Milan Fashion Week: Back to Basics at Brioni

After steeping ourselves in Guccidome, it was a quick hop, skip and a jump from the ultimate in Italian luxe to simple, straightforward daywear made in China, Mongolia and Tibet. At least, according to the show notes, said trifecta of the colder regions of East Asia constituted the cultural source of inspiration for the Brioni woman this fall.

Now, just the phrase "Brioni woman" in and of itself is cause for fashion critical pause as it is a concpet which, despite being in the ladies' game for about a decade now, the Bond-man about town's go-to-menswear label is still struggling to find its feminine voice.

Established in Rome in 1945 by master tailor Nazareno Fonticoli and fashion designer Gaetano Savini, Brioni is synonymous with top-notch menswear, and has been one of the official tailors of the Bond-men since 1995.

So it was not surprising that at their womenswear show, what smacked of Brioni and their achievements in this sphere was less to do with the aesthetic and everything to do with the tailoring. As far as I could tell, the alleged "cultural ethos" about the collection stemmed primarily from the brand's handling of tone on tone Mongolian wool and cashmere (with a bit of black dyed sheep shag thrown in for good measure), for the the collection seemed defined by the fact that it eschewed prints and flowing chiffons or any other tell-tale Asian influence.

Suzy Menkes in the green scarf, far left, sits front row

There was a striking coat dress who claimed "kites in flight" as its inspiration as its sleeves seem to mimic the flowing lines of said childrens' toy and eveningwear focused on shorts, paired with blouses and jackets in matching gold silk jacquard fabric, inspired by (shocker) men's tie designs. Yes, the Brioni woman, even of 2010, is still very much the Brioni man. But in this day and age, where, thanks to the recession, gender boundaries are beginning to crystalize in a way they haven't in a long time, there are more "Real Housewives of" reality series than there are plastic surgeons willing to accommodate all them sagging chins, it's not exactly a bad thing for the Brioni woman of 2010 to root around in the James Bond's closet.