Lorenzo Serafini got his moment in the spotlight last night. The new creative director of Philosophy has been toiling behind the scenes here in Milan for a decade and a half. He s no newbie, and it showed in his well-crafted debut. Originally born as a little sister line for Alberta Ferretti, Philosophy has wobbled a bit in recent years. Moving the show to New York didn t serve it well, and along the way it strayed from its feminine roots. Serafini s first task was bringing the show back home, and the second was reinjecting it with some romance.
The designer has had a lifelong crush on Brooke Shields, and pictures of her—dating from her Pretty Baby breakthrough on through the famous Calvin Klein Jeans campaign—decorated his mood board. The ruffly tie-neck blouses and high-waisted dungarees she was probably wearing in those early- 80s days were the collection s building blocks, alongside which Serafini added in special pieces like a fisherman s knit cape or a color-blocked double-face cashmere poncho or four-leaf-clover-print overalls. Pin-tucking and pearl buttons gave dresses in short and long lengths a whiff of Victoriana, and a smoking with a relaxed shape had a touch of vintage Saint Laurent. Both things are in the fashion ether at the moment, which will help Serafini s cause. But what could really be key are his perfect-fit high-waisted jeans. He was paying attention when Shields said, "Nothing comes between me and my Calvins."
