RUNWAY: Dolce&Gabbana FW14

"The models are back!", rejoiced the fashion set, as well as onlookers and fans, as the Dolce&Gabbana show started today in Milan. For a few seasons, the designer duo, who are currently embroiled in a litigious fight against Italian authorities, has opted to cast from the streets of their childhood in Sicily. No longer for FW14. The collection felt Florentine during the reign of the Medici's, though, the duo claimed the inspiration was a Norman Sicily. The ornate looks during the beginning of the show could easily be imagined as a very abridged take on Machiavelli's "The Prince", as models strutted down wearing crowns and chunky pinstriped pants. The rest of the collection ran the gamut of Medieval garb, fit for a king, prince or person of  the court. Even the soundtrack felt like a trip to a Medieval court, all that was missing was a court jester. In the end, the collection's strongest point came in the form of the atelier's ability to sew, weave, and embellish. It was a tour de force of craftsmanship. Editors and photographers will oogle over them but the general public may find it hard to want to wear many of the outlandish pieces; but there were a few well cut suits and sportswear that enthusiasts will gobble up, even if they didn't offer anything all too special from previous iterations.