MILAN, Italy — In case you missed the Marc Jacobs show, the Eighties are back, complete with massive shoulders, big trousers and assertive Tony Viramontes hats. Alberta Ferretti was on a similar wavelength today. Being a wise woman, not a showgirl, her take on the matter was all about balance, substance and strength, not about catwalk excess. The hats were clearly a faux pas as they felt a bit derivative, but the rest the collection was a coherent effort depicting a stronger feminine character than you usually expect at Ferretti.

power dressing is not the right word. Ferretti winked at the Eighties of jumpsuits, leather skirts and roomy capes, not mannish suits. The daywear was outstanding, so much so that the long floaty dresses looked a bit out of context in such a fierce womanly environment. All in all, it worked, even though there was a palpable sense of nostalgia for a long gone decade.