The first designer to be taking a leaf out of Mr Ford's latest women's wear book is Alberta Ferretti. The designer will base her women's show at Pitti Uomo on 11th January in Florence on "real women" by recruiting her own muses to model for her. We already know that 24-year old, actress and gorgeous ingenue Camilla Belle will be there, but the rest are more surprising. Inés Sastre is both an actress and a dazzling Spanish beauty, but she is well into her 30s. And of course Carmen Dell'Orefice (above left) and Marisa Berenson (middle) are both well past the age that we dare to ask a lady her age, yet immaculate and elegant as anyone who has ever walked the ramps.
But I think that the idea that these are just a few headline grabbers and that the real bulk of the collection fo 30 limited edition looks will be paraded by really ordinary folks including a lawyer, a blogger, a psychologist and a scientific researcher is what is a lot more interesting.
"My muses are always the women of today. I wanted to show my outfits on women, not only on models like in Milan," said Ferretti. "This show will be about women and not only the clothes. I wanted to personalize it."I do think that it is only fair that we point out that of course designers like our own David West has used only real people in his shows for years. It is not a new concept. But it is one that works.