Read our Milan Fashion Week FW 2023/24 recap to find out what we’ll be wearing next season, the biggest gossip from the catwalk and more about the trends we can’t afford to miss in the FW 2023/34 season.
Despite the initial surprise and disappointment at the absence of Versace and the fact that Gucci is without a creative director this season, there was no shortage of excitement at Milan Fashion Week. Gucci returned to its roots, but with a surprisingly thoughtful twist. Milan Fashion Week recorded a twenty percent increase in the number of visitors to the city compared to 2019. Sunnei, known for his unconventional catwalk ideas, had the models surfing through the crowd. Diesel promoted sex-positivity with a runway set that was undoubtedly one of the most shared social media moments of fashion week this season. Iceberg, which has been missing from the Milan womenswear program for some time, opened the Fashion Week. Japanese designer Tomo Koizumi presented his collection for the first time in Italy, supported by Dolce & Gabbana. Many brands used their latest collections to emphasize their legendary identities by rummaging through the archives.
The coolest brands and their collections for the FW 2023/24 season
Fendi: elegant and defiant
After the death of Karl Lagerfeld in 2019, Fendi’s designs felt “cute”, almost like Barbie’s wardrobe. Since Kim Jones became Fendi’s artistic director, she has been exploring the brand’s archives and designing collections that are reminiscent of classic Fendi. THE Fendi of chic Italian women with a self-confidence so strong you can smell it. It is therefore only logical that Jones’ muse for his latest Fendi collection was Delfina Delettrez Fendi, the daughter of Silvia Fendi. Jones’ collection cleverly combines Karl Lagerfeld’s masculine, feminine Fendi style with his own fresh, softer interpretation. The collection felt typically Fendi, feminine but not cutesy, crisp and fresh, with a mix of Italian sophistication and a touch of punk.
Prada: edgy-conservative
After three years working together as co-creative directors of Prada, Raf Simons and Miuccia Prada have found a formula for success. This season, Prada served up a clever minimalist capsule that effortlessly transforms from day to evening wear. By rejecting obvious beauty, she creates desirable collections from unexpected sources of inspiration. This season, Prada and Simons have reinterpreted “work uniforms”, taking inspiration from the often overlooked people who selflessly do their duty. The collection is a reinterpretation of traditional nurses’ and military uniforms and can be described as a wearable “edgy-conservative” collection.
Max Mara: a newfound sense of romance
Creative director Ian Griffiths has a weakness for inconspicuous, innovative muses. For this season’s Max Mara collection, Griffiths was inspired by the Marquise Émilie du Châtelet from the Age of Enlightenment. The French marquise and scientist, who translated Isaac Newton’s “Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy” into French, was also a well-known lover of Voltaire. Émilie hated to limit herself in terms of fashion. She often dressed up as a man and visited coffee houses where the leading thinkers of the time met. The Max Mara, Fall Winter Runway, brings these figures to life. This careful staging inspired a collection with a newfound sense of romance.
Emporio Armani: intangible humor
Giorgio Armani creates collections that focus on the individual. Emporio Armani’s style credo is eclectic, urban and humorous. The irony of the following fall/winter collection is subtle but obvious, like the beaming smiles of the models on the catwalk. A huge picture of a smiling model formed the backdrop of the catwalk and summarized the spirit and attitude of the collection. “Circus of Life” A beautifully thought-out collection that awakens the imagination and joy of everyday wear.
Gucci: a pallet cleaner
The best way to describe Gucci’s latest collection is to compare it to a limoncello sorbet after a three-course meal. It cleanses the palate for the next course to be served. During the preparations for the appointment of Sabato De Sarno as Alessandro Michele’s successor as creative director, the fall/winter 23 collection was left to the in-house designers to make their mark. Many of them have worked for the company for years and have recalled their memories of collections and the history of Gucci, which they have experienced first-hand. The Y2K mood is still very much in demand: skimpy diamond necklaces, oversized office chic and 70s maximalism are a nod to the work of Tom Ford, Frida Giannini and Alessandro Michele before them. The design team’s innovative approach to combining the work of these three Gucci legends to create a refreshingly original collection is truly inspiring. This collection evoked nostalgic memories of the glossy magazines of the 90s and early 2000s.
Missoni: cheeky
Filippo Grazioli begins to gain a foothold in his new role at Missoni. His latest collection for Missoni had a hotter, more confident vibe. Variation and cheekiness were present. Missoni’s typical minimalism was combined with a touch of glamor. Grazioli experimented with the zigzag and the fiammato, two of Missoni’s best-known knitting patterns, and inflated them to give them more room to breathe in new patchwork configurations. Grazioli’s unique twist is becoming more and more evident; with this collection you can expect a hotter, racier and more seductive Missoni.
Bally: inherited luxury
Rhuigi Villaseñor said he deviated from the Los Angeles theme that dominated his first spring/summer collection last September to emphasize Bally’s inherent luxury for the fall/winter collection. The luxurious touch of leather, metallics, knitwear and lace in menswear and womenswear evokes the duality of power and sexuality and heightens the everyday feel-good drama. Every outfit, every item of clothing and every accessory oozes sophisticated luxury.
Cavalli: eccentric and aggressive
Cavalli is known for animal prints, but the soul of the brand is edgy, seductive sensuality and allure. Since Fausto Puglisi made his debut as creative director at Cavalli in February 2021, we have witnessed a revival of the fashion house. Once again, Fausto delivers a collection that strikes the perfect balance between contemporary and modern while capturing the true essence of Cavalli. The provocative, spirited diva who reveals just enough to arouse temptation. A wild one, but not quite as vicious. This season, Fausto sends the Cavalli woman to the American Southwest, following in the footsteps of Millicent Rogers and Georgia O’Keefe. One is eccentric and outgoing, the other is austere and plainly dressed. Fausto likes a fight. A cheeky collection that you can take straight off the catwalk to wear at Coachella.
