Anna Molinari s Blumarine is a perfect embodiment of a certain Italian woman s attitude toward fashion: Let the rest of the world worry about sobriety, not her. What s the point in clothes if they don t make her feel decorative? Dresses and elaborate knitwear are ever the core of Molinari s commercial success, so she took the coat-and-minidress combo that is one of the looks of the season, but tweaked it to show off all the pieces that make her customers happy. A sliver of gold dévoré velvet with a fox-trimmed coat thrown over it started a show of slinky jersey and body-hugging mini sweater dresses. She thought up things to do with her line of embellished cardigans, too, trimming a turquoise one in fur and embroidery, and making another in multiple cream crochet ruffles.
Midway, Molinari turned on the power suits, though a couple of evening coats, one in tailored brocade and the other a black velvet swing with a white fur collar, proved to be the stronger pieces. The long evening dresses made of randomly attached assemblages of tattered lace and chiffon looked more like borrowings from her daughter s younger Anna Molinari line, but otherwise, this collection was just as it always is: reassuringly pretty things to keep the ladies loyal.
