Runway Roundup: Fall 2010 RTW Milan Part 1

Here's a handful of my favorite collections from Milan...

Alberta Ferretti

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God, just gorgeous. I'm really obsessing over nudes and blush tones at the moment and these fluttery chiffon dresses that are so pale they're hardly there are pretty much killing me. (I'd do unspeakable things for that second dress.) And how good is the embellishment? It's like built-in jewelry, just the right amount of bling. The intricate princess coat with its black hair sleeves is also really impressive, and of course all of the evening gowns are to die.

Albino

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This immaculate collection pretty much turned my desire for a chic khaki capelet up to 11, and the girlish Peter Pan collars are also really hitting all my buttons. The pieces here have a really austere, almost Puritan feel, and it's refreshing following season after season of bodycon and heavy embellishment. There's something to be said for scaling everything back a couple of notches, and I think we'll be seeing a lot of this kind of smart restraint in the coming months, so take note.

D&G

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I really, really hate skiing, but I have to admit D&G's fall collection is giving me snow-bunny fantasies. I'm not saying I'm about to strap on a pair of skis or anything, but these clothes make me want to cozy up near a fire in a fabulous chalet with a cup of hot cocoa (with a dash of Frangelico in it, natch!) and a pair of ridiculously furry mukluks. Everything here just has a charm to it that's so appealing -- these are snuggly-sexy clothes with a time-tested reference, but the sense of humor with which they're imbibed keep everything super fresh and adorable. How bad do I want to throw a cropped motorcycle jacket over that snowflake-print bodysuit and head out for some partying? Really bad.

Fendi

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I gotta say, even though Karl kills me at Chanel, I think I prefer his work at Fendi. For fall, like a lot of designers, Mr. L. scaled back a bit, making clothes that feel smart and traditional and a little more reserved -- even the white lynx fur coat, which sounds like it should be completely over-the-top, has a classic, understated sensibility to it, and the rubber-capped platforms are a wink at old-school utilitarianism. Even though all these clothes have an undeniable specialness, they also possess a kind of every-girl accessibility that is giving me a total crush.

Moschino Cheap & Chic

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Even though the moniker is essentially a big fat joke (chic? Yes; cheap, not so much), I am pretty much in love with everything Rosella Jardini does for Cheap & Chic. As a label, it has an infectious cheekiness ingrained into all its clothes that you just can't help but get into. For fall, Jardini used Cheap & Chic to celebrate the opening of Maison Moschino, the brand's Milan hotel, so the models and their clothes embody the type of hyper-fashionable guest the hotel is sure to attract (hence the luggage as well as the enraptured faces). There's the "Chanel" girl with her quilted chain-strap bag, the "Balmain" girl in cargos and leather, and so on, but don't be fooled, as all of these looks are pure Moschino Cheap & Chic -- as Style.com's Nicole Phelps says, "Nothing too serious, full of fashion in-jokes, and contagiously upbeat." Brava!

Prada

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OMG, I don't know when exactly I became such a huge Prada fan, but I totally am, and Fall 2010 just solidifies it. Backstage before the show, my girl Miuccia said these are just "normal clothes...classics." And they are riffs on the standards: even though each piece is totally special, you can also kind of imagine pulling similar items out of your closet to create similar looks. I love the choice of fabrics -- wool so rich you can practically feel its softness just by looking at it, chunky Grandpa-style cable knits, and unexpected shots of black patent leather. The overstated ruffles are great, and please check out the accessories:

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Those glasses! Those loafers! Those tights! Yes all around. Can't wait to see Miu Miu.

I have a few more looks from Milan to post, then I'll be on to Paris...then I'll be done until Resort comes around in June! Phew! Don't forget to become a fan on Facebook for early looks at my runway picks, and follow along with the shows at Style.com.