MILAN, Italy — Fashion is about change and Alberta Ferretti loves change. After a few seasons of presenting in the historical Rotonda della Besana, today the designer opted for the industrial mondernity of a rather impersonal hangar in Porta Nuova, one of Milan's newest neighborhoods. It made for a stark contrast with a collection that was based on Ferretti's take on romanticism.

The vibe was decidedly younger than usual, however. A bit too much perhaps, and too close aesthetically to Philosophy, the contemporary brand also owned by Aeffe. Yet, it made for an interesting offering: a mix of Ferretti's trademark floaty dresses and 1980s-inflected banana-shaped slacks, sangallo tops and oversized jean jackets. It was Ferretti's way of acknowledging the times — maybe a season too late. Yet it felt fresh and feisty, which is sometimes enough.