MFW Fall '12: Dsquared²

Other designers in Milan may be feeling dark and moody, but not Dsquared²'s Dan and Dean Caten. To prove it, they staged a high school prom, dimming the lights and switching on a pair of disco balls midway through their 9:30 a.m. show. The sign on the wall said Class of 2013, but the vibe was more early sixties—from the top of the models' bouffant hairdos to the tips of their diamanté and leopard-spot pumps. In between, they wore snug brushed mohair sweaters over button-downs and lamé skirts; toggle coats and rolled-hem jeans; and a green croc jacket with cropped pink pants. Hands down the most charming piece was a rugby sweatshirt in striped mink.

Often the Caten brothers prefer their girls more bad than good, but that wasn't the case here. The only things that these pretend high schoolers' parents would disapprove of were their cigarettes. Even after the disco balls came on, things never took a turn for the provocative. Hewing more closely to the current trends than what preceded them, a trio of black column gowns were all about the hips. Pure sweetness from Dsquared²? Trust us, we were surprised, too, but pleasantly so.