The Monnalisa catwalk and party has become one of the staples of the Pitti Bimbo children's fair, and this year we were treated to an early evening soiree in the gardens close to the Pitti Palace. After sipping prosecco and canapes of tempura vegetables and a huge platter of fruit, the spotlights were turned on to the catwalk as the evening turned to dusk. Cue the Beatles We All Live In A Yellow Submarine, and let's get this party started...
This season's collection offered references to practically every decade in the twentieth century, making it something of a crowd-pleaser in so far as there was bound to be something for every taste. Stand-outs were the beautifully frothy floor length Fifties' style prom dresses with swathes of soft netting that any bride would be proud of. THere was also a tassled flapper dress, or - if the seventies takes your fancy - tie-dye Woodstock printed blouses and cool-looking playsuits. Being an Eighties child, I preferred the Day-glo Rave-Like-It's-1989 tracksuits, which would look vibrant on any beach or summer disco.
The new boyswear was intoduced under its own label this season, aptly known as ' Hitch-Hiker'. Designed for boys from newborn to 12 years, the collection mixes classic Italian styling - white chinos, with blue blazers - jazzed up with this season's current fad, the straw trilby. The Monnalisa world had something for every parent yearning for the nostagia of their own childhood; a clever business move and aesthetically a pleasing collection.
