MILAN, September 27, 2006 – You got that old familiar feeling at Alberta Ferretti's show today. Not just because the collection was firmly in keeping with fashion's current craze for weightless fabrics in pale noncolors, but because this is territory the designer has long called her own. It's pretty terrain, of course, but after a strong fall outing that took Ferretti in a different direction, it would've been nice to see a little more newness among the delicate pin-tucked chiffon and slinky draped jersey. Still, Ferretti fans (especially those A-list Hollywood stylists sitting in her front row) will find enough to like, starting with silk charmeuse cocktail dresses and gowns in rich hues like raspberry and cobalt. The shorter versions skimmed the body in front and dipped low in back to flash a bit of skin, while a longer style, worn with bejeweled flats, was belted at the waist with a coil of silver. Tailored pieces were also on point: Short-sleeve coat-dresses came in the season's metallic brocades, and tapering shorts gave a belted jacket a youthful kick. Ferretti has shown that she has a sense for structure. Why not use it on the runway more often?

– Nicole Phelps