Review - Milan Fashion Week 2024: When Fashion Meets Turmoil
Designers displayed a sense of dismay at the situation of the globe during Milan Fashion Week. Bottega Vaneta tackled this in a darkly poetic way, showing how beauty can always be found among the debris, whilst Jill Sanders concentrated on comfort and highlighted what one looks for in times of adversity. Ultimately, the runway was replete with social overtones, leaving onlookers with mixed emotions during fashion week.
First up, designer Matthieu Blazy demonstrated the humanity of clothing in a burning world for Bottega Veneta during Milan Fashion Week. The fashion designer dutifully tackled the issues that are currently facing society through illustrating the grace of resilience. In order to produce a Frankenstein-esque style that was seen on many runways during Milan Fashion Week, Blazy "combined and compressed" details from different eras into one piece to symbolise the power of people coming together. The dramatically rounded shoulders in the jackets echoed the way a shape becomes enlarged in shadow, signifying both the strength we might exhibit and the weight on our shoulders. In the end, this collection offers a message of hope without disillusion—the beauty in the bad signified by the vibrant yet dark pallet of the collection.
Along the arched windows of the Jil Sander runway, a sage green carpet was placed, providing a breathtaking view of the iconic Castello Sforzesco. The protecting shade of sage symbolises how people's desire for comfort is a natural response to the unpredictability that characterises society. Co-designers Luke and Lucie Meier further encapsulated this through colour and texture sensibility. The collection had a variety of textures, such as long silk fringes, coats with cushions made of velvet, fuzzy reversible knits, and cotton voile strips that covered a white jacket and matching skirt. Despite concentrating on monochromatic hues, the Meiers also incorporated various endearing tones into their palette, ranging from chocolate and plum to pastel mint and pink, as demonstrated by knit dresses with rounded sleeves and geometric hourglass proportions.
Ferragamo's fall fashion show had a sombre, wartime feel to it, which was heightened by the dim setting and its simple wooden seating. The show began with military green officer coats and cycled through tall boots with crepe soles and belted leather trench coats. Creative Director Maximilian Davis stated that after conducting extensive archive research, he decided to focus on the 1920s. Feathered shoes, men's utilitarian HotPants, and a red jersey dress with its ripped and draped hem offered moments of levity however the overall feel of the collection adhered to the brooding theme of Milan Fashion Week
On a brighter note, Sunnei blurred the line between fashion and home design with comfortable and colourful looks. A 775-square-foot rug featuring Sunnei's renowned striped design was unrolled for the show’s runway. The fuzzy appearance of textured knits, particularly in long cardigans, chunky scarves in Klein blue, and long skirts with thick fringes, dominated the show. Giant puffer jackets that could double as duvets enhanced the cocooning effect in a Sunnei-style fashion, while more subdued versions featured sleek velvets. Made from striped rug material and fastened to the models' bodies with snap buttons, the collection undoubtedly shared Jill Sander's emphasis on comfort. Although the performance was significantly more positive than the previous shows we've discussed so far, the soundtrack included some social commentary in the form of lines like "The globe is on fire and we're talking about fashion?" Which can be taken either as a mockery of such critics of fashion or a self-recognition that the industry can often overlook worldly matters.
Tod's entered a new phase with Fall/Winter 2024, welcoming a larger customer base without sacrificing design or craftsmanship. After announcing the appointment of Matteo Tamburini as Creative Director in December of last year, the brand revealed their Fall/Winter 2024 collection, signalling a clear shift in direction towards a more approachable and utilitarian interpretation of luxury. The outerwear was a standout feature. Irina Shayk's striking double leather and wool masculine coat in a faded blue colour wonderfully captured the collection's blend of style and utility. Inspired by the "dynamism of the 1980s and 1990s" as well as Milan's "bourgeois and industrial mix," Tamburini gave the collection a contemporary twist while adhering to the brand's history.
Marni's Fall/Winter 2024 collection emphasises rawness and celebrates pure form. The emphasis designer Risso places on self-expression and deconstruction speaks to the yearning for uniqueness and authenticity. For this collection, Risso's method of creation was just as fascinating as the result. He and his team covered their studio with white paper to create a blank canvas free of any images, mood boards, or preconceived ideas in an effort to remove any outside influences. The result: simple geometric designs like tabards, trapezes, and cocoons came to life. Raw beauty was inspired by the stiff materials, hairy textures, and striking hand-painted accents. The collection included elegant, contrasting components in addition to its wild, textural elements. Risso used modern, button-free men's suits and polished leather capes to counterbalance the rawness. The collection's distinct character was further highlighted by the interaction between the wild and the refined. A truly exciting collection!
Sabato De Sarno has demonstrated his merit with his second collection of Gucci womenswear. The stunning collection, which included exquisitely done modern outerwear and tailoring, vibrant colours, sensuous lingerie styles, enticing riding boots and heeled loafers, showed Gucci's direction as it attempts to regain its market position in the luxury sector. It would be difficult not to fall in love with a coat from this collection, which featured some standout pieces like an Ancora red snake car coat, a sturdy sunshine yellow peacoat, a navy double-breasted uovo shape dripping with dégradé sequins and a camel duffel style that projected luxe ease over a pink button-down shirt and boxer shorts. The main motifs of the collection, include outerwear with superior materials and more visible craftsmanship and precise fitting.
Overall, it matters not to Milan that spring is almost here; now is winter/fall 2024 and thus dark tones remain along with the sombre messaging displayed by multiple designers. On the other hand, a good number of shows, like those from Gucci and Marni, were simply concerned with fashion and pure expression which evidently, as Jill Sander highlighted is just what is needed in times of turmoil.