In one of the fashion capitals of the world, what better sight is there to see than a show of eighteenth century clothing, and modern-day clothing it inspired. The show at Palazzo Morando is titled “Sette Cento” – literally “seven hundred”, but referring to the 1700s, thus the eighteenth century. (This is a common way of referring to the centuries, dropping reference to the first thousand years. I hear this often when speaking of antiques.)

Several of the garments had construction details that wowed me: a modified princess seam, adjustable back waist belt, detachable collar, pre-angled sleeves, uncommon gathers, over-embroidered prints. (The blue-on-white Vivienne Westwood Jacket from 1996 was particularly intriguing to me.) Seeing both the old and the new, the textiles, the details, the forms, made me itch to get in front of my sewing machine.