Milan Fashion Week highlights a stunning display of Milanese style. The event showcases the latest trends from top fashion designers, and Milan’s unique fashion sense shines through in every outfit. From sleek and sophisticated to bold and daring, Milan Fashion Week was filled with design surprises and statements that showcased Milan-based style and beyond.
Here are some of the Milan Fashion Week highlights you may have missed from the week…
Baguettes at Moschino
All eyes were on Moschino’s new Argentinian designer, Adrian Appiolaza, during the 2024 autumn/winter show.
He made his debut as the new creative director of the fashion house, and during an interview with Vogue’s contributor, Luke Leitch said: “My first reaction was: volume. One of [Moschino] Franco’s great strengths was his creation of silhouettes.
I identified archetypes and obsessions. Franco’s fantasy world creates characters, not just clothes.
“I’ve already learned from him that clothing is meant to be played with. The work has irony and joy. I want to translate that into my new chapter.
Appiolaza’s collection had quirky oversized jumpers, trench coats, denim, and frilled maxi skirts. He chose aviator sunglasses, silk scarves, crocodile leather, yellow smiley tote bags, and unique handbags. These bags resembled baguettes, flowers, and fresh produce, all wrapped in paper grocery bags.
The clutch bag debuted in 2020. Bakeries inspire it. It’s made of leather. The bag has a baguette design. It’s three-dimensional. A Moschino logo is gold-plated.is gold-plated.is gold-plated.
Extreme glamour at Tom Ford
As the long-term right-hand man to Tom Ford himself, British designer Peter Hawkings unveiled a slinky and sleek autumn/winter collection.
There were skin-tight black catsuits, deep-plunge gowns, tailored suits for men and women, embellished and sharp tailored coats, and fur jackets. It was glamorous and inspired by Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct – which had been on Hawkings’ mood board “forever.”
But he was also inspired by “power and seduction – you know, it’s an edge of Françoise Hardy and some stature of Helmut Newton’s Pola woman,” he said during an interview with The Guardian.
It’s “about the power of a woman… that’s exactly what I want to evoke with the Tom Ford man/woman – the power of the glamour”.
The front row was star-studded, including Hollywood royalty Stone, Uma Thurman, Amber Valletta, Eva Green, Alek Wek, Sam Claflin, Iris Law and Callum Turner.
Mob wife trend at Dolce & Gabbana
The mature and bold attitude of the ‘mob wife’ aesthetic found its way onto the Dolce & Gabbana runway on Saturday.
The Italian fashion house fixed ultra-sexy underwear with tailored looks, such as a cropped, boxy black tuxedo jacket and a sheer open skirt with a trail worn over lace underwear.
British supermodel Naomi Campbell, 53, closed the show wearing a silk grandad hat, net veil, and gloves – without the cropped jacket – which caught the attention of many. The 53-year-old also recently walked for Burberry during London Fashion Week.
The Tuxedo collection also included an oversized bird feather coat with tie-belt detailing alongside different interpretations of deconstructed tuxedos.
Protest at Fendi
A Peta protester disrupted the Fendi autumn/winter 2024 show as they walked onto the catwalk with a sign that read ‘Animals are not for clothing’ with ‘Turn your back on animal skin’ written on their back.
The American animal rights non-profit organization posted a video of the incident on Instagram with the caption: ‘Activists from @petauk stormed the runway once again at the @fendi #MilanoFashionWeek show to remind everyone that animals are KILLED for something as frivolous as a fashion accessory! We don’t plan on stopping until all animals are free from the leather & fur industries! #FendiFW24’
The Italian luxury fashion house has relied on fur and leather to create garments since its foundation in 1925.
Peta has also targeted other bigger shows during fashion month, including the recent Coach presentation at New York Fashion Week, where a protester held a sign that said: ‘COACH: Let Cows Live’ as they walked onto the runway.
Beautiful bags at Bottega Veneta
Bottega Veneta’s Matthieu Blazy collection drew inspiration from current events and experimented with new silhouettes and proportions.
As models walked down the wood-floored runway, which mirrored a desert landscape filled with cactus-shaped light sculptures, they carried beautiful bags, including a cross-hatch and orange crocodile leather envelope clutch bag, to accessorize the pieces that incorporated broad shoulders, voluminous shapes, and a color palette you would associate with the night.
Supermodel Kate Moss was in attendance, alongside Salma Hayek, A$AP Rocky, and Julianne Moore.
Diesel brought fashion to the masses.
Staying true to his goal of revolutionizing fashion shows since his appointment as creative director in 2020, Glenn Martens invited a few thousand of the general public to watch the Diesel autumn/winter 2024 show virtually.
Models walked the runway as Zoom-style videos of viewers were projected onto the walls in the show space.
The collection focused on outerwear and showcased the combination of fur and denim in casual and tailored coats.
Feben champions diversity on the runway
Dolce & Gabbana supports young talents in fashion. Feben, a London-based designer, had her first Milan Fashion Week show. The collection featured textured garments and after-dark-ready dresses.
The designer plays with feminine-masculine duality. They have worked with Beyoncé, Erykah Badu, and Michaela Coel. Their collection includes plush and figure-hugging clothes. They have a sophisticated take on outerwear and animal print. The collection pays homage to the eternal joys of readying oneself. It also pays tribute to the adrenaline rush of creating a collection.
During an interview with Elle Magazine, Faben said he considered the need for speed with the Speed collection. “I related to the 1990s archive animal prints – for me, that is very Dolce & Gabbana!”
Supermodel Ashley Graham was also on the runway in Feben, wearing a v-neck dress with sheer ruched sleeves.
By Yolanthe Fawehinmi and Prudence Wade, PA
