To be honest, Milan may be one of the fashion capitals of the world but, in the main, most people here continue to go about their business as if it was just a normal city.  Fashion Week (there are four) just means a lot more traffic, full restaurants and waif-thin models on street corners with maps looking for the place of their next job.  So it was, to be honest, for me too.  But, finally, I saw something of what it is about.

Last night I went to my first professional fashion show!  It’s women’s fashion week here, in Milan (Autumn/Winter, 2007/8).  I nearly didnâ’t go.  I was asked if I wanted to have my name put down and, to be honest, I had to think about it for a moment.  But, I thought, why the hell not.  I may not get the chance again, so I said yes.

It was for a Russian designer by the name of Valentin Yudashkin.  We got shown to front row seats, which was nice.  Then the show started.  It was quite good and interesting.  The initial outfits were a mix of black, greys and silver.  A lot of sparkle, on nearly everything.  There were some colours, mainly yellow and blue which, in my mind, is always a good combination.  And a lot more grey, black and silver.

Personally, I think that the sparkly tights, worn with almost everything, were just too much.  And the plastic hats (trilby/top hat types) were more suited to a seaside promenade than a catwalk.  However, the designs were quite good.  I was reminded of clothes from the 20s, 30s and 40s, but with a modern feel and many of them were well done.  Some of the fabric was superb.  Imagine a slightly toned down Cavalli, but using gems and sparkle instead of animal print.

The evening gowns were, on the whole, very nice.  They flowed as the models walked and you could imagine that they would look good for an evening out.  There wasn’t anything that was truly inspiring, but, then, it wasn’t haute couture!

However, what ever happened to the ‘fat’ models?  Are they really checking the BMI of the models?  Surely they cannot be doing that or did they just miss this show.  The problem is that the models had no form, no shape, no real beauty.  I’ve seen more attractive mannequins.  And the dresses needed some shape inside them.  We talked afterwards, A and I, and agreed that they were better than the days when everyone looked like they had to be a heroin junkie, with the dark eyes and sunken cheeks, but, only just better.

V really enjoyed it.  I wanted to stop the models for him as they swished past us so that he could have a better look at the material.  He was peering at most of them as they walked past.

Whilst everything was very good, I did notice stupid little things.  Some of the models had problems with the evening gowns, they were just too long and a couple nearly tripped up – although if they had I’m sure their legs or arms would have snapped, they were so thin.  One of the models was wearing shoes that were obviously too big for her and struggled a bit to carry off the walk, the straps at the back fallen down.  All the models were based on two types, one with dark hair and one with blonde, but other than that they almost looked identical.

And after we went for an Indian meal in Via Tadino which was quite good, the company being excellent.  All in all, a very nice evening.  Thanks to H and D for a lovely evening out.

And would I go to another?  Well, yes.  It put me in the mind of any good show, any other art or design exhibition.  Too much is said about how consumerism is so bad – but these designers are the Michelangelos, Turners, Moores of our time.  Come on guys, even Westwood and Versace have been displayed in, for instance the V&A!  It’s a form of art, of expression.  And, thanks to the very rich Russians, very much in evidence last night, it’s profitable, so will continue.