On top of the re-imagined denim looks, patchwork leather, silvers and ‘soccer-core’ in a truly miscellaneous display of Italian fashion, we also saw crowd surfing models, purposefully broken clothing and a mountain of condoms – Milan Fashion Week truly had it all.
With over 50 shows from some of the leading fashion houses in the world, there was definitely a lot to take in but don’t worry, we secured the main designers here. Milan Fashion Week was a moment to remember.
Diesel
Milan Fashion Week gave us the collaboration that none of us expected: Diesel x Durex. The catwalk took place in front of a mountain of red Durex wrappers and was soundtracked by an intimate playlist in a show that championed sex positivity.
The collection featured Diesel’s usual edgy denim pieces, but the most impressive by far was the way that the brand put a spin on distressed denim. Rather than the usual rips and tears that form frayed edges and loose strings; Diesel incorporated delicate mesh in a sort-of sheer darning detail. This intricate detail not only elevated the look of ripped jeans, but it also played into the ever-popular push and pull of masculinity and femininity as the aggressive rips created a jarring contrast to the delicate lace mesh.
Roberto Cavalli
Denim was also a huge part of the Roberto Cavalli show. Cavalli’s history is rooted in denim, the designer began his career by creating Frankenstein-esque creations out of scraps of denim; this history was a central source of inspiration for Fausto Puglisi’s collection.
Alongside denim, the collection featured various looks that were constructed by a collage of leather, adding an edgier element to the otherwise bohemian inspired designs. The brown-looks felt very inspired by a 1970s rocker-chic aesthetic, highlighting the retro influences that were weaved throughout the collection.
The collection also featured a heavy segment dedicated to black lace. This section featured a variety of looks that utilised black lace; everything from feathered catsuits to miniskirts took to the runway. This collection was not only an archival-inspired homage to fashion history, but it also served to prove the sheer versatility of materials and the way that they can be used to produce a vast selection of looks.
Photo Credits: Roberto Cavalli
Blumarine
Set against the backdrop of a blazing ‘B’ and stony outcrop, Blumarine took us on the journey of Joan of Arc. The metallic tones put a modern spin on the iconography of Joan of Arc’s silver armour and the shearling knee-high boots featured buckles that played with designs of combat boots. Chainmail tops and dresses served to show the versatility of the collection’s muse as the looks transitioned from martyr to party girl.
This collection took Blumarine’s usual Y2K aesthetic, which often manifested itself in hyper-feminine looks of bubble-gum pink and floral frills, down a much darker route. The grungy collection was fuelled by danger and while still feminine, the looks explored the dynamic between violence, threat, martyrdom, and womanhood.
Photo Credits: Blumarine
MM6 Maison Margiela
MM6 pioneered trendy tailoring this Milan Fashion Week. The collection was made up of a variety of tailored pieces, whether they were worn in sets or as individual pieces; layered or minimally styled; deconstructed or classically built; the looks demonstrated the versatility of tailoring. In a collection that emphasised the coolness in wearability, all of the looks were elevated yet rooted in simplicity.
We have seen many designers stray away from show-stopping, viral designs that the internet devours recently as they favour more wearable designs that can maximise sales. While this may sound like a boring development, MM6 proved that it does not need to be. This collection emphasised the possibilities that exist in our day-to-day wardrobes, an important aspect of the fashion industry that must not be ignored.
Photo Credits: MM6 Maison Margiela
Moschino
The Moschino Autumn/Winter 2023 collection was inspired by Salvador Dali’s ‘The Persistence of Memory’. The famous melting clocks inspired the drip-like hems of the skirts that graced the catwalk. The fluid looks were paired with distorted patterns that both mimicked Dali’s painting and added to the ‘melted’ look of the clothes.
However, halfway through the show the collection took a punkier turn. The hedgehog-spiked headpieces were worn throughout the show, highlighting the influence of punk styles on the collection, but the clothes truly reflected this theme in the second portion of the catwalk. The elaborate ballgowns and extravagant silhouettes were Westwood-esque, in what many have seen as a tribute to the late designer.
Photo Credits: Moschino
GCDS
GCDS’ latest collection was inspired by the domestic, the looks took a more conservative and grown-up look to past collections by the designer, but that does not mean that the collection was plain or boring in any way. The collection featured a bag inspired by Giuliano Calza’s cat, a piece that highlighted the importance of domestic life within this collection.
However, the domestic also came out in other forms, particularly the use of safety pins throughout the collection. This highlights not only the process of designing and creating clothes but also how clothes exist within the home. The use of such a mundane yet integral object within the collection perfectly bridged the gap between the high fashion industry and the domestic lives that inspired the looks.
Cormio
Cormio have successfully jumped on the football bandwagon and used their show to emphasise the feminist roots behind this trend. The venue for the show was a football hall on the outskirts of Milan but, unlike the hyper-masculine world of football, women were allowed to take centre stage in this environment.
Women in football have been marginalised and underappreciated for years and now femininity is fighting back. Instead of opting for more ‘masculine’ looks to fit in with this atmosphere, Cormio instead forced femininity into this environment, proving that there is a place for ‘girliness’ within football. The Y2K ‘punk princess’ inspired looks highlighted another traditionally masculine environment that has been successfully dominated by women for years. The pieces reclaimed sexist phrases and slurs, injecting an ironic sense of humour into the collection.
However, our personal highlight from the collection was the hyper-feminisation of the literal football. Cormio turned the instrument of the sport, the thing that the entire game is dependent on, into a handbag in a camp reclamation of the sport.
Sunnei
Never before have we seen a horizontal catwalk. But that is exactly what Sunnei gave us. Models gracefully traversed the traditional catwalk before partaking in an elaborate trust exercise at the end of the runway. After falling into the arms of onlookers the models crowd-surfed to the end of their runway.
The collection itself prioritised eye-grabbing looks, from patchwork denim to fringed knits, the looks were perfect for the it-girl who wants to stand out. Much like the runway show, the collection was non-traditional but not unwearable, the looks perfected the more out-there elements of contemporary streetstyle.
Dolce & Gabbana
After days of online speculation, Kim Kardashian sat front row at the Dolce & Gabbana show this Milan Fashion Week in an archival red two-piece that was a modernised look from the designer’s 1990 collection. Although onlookers were yet to realise it, Kim’s look set the stage for the collection that they were about to see as the Autumn/Winter 2023 ‘Sensuale’ collection was deeply inspired by archival work.
While lingerie-inspired looks are not uncommon on the runway anymore, Dolce & Gabbana were designing these sorts of collections back in the 90s. With this context the lace-heavy underwear-as-outerwear looks that graced the catwalk this season were more historic than you might think. The collection even featured a corset from 1991 and a coat from 1997 as the designer works to bring back some of their iconic pieces.
Photo Credits: Dolce & Gabbana
Words by: Amelia Gregory
Header Image: Diesel
