Decadent and dark sums up creative director Frida Giannini’s runway presentation for Gucci on the first day of Milan Fashion Week autumn/winter 2013 (Wednesday, February 20).

The show’s sultry start was heralded by the arrival of an army of femme fatales sporting slicked-back hair and fishnet stockings, with a heavy nod to 1950s film noir. Smart, wearable and sharply structured silhouettes were inspired by couture, with elegant lean shapes and a new line to the skirt, which fell deliciously just below the knee with an unexpected high slit at the back. Keeping with the new mood, soft, egg-shaped shoulders were seen on jackets cut caban-style or cropped and often accentuated by fern prints overlaid with appliqués for a three-dimensional effect.

Rich in traditional autumnal tones of purple wine, moss green, cerulean blue and the de rigueur black, the collection highlights included a full purple wine ponyskin skirt suit and another rust-coloured version fabricated in the of-the-moment astrakhan, plus a show-stopping full black snakeskin dress. Frida’s femme fatale fixation continued into the accessories range, inspired by English artist Allen Jones’ naughty sculptures, boasting boots and sandals with piercing sharp heels for a touch of fetish, and structured bags with archival luggage locks for a retro hint.

For evening, there was less restraint as netting and satin collided with feathers, studs and sequins intersecting punk and couture, with languid lines and kaleidoscopic hues.

At Gucci, this winter is looking broodingly sexy, exotic, dangerous and über-luxurious — exactly the qualities we love in the brand.