Oh how I love Milano! It is such an incredible city, the vibe is just incredible. Everywhere you look there are fashionable people walking around like living, breathing advertisements. For Spring 2011, Etro showcased its runway in a perfectly green environment, evoking those beautiful patterns that seem so natural to them. They reminded me of McQueen’s previous to last collection where all the colors of the rainbow came together.

The lookbook for Zac Posen for Target has been around for a while but the collection is about to hit the shelves on April 25. It makes me wonder if we’re seeing good clothes or simple rags. As for Gaultier, his collaboration with Target (which I saw and inspected myself last weekend) is rather triumphant. True, the fabrics are odd and the cuts are not “couture,” the silhouettes are less than perfect, but you can see the design process, the whole structure as being more than a mere attempt at creation a cheap clothing line.

J’adore Dior. John Galliano immersed us this time (on March 5th, to be exact) in pure pleasure for the senses. His leathers, furs and transparencies portray an old-fashioned English countryside mixed with beautifully tailored elements in this ready-to-wear collection. The colors are evidently fall-oriented with browns, olive greens and some elements of black, and elongated boots in dark, wine colors or calf-boots in black. Overall, he manages to communicate the message very effectively and cohesively in this collection. It does not miss a single step, even when he goes from ensembles to full dresses that still have the same vaporous air of his last collection. As usual, he presents his models in an environment that ends up being irrelevant because his designs overwhelm the audience. We can’t help but drift away in his incredible cuts.

Armani presented his Fall 2010 collection in a monochromatic atmosphere in beautiful Milan. And what an ugly collection, if I do say so myself. Regardless of how “acclaimed” Armani’s collections are, I found this one to be meaningless. I can not find a simple cloth or garment to be innovative or even transcendental…

The first thing I ever wrote was an article about Alexander McQueen. He, alongside Galliano and Lagerfeld are the three people most responsible for me going into fashion and to be so eager to start a career as a designer. He is a genius (I don’t say “was” because his art makes him live on). His gift, his uncanny talent for finding shapes and colors and textures in the most amazing places, and transforming them into a pure manifestation of the highest expression of fashion, is just irreplaceable.

Finally, Milan brings us the glory of Italian fashion season! I love fashion weeks all over the world (there are so many that you can get to one pretty much three times a month). Having said that, I want to talk about one of my perennial favorites: Dolce & Gabbana.

While at home, resting from my job, I’ve had the time to scroll through news about fashion from all over the world. And to close this magnificent year that brought us so many wonders, I would like to add my thoughts on two lesser wonders; Lilo’s “extended” fashion line, and a Q&A from the man behind Ed Hardy himself, Christian Audigier…

It’s so complicated to put together this list of the best of 2009 that can be worn in 2010. Remember every designer showcases his or her collection almost one year in advance, so we have a pretty clear picture of what the upcoming year will bring…