Dolce & Gabbana: raw
Like the collection, Dolce & Gabanna’s catwalk show this season had a touch of sensual rawness. It was like watching the Fashion Channel in the 90s. Back then, when the catwalks and ready-to-wear collections were still free of noise and unnecessary extravagance. This is exactly what Dolce & Gabbana wanted to achieve with its fall/winter collection. The collection feels like it has been stripped bare to reveal the essential core of the Dolce & Gabbana brand, which was ahead of its time. Lingerie as outerwear was a big part of the collection, a trend that is popular with many designers today, but D&G was 30 years ahead of the curve. This is proven by the flared corset from 1991, which was combined with a tuxedo, a short jacket and cigarette trousers. The red wiggle dress embroidered with crystals that Anok Yai wore at the end of the performance is the highlight of the collection.
Ermanno Scervino: silent eroticism
Ermanno Scervino’s collection for fall/winter 2023/2024 was inspired by a conversation with a Cinecittà costume designer who was still impressed by Ava Gardner’s legendary beauty, elegance, glamor and self-confident femininity. The Hollywood diva triggered a seismic shift in the way women are viewed, and this idea served as his inspiration. The collection focuses on the intimate clothing of the wearer and emphasizes underwear that radiates a quiet eroticism. Ermanno Scervino’s fashion vocabulary is imbued with a deep affection for women, and these qualities are at the heart of his collection.
Moschino: lush punk
Jeremy Scott is known for designing anything but ordinary or boring collections. His designs are always so detailed that they can be described as “fashion braille”. Scott, who is always inspired by the most unexpected places, was inspired by Salvador Dali’s “Melting Watches” for the Moschino fall/winter collection. Tweed suits, dresses and coats with hemlines that mimic Dali’s dripping, melting watches, styled with belts and accessories with the same dripping properties. The collection’s mix of nonconformist Jeremy Scott expression and perhaps a nod to the late Vivienne Westwood had an exuberant punk vibe. And was there a hint of Christian La Croix?
The shows we craned our necks for
Diesel: Let’s talk about sex Baby
Invitation to the Fall-Winter 23 DIESEL Show? A box of Durex condoms with the Diesel logo, on which the date, time and location of the runway show are noted. The catwalk? A mountain of 200,000 Diesel brand condoms. The music? Ecstatic, erotically moaning music. Belgian designer and creative director Glenn Martens encourages experimentation and sexual positivity with his latest collection. The Y2K trend from the spring-summer collection continues. Dresses with torn silk strips hanging precariously from fine chain fittings. Cheeky low-cut jeans, devore denim and distressed jeans were adorned with printed motifs. The new collection once again confirms Diesel’s reputation as an innovative denim manufacturer.
Sunnei: Expect the unexpected
If you are invited to a Sunnei show, leave your expectations at the door. Sunnei shows are always unpredictable, creative and fun. In the gleaming white showroom of their headquarters, they crowded the audience like sardines around a high, white box catwalk, at the end of which their entire team – assistants, designers, web cracks, product managers, accountants – wore outfits from the fall collection and threw themselves into the friendly mosh pit of the enthusiastic, cheering audience. The crowd was overexcited by fluorescent colors, crocheted fur textures and flocked denim. It gave Sunnei strength for simple, wearable, fabulous fashion.
The most important trends of the FW 2023/24 season
10% of all collections are made of leather. Milan designers set the trend for next season with a 13% increase in gray in their collections. Maxi coats, leather coats and faux fur coats in various designs were omnipresent. The trench coat in leather, beige, with animal motifs, etc. became a big hit: 13% of designers included the trench coat in their collections. The share of knitted coats increased by 77% compared to fall-winter 2022 33% more red tones compared to last fall/winter. There is an increase of +20% in wearable luxury. With a 145% increase in Y2K looks compared to last fall/winter, it’s clear that the Y2K trend is here to stay. Overknee boots and oversized bags are on the rise again.
The Front Row
In the front row with Diesel, alongside Anna Della Russo, was Alexis Stone, who played White Lotus star Jennifer Coolidge. The resemblance was deceptive. Many of those present thought Coolige was in the house! Stone is known for dramatic transformations. Julia Fox returned to her hometown for Fashion Week and attended the Diesel show with her two-year-old son Valentino as her date.
Celebrity guests at the Prada show: Sienna Miller, Emma Roberts, Maya Hawk and Dua Lipa. Kim Kardashian attended the Dolce & Gabanna show in a red skirt and bra embroidered with crystals. Deva Cassel, Monica Belluci’s daughter, walked the Dolce & Gabanna catwalk in a see-through dress. Ashely Graham was also one of the models who walked for D&G, wearing a beautiful red figure-hugging dress. Adrien Brody arrived at the Bally show with the co-founder of the fashion label Marchesa, Georgina Chapman, on his arm. The two have been a couple since 2020. Among the many VIPs who visited the shows in Milan was model and author of “A Woman Makes a Plan” Maye Musk. The 74-year-old mother of Tesla CEO Elon Musk walked for Phillip Plein in ten-centimeter heels in 2020 and was once again seen on the Philipp Plein catwalk in Milan this season.
Among the guests in the front row at Gucci were rapper DDG and Halle Bailey, who vehemently denied break-up rumors. DDG took to social media and railed against the breakup rumors, and not in the classiest of ways. Other guests who sat in the front row at Gucci were A$AP Rocky, Måneskin, and Dakota Johnson. Florence Welch attended the Gucci show in a stunning floor-length pleated gray chiffon dress.
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