The designs for the Milan Fashion Week for Fall-Winter 2023 were beautiful in many different ways. They ranged from flamboyant to modest, escapist to down-to-earth. In addition, several companies put on great shows that were a lot of fun to watch.
During the festival, which ended on Monday, about 50 shows were put on in the fashion capital of Italy. But some big names weren’t there, like Versace and Marni (the house will show in Los Angeles on March 10).
The start of Diesel’s presentation at the Milan Fashion Week was a stack of condoms. The setting for creative director Glenn Martens’ Fall-Winter 2023 collection was one of the most Instagrammed and talked about sets of the week. In keeping with the edgy image of the label, the Belgian designer showed off his denim skills with low-rise jeans and outfits that showed a lot of skin. In addition, several sheer lace patterns were made with a technique called devoré. In this method, cellulose fibers are burned with a chemical, leaving behind woven cloth in a pattern.
At the 2023 Milan Fashion Week, Dolce & Gabbana and Roberto Cavalli showed more skin. The former was a good example of hedonism, with crystal-studded patchwork leather, animal prints, many fake furs, and black lace used in different ways, from corsets to figure-hugging dresses. Bras with metal cups, embroidered slips, and lacy teddies were worn with feathered parkas, white tuxedos, and hourglass-shaped double-wool coats at Dolce & Gabbana. This was likely a nod to the brand’s work with Kim Kardashian, who sat in the front row.
For example, Fendi, Prada, Max Mara, and Giorgio Armani took a more traditional approach to fashion by making clothes that looked like they were made for everyday use. As a result, nearly every person on the runway wore a tailored gray coat, including loafers, work boots, and black patent shoes.
Hollywood stars and royals showed up in large numbers, which brought many people to the exhibitions and showed that Milan still has a lot of A-list appeal.
At the Milan Fashion Week, Julia Fox and Haley Lu Richardson from “White Lotus” were seen at Diesel, and Sienna Miller, Dua Lipa, and Emma Roberts went to the Prada event. A$AP Rocky, Dakota Johnson, Maneskin, and Chinese actress and singer Xiao Zhan were among the guests at Gucci. Palestinian social media star Julia Hussein and Saudi model and influencer Hala Abdallah wore matching outfits to Moschino. When BTS member RM walked into Bottega Veneta, people were so excited that there was almost a stampede, and security had to step in.
The Milan Fashion Week had to be bigger to hide the fact that, just like in London and New York, only a little effort was put into getting people of different backgrounds to walk the runway. So instead, with a few notable exceptions like Ashley Graham walking the Dolce & Gabbana show, ultra-skinny models dominated all other body types, revealing a new and alarming trend.
One of the many problems that had to be solved was the need for different sizes. However, Stella Jean, one of the few Black designers in the country and the only Black member of the National Chamber of Italian Fashion, said before the event that she would not go and instead go on strike to protest the lack of diversity and inclusion in the fashion industry. Jean, who started the We Are Made in Italy (WAMI) movement, said the chamber had “dumped” the effort. But a spokeswoman for Stella Jean said that the chamber’s designer and president, Carlo Capasa, agreed to meet with WAMI designers of color to hear their stories. CNN has asked the National Chamber of Italian Fashion for a comment, but they have yet to reply.
Milan Fashion Week: How to put on clothes in the real world
In Milan, “understated” was the word of the week. But a few designers showed collections at the Milan Fashion Week that took a quiet, almost humble approach to high fashion, with both comfortable and aspirational things, which reflected the economy’s state.
At Fendi, artistic director Kim Jones took inspiration from jewelry designer Delfina Delettrez Fendi’s work clothes. Delfina is a fourth-generation heiress of Fendi and the daughter of co-artistic director Silvia Venturini Fendi. Jones used draped dresses, pleated skirts, ribbed knits, and many uniform-like separates and boiler suits to make a sophisticated collection.
At Prada, Raf Simons and Miuccia Prada worked on what they called “new quotidian” clothes. These included wedding dresses that could be worn during the day, shirts with front pockets, and high-rise, tapered pants.
Tod, Jil Sander, and Armani focused on the practical but elevated it with fabrics, details, and well-thought-out constructions. So did Ferragamo, whose second collection from creative director Maximilian Davis featured sharp tailoring and red notes hidden in most of the clothes.
Read Also: Less was More at the Paris Fashion Week
Even Moschino, known for its wild designs, showed skirt suits and knit dresses instead of daring looks like the pool floaties from last season. However, Jeremy Scott was responsible for the models’ mohawk hairpieces and the slow-tempo synth-pop soundtrack.
