Milan Fashion Week: Fendi says tearful goodbye to Karl Lagerfeld while Bottega Veneta’s Daniel Lee makes a terrific debut

The ghost of Karl Lagerfeld hung over Milan's autumn-winter 2019 collections, and most poignantly at Fendi where his last collection was presented two days after his death and 54 years after he joined the Roman luxury fur label. The elegiac show finished with a film clip of Lagerfeld recalling the outfit he was wearing on his very first day at Fendi all those years ago — triggering a few red eyes around the audience and backstage. As Silvia Venturini Fendi, who first met the designer when she was four years old, said it's “fashion's longest love story, one that will continue to touch our lives for years to come”. His swansong collection focused on pagoda shoulder jackets with geometric cuts and nipped in at the waist, balanced by swishy calf-length skirts and full-pleated trousers. The colours were neutral save for some bright pops of yellow and turquoise. Fine mesh leather and gauzy silks gave dresses a lightness and translucency. Paris Fashion Week: Bruno Sialelli lifts ‘fading’ Lanvin with debut show As the iconic designer leaves our mid, a new face made his debut at Bottega Veneta. Daniel Lee, formerly at Celine, brings a cool, fresh spirit to the luxury leather house. Sexy biker jackets, motocross pants and boots toughen the Bottega look although there were some beautiful ruched dresses slipped in. His showpieces were the intricate quilted, tooled and amazing intrecciato techniques, famously used for the bags, that were crafted into leather coats, skirts and biker jackets by the atelier. The balance of toughness and hyper-femininity also underpinned the Prada collection. Miuccia Prada contrasted paramilitary outfits and tractor-soled boots (there were a lot of tough-looking boots in Milan) with ultra-feminine floral prints that were embellished with 3D flower appliqués. Jennifer Lawrence’s engagement ring dazzles at Christian Dior show The play of opposites was extended into masculine tweeds cut as couture-style dresses and worn with sweet satin floral bags. Tailoring is always an important story in Milan where jackets are now oversized and teamed with mid-calf length skirts. At times this 80s style would look frumpy, however, at Gucci, Alessandro Michele made the shoulders sharper and teamed the bigger silhouette with slouchy pants cinched at the ankles for a mannish look. Milan Fashion Week: top autumn/winter fashion trends from the best shows Jackets were large and roomy at MaxMara as well, where they were presented tone on tone in yellow, aqua and purple and layered under coats and over thigh boots. Tailoring took on a neater fit at Giorgio Armani, where slender styles traced with ribbon detailing appeared in a graceful collection of midnight blue evening wear. From Burberry to Simone Rocha, the best picks from London Fashion Week While at Dolce & Gabbana, tailoring was 40s-style nipped at the waist and broad at the shoulders befitting the Eleganza theme of the collection, which focused on the craft of the atelier. The collection was themed around the best of their signature looks and presented in the original haute couture style, with a running commentary describing the looks. There was a lot of tone-on-tone outfits in Milan but there was also a lot of winter white such as the series of chic layered outfits in white leather, suede and wool that opened Alberta Ferretti’s show, worn with wide-brimmed hats. There was white leather at Fendi and some super-luxurious white dinner dresses, jumpsuits, knitwear and tuxedos at Brunello Cucinelli. Gigi Hadid closes Fendi, ‘fashion’s longest love story’ It might not be that practical in a winter rainstorm, but white gives the skin a flattering glow. It looks fabulous in the evening, as illustrated by an oversized tuxedo with a pearly sequinned top that closed the Roberto Cavalli show. Ryan Lo and 5 other Chinese designers who have wowed the crowd The perfect full-stop to the multi-coloured wave-patterned prints that predominated the Cavalli collection. Other key trends were the leather trench coat with great examples at Salvatore Ferragamo and Tod’s; a series of capes; disco dollybirds courtesy of Moschino’s American game show extravaganza; crazy coloured lace hosiery and lots of quilted and padded silhouettes. The latter was no doubt inspired by the success of the Moncler Genius project which now includes Richard Quinn and Alyx alongside PierPaolo Piccioli and Simone Rocha. Different designers, prints, pattern and colour, the Moncler Genius has something for everyone. Want more stories like this? Sign up here. Follow STYLE on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter

Milan Fashion Week: Fendi says tearful goodbye to Karl Lagerfeld while Bottega Veneta’s Daniel Lee makes a terrific debut

Fendi’s show caused many in the audience to shed a tear, while biker jackets and boots designed by Bottega Veneta’s new creative director toughened the fashion house’s look