Milan Fashion Week has spoken: Bold maximalism is back
Long bright, fur coats, shimmery dresses, velvet catsuits—the recent fashion showcase shows daring styles are making a big return
Fendi celebrated its 100 years at the recent Milan Fashion Week, with the house’s matriarch, Silvia Venturini Fendi, revisiting the luxury brand's archives.
The show opened with Dardo and Tazio Vascellari Fendi, the sons of Delfina Delettrez Fendi (Silvia's daughter and the label’s artistic director of jewellery), wearing equestrian ensembles that the late longtime creative director Karl Lagerfeld designed for the brand. The show also included new versions of the iconic Baguette shoulder bag and the Peekaboo top-handle from 2008, with shearling intarsia and fluted suede techniques.
Also read: The tie is not dead
The Versace show, too, was full of archival references—the embellished pockets drew from a 1991 collection and the metallic pieces referenced Donatella’s first-ever Atelier Versace haute couture collection from July 1998. In the early 1980s, her late brother Gianni had created evening gowns from a light metal mesh, giving a warrior-like touch. This season, Donatella and her design team extrapolated 3D printing to engineer a dress, bustier and skirt, in recycled nylon polymers with crystal inserts.
Besides designers looking at their archives, there were some other trends that emerged at the Milan Fashion Week—all pointing towards one thing: Maximalism is back.
Also read: Menswear fashion can't get enough of quiet luxury
Reinterpreting romanticism
All eyes were set on Alberta Ferretti, as this was creative director Lorenzo Serafini's first outing at the label. Titled Progressive Romantics, the collection reflected Serafini’s effort to channel Ferretti’s romanticism but with his own unique touch.
“I wanted to portray romantic yet rational women—keen to both affirm themselves and nourish their personal lives," Serafini said in the show notes. "Women who do not have to choose between independence and emotion… They deserve both."
Hence came airy chiffon dresses and floral accents, as well as more pragmatic tailored capes and fluid trench coats.
Retro revival
After Sabato De Sarno's exit, Gucci's creative team presented a show which had subtle nods to the brand's history of jet-set glamour, besides bits from every creative director's tenure.
There were newer pared-back versions of Alessandro Michele’s loafer scuffs. The rhinestone-studded double Gs on velvet catsuits brought back Tom Ford’s 90s va va voom aesthetic. The collection also had De Sarno’s acid-hued silk slips.
At Versace, the 3D printed pieces ensembles made a comeback in more exuberant forms, this time peppered with oversize crystals. The rhinestone embroidered jeans are likely to go viral among Gen Z fashion content creators.
Shaggy coats everywhere
Fur has always been the beating heart of Fendi, and this season, Silvia proposed a closet comprising collarless coats and dresses in fur. All of the statement-making fur coats were crafted in shearling except a piece in mink with zigzag texturing.
The house’s recently appointed CEO announced in an interview that the Roman house is opening a new “fur atelier" in the Milan store which will open in September. There was plenty of faux fur at Gucci, Prada and Dolce & Gabbana as well.
Manish Mishra is a Delhi-based writer and content creator.
Also read: London Fashion Week: Art, fairytales, and glam gothic energy
topics
