Photo: Marcio Madeira

Kean Etro is fearless in his willingness to use fashion as a vehicle for often woolly philosophizing. But his new theme—In Vino Veritas—had an irresistible appropriateness. You drink, you talk too much, and maybe you tell the truth. It's safe to assume there's more nerve-steadying boozing going on right now in the world at large, and Kean would surely be a happy man if that led to more honesty. He did his bit with a collection inspired by red wine. Under that umbrella there was a range of tones to play with: Merlot, Brunello, Barolo, lighter, darker, fiery, sober. Sober? An odd notion, given that alcohol was the inspiration.

Still, Fall 2009 looked like a more restrained, serious place for Etro, especially after Spring's exuberant exotica. That much was clear from the collection's key piece, the mid-calf coat in place of a jacket. Red may have been the dominant shade in everything from red pony slip-ons to a leather blouson in lacquered burgundy, but Kean had also been looking at the Art Deco mélanges of Sonia Delaunay and, before that, the angular geometries of the English Vorticists, so there was a muted, arty edge to Etro's prints and weaves this season. Red being the traditional color of nobility, Kean also threw in some oh-so-unmodern capes. From carefree Spring to careworn Fall—what a difference six months makes.— Tim Blanks www.menstyle.com

Je n'ai pas aimé les manteaux très longs, ni le surcharge des motifs mais j'ai aimé les manteaux de fourrure noir à poils longs!