Style & Design: Global Luxury Survey

The spring 2008 collections in Milan ended in a bright burst of color today as designers like Domenico Dolce and Stephano Gabbana and Donaatella Versace seized on spring's most obvious trend. After several seasons of shows that took heavy bondage for a theme, Dolce & Gabbana seemed to have settled down into a kind of funky 1950s mood. There was even a lightheartedness to the collection that was inspired by artists painting in their studios. The duo showed a short film of an artist painting floral designs on a canvas before the show. The first dress out was that same blank canvas, now stitched up into the popular 1950s-style full skirted bustier dress. From there the handpainting theme — something Miuccia Prada also embraced — took off, turning up on chiffon and tulle. That same 1950s nipped-in waist look was a theme at Fendi, too, where Karl Lagerfeld made a point of keeping things light and airy.

At Versace a similar lightness prevailed as Donatella focused almost solely on silk jersey and spun it out of sugary colors that will undoubtedly end up on the red carpet. More and more at these shows, the accessories are becoming a distraction from the clothing. At Dolce & Gabbana, exotic snakeskin and crocodile bags were eye-catching in their intricate patchwork pattern. At Versace, bright orange patent leather sandals and a huge turquoise crocodile handbag were hard to compete with. The scale of some of these accessories is also hard to ignore. Handbags are as big as large shopping bags and shoes are built up on chunky, chiseled platforms that look like they could hold a small lunchbox. At Fendi, Lagerfeld managed to even wrap chain links around his heels.