets through the new trends she suggests.

Natalie Portman, and the character that brought her the famous award, are the expression of elegance and sensuality but also of strength and rigor. Exactly as the movie, this collection portrays the urge of attaining perfection.
Feathers, symbols of the lightness of being become the signature of Paola’s pieces and very interesting decorations to the tapered silhouettes.
The dualism of the collection is revealed through the use of opposite colors, the dark and the bright side, but also by the antithesis of the woman stuck in between the good and the bad. All the clothes have in common a specific retro elegance combined with a contemporary attitude.

Embroidery, ruches and frills spice up the rigidness and give extra personality to the outfits. We find a perfect balance between black and white, but the designer also expresses the vulnerability of the swan through different shades of pink, beige and beautiful wisteria.
Besides the almost omnipresent feathers, there are used several intriguing fabrics such as lace, jersey veil and mongolia.
When it comes to shapes, femininity is first, for a seductive and powerful target. Pencil skirts and high-waisted pants are all well defined, without being too harsh.
Just like the movie from which it was inspired, Paola Frani’s collection has been a great success on the Milan fashion week stage.