Dominating trends at Milan Fashion Week 2010

A model wears a creation part of the Moschino Cheap and Chic women’s Spring/Summer 2010 fashion collection, presented in Milan.

It looks like it's going to be a short summer in 2010 -- at least where hemlines are concerned.
Last Thursday, the opening day of Milan fashion week of preview showings for next year's warm weather fashion, short dresses, short skirts and short shorts showed up on almost every runway.
But in this round, the cropped look is more demure than daring. Ruffles and bubble shapes replace the clinging styles that often symbolize Made in Italy label.
Even Dolce&Gabbana, best known for their sexy styles, opted for a pert cowgirl look of short ruffled chiffon skirts paired with corset tops and boots with leather fringe for their second line D&G label, which is aimed at the younger set.
Already hinted at on the winter runway, summer marks the return of the jacket, complete with its 1980's powersuit shoulder padding.
Footwear looks like it's stepping down from the platform heights of recent seasons, with a sensible heel at Prada and flat sandals at Armani.
Perhaps in an effort to combat the current grim economic mood, designers brighten up their palette, replacing staple black-and-white with colorful pink, yellow, blue and green.
Over the next five days, top Italian designers including Fendi, Ferre, Missoni, Gucci, Bottega Veneta and Versace will present their ideas for the upcoming summer. Thursday's shows included Armani, Moschino Cheap and Chic, D&G and Prada.

Armani
Giorgio Armani presented a bright and upbeat spring/summer 2010 collection, an apt response to speculation over succession at his Milan fashion house after the 75-year-old designer's recent bout with hepatitis.
The normally urban Armani went for a bright summer look with cheerful houndstooth prints and youthful short styles.
Janet Jackson, spending the week in Milan ahead of a charity dinner she is chairing next week, made an appearance at the second show.
A well-tanned Armani, dressed completely in black, waved to the crowd after the show before disappearing backstage.
"No purchases, no sales," the designer told reporters after the show, answering speculation about succession at the fashion house after his illness.

Prada
Models with ruby red lips and pigtails wearing chiffon veils paired with silk sport shorts wandering down the corridors of a seaside Belle Epoque hotel re-created on the runway underlined the enigmatic mood of the Prada collection.
"It is quite contemporary, a little bit nostalgic and very mysterious," was how designer Miuccia Prada described her collection to reporters backstage after the much-applauded show.
On hand for one of the most sought after shows in town was tennis star Roger Federer in an impeccable gray suit and tie.
The Prada print this round is a series of photos from a 1960's beach scene complete with deck chairs, umbrellas and people in bikinis, reproduced in miniature on delicate techno fabrics.