The delirium of pre-pandemic fashion returns.
After several COVID-induced quiet seasons, Milan Fashion Week is back to its pre-pandemic splendor: with packed seats, congested streets and sidewalks packed with fashion fans wanting to see stars and influencers.
After much talk in the pandemic of how the fashion system needed to change—that is, slow down—few have been able to resist returning to the world as they knew it, no matter how much traffic and hustle and bustle it produces.
This week’s shows will close with the return of another Milan tradition: the Green Carpet Awards to recognize progress in sustainability.
Here are some of the highlights from Thursday’s previews, mostly womenswear, for the upcoming spring and summer on the second day of Milan Fashion Week:
Prada explores raw silk
The latest collection from Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons explores the space between minimalism and decorations, with clean silhouettes and transparent materials.
The collection begins with form-fitting, slightly cropped jumpsuits crafted with poplin shirting, in industrial colors like gray and ivory. They are worn under boxy jackets and longer opera coats, and finally, a flowing gown of raw silk and pretty lace details, suggesting an evening gown.
“The clothing is about simplicity, without unnecessary complications,” Prada said in the show notes. Politically, theoretically, and aesthetically, we are drawn to these notions over and over again. The idea of frankness.”
The silhouette was simple. The dresses are wrapped around the body, as casually as a towel after a shower. Sheer fabric coats gave a feeling of lightness. Naive flower appliqués decorate bags and jackets, sometimes holding a fabric tail in place.
Even with the feminine touches, androgyny underscored the collection, particularly in Prada’s uniform looks: jumpsuits, skinny pants and jackets. Her shoes were Mary Janes or flat-toed loafers. Bags for the season included Prada’s inverted triangle clutch and large shopper bags in contrasting pink or lime.
”More than any other collection, this one is full of different views. There is a mirror of cinema in the collection, of witnessing fragments of a larger whole,” Simons said.
Max Mara is lost in thought
Max Mara’s silhouette for the upcoming season evokes feminine modernity, with voluminous sailor pants and skirts that move from hip-hugging to a cascading torrent of swishing motions. The volumes, also evident in the boxy jackets and oversized coats, are balanced by sleeveless tops and cropped tops that reveal the shoulders.
Creative director Ian Griffiths said he was inspired by 1930s female intellectuals on the French Riviera, citing Renee Perle, the muse and lover of photographer Jacques-Henri Lartigue, and architect Eileen Gray. There’s a deliberate androgyny to the collection, with David Bowie in baggy 1980s pants appearing on Griffith’s moodboard.
They are looks that invite contemplation, while offering unbridled movement for a woman engaged in intellectual pursuits.
Max Mara introduced a neutral color for the upcoming season, in ecru linen that can range from gray to khaki, which was enhanced with soft, sun-bleached hues of yellow, green and blue, creating a harmonious trio in a slouchy coat combination. about bathing suit. , finished off with a knit swimming cap.
The bags are big enough for a weekend getaway. The shoes are platform sandals. And the hats feature oversized brims.
inflated moschino
Jeremey Scott wanted to inject optimism into the global discourse. And it couldn’t have been more literal with a Moschino Spring-Summer 2023 collection that incorporated inflatable pool floats into looks with more than a touch of whimsical wit.
Plastic ring floats gave the hems structure, while a pool raft became a tongue-in-cheek stole. References to inflatables were everywhere: from cleavage to bra cups, shoes and even bags. More often than not, the floats were part of the garment, like the inflatable flaps on a black pantsuit. Lifebuoys also got their comeuppance, such as headdresses and inflatable peplos.
Underneath it all was a collection that took summer seriously, with a plethora of warm-weather suits in blue or yellow, trimmed in elegant white; playful striped shorts reminiscent of beach umbrellas, accented with drink floats as bracelets; and oft-sloppy bathing suits, here in bright cartoon prints with a matching inflatable plastic jacket, hat and bag.
Scott said in the show notes that the references were a direct spin on the word “inflation”.
But underneath the inflatable hijinx, there were sneakier numbers, too.
A black maxi dress featured a sexy crisscross halter anchored by large red hearts, and a bright pink wrap cocktail dress was paired with curvy flamingo-adorned heels. An elaborate ocean blue mermaid gown featured two hip bustles with inflatable dolphins riding the waves, while an inflatable swan lent drama to a white Grecian gown.
“Ultimately, it’s about offsetting negativity…even when the rest of the water is shaded grey. That’s where joy can be found,” Moschino said in notes.
The free spirit of Emporio Armani
For his more youthful Emporio Armani collection, Giorgio Armani created looks that travel well, naming the new collection “In Transit.” The cast shadow of a Japanese torii gate in the background of the program suggested a destination.
The collection was based on calm, neutral tones, with calming movement created in plisses, beads, sequins and prints. Soft jackets gave easy definition to summer wear, with flowing pants often gathered at the ankles. Diaphanous sheers created layers over pants, or as elegant, flowing dresses or even jumpsuits. Stylish wrap pants cut a modern silhouette with a sheer knit vest
Armani, 88, received a long and grateful applause at the end of the show.
Clash by Dsquared2
Dsquared2 designers, Canadian twins Dean and Dan Caten, unleashed their shocking and boisterous collection that mixes the beach and the urban inside a chic Milanese palace.
“It’s the contrast. Never be predictable. So this is hit or miss for us. And the collection is unpredictable, so two wrongs made a right,” Dan Caten said backstage after the show.
The designers chose the sheerest of textiles to create their summer layers: a blue lace jacket over a sheer yellow patterned skirt, paired with plaid beach tops. Bold 1970s orange checks contrasted playfully with green and brown florals, while orange and green stripes invited contrast with diagonal stripes in blue, toned down by a sheer green jacket.
The twins redefined the skimpy bikini, pairing a top with oversized swimsuits over white bottoms for the ultimate surfer look.
The makeup was sober and fresh, a blue lip or a green eyelid.
Source: news.google.com