Flights of Fancy

LUCA BRUNO/AP

BY DESIGN: Gucci's Spanish designer Agatha Ruiz De La Prada acknowledges the applause after presenting her Spring/Summer 2005 collection

Businesses these days are obsessed with outsourcing, and the fashion business is no different. You could say that the European designers on display at the spring 2005 collection last week in Milan went beyond manufacturing clothes abroad; they outsourced their inspiration. Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, who had recently traveled to Botswana, brought back a sexy show filled with zebra-striped chiffon dresses, ivory bangles and chic safari jackets. After a 10-day romp through Asia last April, Giorgio Armani returned with a vision of a fictional Asian woman in soft satin pajama pants, boxy Chinese jackets and coolie hats. Gianfranco Ferre looked...

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