Roving Reporter : Alberta Ferretti

There has been much talk about the cut in the number of designers showing at Milan this season, with Cavalli's diffusion 'Just Cavalli' show being cancelled. 

But Alberta Ferretti shown through the storm with a jewel bright collection of beautiful separates, stunning tailoring and fantastic dresses. 

While London is known for its breeding of new designers and creative talent, Milan is known for its big names and beautifully chic clothing, AF certainly lived up to this.

The palette combined incredible tones of orange, deep turquoise, vibrant purple, pink, nude and monochrome hues. It was show stopping and fun, just what we need when everything else is turning to mud around us! It is a known fact, if you want to lift your mood, brighten up and AF is doing just that.

The collection concentrated predominantly on dresses, which has been seen as the key thing for A/W (probably because people will spend money on a whole outfit!) There were lots of shift cuts and knee skimming versions showing a day to night look, again a great credit crunch idea.

I loved the coats too. Beautifully grown up, tailored shapes, trench and cocoon styles. Waist belts were a must to keep the slightly over sized shapes (especially shoulders) in check!

Skirt suits far out-weighed the trousers, again showing a move away from androgyny, in fact perhaps the economic crisis will make us re-embrace our femininity! I'm certainly up for more girly shapes!

My final love was the embellishment, something AF always does particularly well.

I loved the all out feathered pieces, as well as those that seemed to echo the slightly tribal vibe that we same going on in London. 

It seems that Milan agree, if we are going to buy expensive pieces they have to be things we will love forever and ever and this collection is definitely one of those!