No 21 A/W 2019 Milan Fashion Week Women's

Mood board: Alessandro Dell’Aqua’s enduring appeal lies in his ability to offset the demure with the daring, the elegant with the erotic. His woman wants pretty, but she wants it to have a sense of perversion too. A soundtrack of sensual trumpets and strings started the A/W 2019 show, which was rich in tans and pinks with pops of red, jewel-like gold and emerald. Pretty dresses in silks, sparkling gems, Obi bows, lace and tulle, were sexed up with exposed zips, fish net, fur and latex. A black gauzy dress featured a second skin latex bust and high neck. A demure shift dress was cut from underwear-like layers in nude and black net. A tan tailored coat draped erotically from the shoulder and wrapped asymmetrically across the body.

Best in show: Tailored outerwear was essential here, and worked in counterpoint to the more deluxe pieces on show. Trenchcoats were imagined in a variety of shapes, cut asymmetrically at the waist or coated in luxuriant gold leaf.

Finishing touches: Mastery came in the way these looks were layered. There was a sense of insouciant undoneness to the catwalk ensembles, as dresses and skirts were unzipped at the back, to reveal a peek of high-waisted pant, while coats and chunky ribbed knits were draped around the body.