Recreating the Runway - Milan Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2012

Prior to watching "Project Runway", or my style evolution, I knew nothing about so-called "Fashion Weeks." For an outsider in the fashion world, it would seem like an entertaining live-action theatrical performance where the models and the clothes they showcase take center stage. For the fashion industry insiders, the buyers from the retail chains, the designers from the fashion houses, the fashion journalists, it is more than just a show. It is, as portfolio.com describes, a high-stakes "business meeting."

What fashion outsiders do not know about fashion week is that this is when fashion houses and designers can get industry recognition. This important week is really a fashion house's sales pitch to try to get buyers from the retailers to purchase pieces from their collection to sell in stores. If the designer only sells in their own showroom, exposure is limited. By having items at major retail stores like Nordstrom or Bloomingdales, brand labels have more marketability and increased potential for sales.

Fashion week is also a way to get noticed. For the rookie designers, this week is where they can show their moxie for the media. By being published, their names and looks have the potential to be printed in major influential fashion and style magazines, thereby increasing their selling and brand power, which in the long-run affects their negotiating power in the board room with a major buyer.

Long story, short, fashion week is a big deal. It is an institution in its own right.

What I find fascinating about some runway shows is that there is a wide range of looks. Some shows tend to be dramatic, fanciful, avant-garde; other shows tend to have more prêt-à-porter (ready-to-wear) pieces. With the Fall/Winter 2012 Fashion Weeks in Milan and Paris occurring earlier last month, I culled through the GQ website's up-to-date reporting on the different catwalk shows in the two aforementioned fashion capitals. Because for us industry outsiders what really matters are the clothes that we can actually wear to different occasions without sticking out like a sore thumb, I screencapped the outfits that were the most wearable and organized them by when they would be appropriate to don on.

For this first installment, I focus on the tailoring and luxe taste that can be expected from Italian fashion. Here are the most wearable looks from Milan Fashion Week.

Important Occasion 01: The Business Meeting

When going to work and you are meeting with bosses, potential clients, or even an interview, it is important to look sharp and put together. It is important to look confident. What better way to exude that by a wearing tailored suit. Here are two looks, one single-breasted suit (Bottega Veneta, left), and one double-breasted (Burberry Prorsum, right) that will command attention in the conference room.

Important Occasion 02: A Casual Day At Work

When one thinks business casual, versions of this look by Costume National comes to mind:

It loses the tie and blazer that screams, "I'm an administrator," and replaces it with a crew neck sweater. What I love about this look is the subtle colorblocked details that adds hint of personality to the look.

If however you decide to do something different and come in just a little more dressed up, here is a casual work day outfit by Salvatore Ferragamo in which the pin-striped, double-breasted suit amps the level of professionalism.

The above two looks are appropriate for a casual work day in a corporate setting. Here is a look by Dsquared2 that would be fitting for a more artistic or laid-back work environment.

For those who like pieces that are recognizably winter (and those who dare to be casually stylish and luxe), here is a layered look, again by Costume National, consisting of double-breasted peacoat, two turtlenecks, and boots.

As for me, if I had the finances to recreate any business casual look from the Milan runway, it would be this look by Prada:

The turtleneck underneath the pinstriped dress shirt and the pinstriped pleated pants are nice tailored pieces by themselves. But what makes this look is the double-breasted vest and the cummerbund detail. It takes the look to a whole new level of sophistication not often seen in public. And being how cummerbunds are rarely seen in the workplace, it would be an accessory that would match my "conservative with an edge" style.

Important Occasion 03: The Weekend

It is the end of the work week, and it is your time to relax and go for the casual looks. Because these are the fall/winter collections, it is almost obligatory that the outfits contain seasonal staples such as long pants, denim, turtle necks, outerwear with shearling (real or faux) or leather (real or faux) to help protect you from the cold. Here are five stylish looks worth having:

(Top Row: John Varvatos, John Varvatos, Costume National; Bottom Row: Both looks are by Ermenegildo Zegna)

Important Occasion 04: The Collegiate Look

For those who are either in school or are going back to school, the Dsquared2 fashion show would have been for you. Their looks for this fall/winter season, catered to the hip and preppy. They had looks that are stylish, but with an academic vibe apropos for the college campus. Here are two standout looks:

Important Occasion 05: Date Night

When going out on a date, it is important to make a great first impression. One of the best ways to do that is to dress up and look your best. Here is a racy (leather pants), yet stylish suit by Bottega Veneta that will certainly make your date think that you might be a potential mate:

If you would rather be conservative, but stylish, here is a subdued look by Salvatore Ferragamo that is more luxe and classy:

Important Occasion 06: A Night Out With Friends

If you are going clubbing or having a night out with your friends, here are three stylish looks by Bottega Veneta, Costume National (top row, respectively), and Dsquared2 (bottom row), that are equal parts fun, tough, but fashionable.

Stay tuned next week when I blog about the wearable looks from Paris Fashion Week and where you can wear them at!