Moschino goes 1980s while evoking chic Chanel

If, like me, you are just loving fashion’s return to the decade that style forgot then you will have no doubt enjoyed the Moschino show at Milan Fashion Week.

Proof that 1980s-inspired power dressing is set to continue beyond this season and next was evident in the label’s spring/summer 2010 line, which consisted primarily of a lot of well-tailored almost Chanel-inspired suits.

But, in an unsurprising twist that is quintessentially Italian was the fact that the suits were made up of skimpy miniskirts and accessorised with insanely vertiginous heels - a far cry from the flats presented by Giorgio Armani.

My favourite suit to hit the catwalk comprised a cropped jacket with three-quarter length sleeves and an equally short miniskirt, both of which were trimmed elegantly with pearls. The suit was customised with a white silk blouse and draped with pearls, along with a salmon-pink clutch, chunky black bangle and a black asymmetric headpiece - Chanel eat your heart out.

On top of the chic tailored suits, another common thread to feature in the collection was sheer black tights. Whether this was down to the fact we were in Milan or because sheer is set to be huge next spring and summer remains to be seen by looking at other collections, but considering Giorgio Armani opted for sheer as opposed to opaque too is very telling methinks.

In stark contrast to the girly girl Chanel-esque style evoked by Moschino was the grunge-inspired makeup sported by the models, evidence that while doing the prim and proper look may be at the height of fashion, toughening it up is always a must.

Can coarse Moschino add edge to chic Chanel?