No. 21

{No. 21 Pre-Fall 2012, Milan}

Remember how tacky was in?  Neons and fur and leather and God knows what else?  I do.  I championed it.  I endorsed tacky.  But lately, I think that I've grown up a bit (at least that's how I'm choosing to see it), and this season the fashion industry appears to be doing the same.  Tacky is out.  It's about subtle, not showy now.  For reasons I am not yet going to explain, I've had Italian design on the mind a lot lately and No. 21's pre-fall collection embodies what I consider to be the crux Italian fashion; how simple things, done well, can create gorgeous + polished garments.  Understated and all the more beautiful for it. 

-images via style.com-