Milan Fashion Week: A bold new era for heritage designer brands is here
The newly appointed creative directors of heritage brands set new style blueprints celebrating the past while rolling out templates for the future
The Milan Fashion Week has been a season of several noteworthy debuts. From Demna at Gucci and Louise Trotter at Bottega Veneta, to Simone Bellotti at Jil Sander and Dario Vitale, each designer presented their vision for heritage brands.
After Sabato De Sarno's departure from Gucci, all eyes were set on Demna's Gucci sophomore collection and the former Balenciaga artistic director didn't disappoint with his La Famiglia offering. The collection was captured by the Los Angeles-based fine-art photographer Catherine Opie, in a series of 37 portraits of characters who epitomise “the Gucciness of Gucci" as seen by its new head of design. It featured Miss Aperitivo in a sequin minidress, La VIC in a top-to-toe GG monogram, and Narcisista, whose shirt was unbuttoned almost to his GG buckle belt in a manner not unfamiliar to fans of the house during its Tom Ford era. The house also presented a short film by Oscar winner Spike Jonze and Halina Reijn, The Tiger, starring the likes of Demi Moore and Ed Harris, and featuring looks from the La Famiglia collection.
What the brand needed was a wave of sensually charged styling and some flashbulb fervour to keep the Internet buzzing and Demna's presentation managed to achieve that. For his Versace debut, Dario Vitale looked at Gianni's ‘80s archive, from bold colour blocking to chainmail skirts and micro shorts. Vitale’s focus was on wearability, and so he proposed separates like an embroidered leather vest and muscle tees.
This season, Fendi took sportswear and turned it into demi-couture pieces replete with clever detailing. Silvia Fendi presented tracksuits recontextualised in sartorial wool for men, and organza for women. There were vibrant elastic drawstrings with cord locks to skirts and halter neck dresses crafted from irregular blocks of tiered pleated fabric. It was like the House's invitation to its well-heeled clients to play dress up in an uninhibited way. Prada, on the other hand, stood out for its kicky skirts, from knee-length styles patchworked from different fabrics to ruffled ones. There were bra tops made without any elastic below the bustline and suspenders skirts.
Here are some of the key trends that emerged at Milan Fashion Week.
Discreet luxury
Lorenzo Serafini for his Alberta Ferretti spring collection thought about a woman who actually prefers to keep her life to herself. In a world of constant oversharing, Serafini's muse was someone who enjoys living discreetly and values her privacy. Hence the offering was an homage to a soiree hostess, who entertains for the mere pleasure of it and not to make a noise on social media. This romanticism-laced vibe was evident in his lightweight capes, floaty kaftans, and handkerchief hems that sashayed in ease. From playing with soothing shades to incorporating deeper tones and statement-making leopard prints, the collection was a documentation of understated luxury through consciousness-altering clothing.
Jil Sander's showcase under the newly appointed Simone Bellotti was another promising outing, as the designer honoured the house's exacting minimalism while playing with muted tones and carefully calibrated silhouettes. An interplay of textures and transparency came into play in this glowing debut.
Unexpected silhouettes
Dhruv Kapoor's Foundations & Futures collection viewed traditional Indian garments with a radical lens. Think classics like kurta, the bandhgala jacket and the petticoat structures being re-engineered. Steeped in Vedic symbolism, each colour employed was linked to a planet embodying chromatic rituals of protection, intimacy, and energy.
No 21 by Alessandro Del’Aqua sent out slips in heat-pleated duchesse, 40s polka-dot dresses with side vents revealing high-waisted briefs and lingerie. Diaphanous chiffon skirts with tasseled feathers, basic cotton and poplin were clashed against rich brocades and faille, creating a textural tension of sorts. Missoni's summer proposition was to wear swimwear as daywear with summer layering. The house sent out knitted blazers, trapeze tops, and blousons styled with one-piece suits and high-waisted bikinis. Some swim pieces were even paired with men's shirts and others were layered under textured cardigans.
Artisanal accessories
Tod’s bags expressed the brand’s artisanal excellence. The Di Bag Folio, with its deconstructed design, was offered as a spacious tote or in a double-layer version and enriched with intricate inlay work. The T Timeless, now presented in a new top handle version, featured continuous perforations that created a refined graphic effect. The Wave Bag reinterpreted the codes of luxury leather goods with contrasting stitching that enhanced its design.
On the other hand, Fendi bags came accented with retina-drenching flower motifs. From the evocative sequin lining of Peekaboos to the Baguettes crafted in cable-knit that matched the outfits and block-heeled sandals, it was Roman house's most fun and fearless showcase in recent years.
Unabashed glamour
Vitale at Versace explored the house's signature sexiness with a fresh spin. Beach tops were slashed super low on the side exposing edges that were left unfinished. What's more, belts styled on high-waist jeans were left undone, and sometimes the zippers too. The pièce de résistance was a chainmail bra top and a matching skirt styled with a cashmere cardigan tied around the hips.
Another noteworthy showcase was Cavalli, which celebrated the old-school Hollywood glamour. From the sunray pleated dresses to the denims to slip dresses, artistic director Fausto Puglisi stayed true to the house's bold glam heritage while adding his own playfulness to the pieces.
At Etro, Marco De Vincenzo, too, dialled up drama, as he collaborated with Italian singer La Niña del Sud. Her powerful performance complemented the hues and savoir-faire exemplified by texturing, ruffles and fringes.
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