This edition of Milan Fashion Week had luxury brands focus heavily on sensuality, which was highlighted in many of the looks presented in the various Fall/Winter 2023 collections. A series of looks that harked back to past decades, such as the 1970s and the 1990s, in what seemed to be a return to true elegance and timeless glamour. Much reference was made to the minimal chic look of the 1990s, with petticoat dresses (think of Dolce & Gabbana’s “Sensuale” collection, a tribute to the figure of the femme fatale with its many lingerie pieces). A fashion week that witnessed Gucci’s first collection without Alessandro Michele at the helm of the brand, and the outfits were inspired by the revolutionary work done by Tom Ford in the 2000s.
Other events took place during MFW; a series of projects were presented at the Fashion Hub, such as Designers for the Planet, which hosted a number of emerging brands made in Italy that focus on sustainability in their creations. The documentary film “Milano: The Inside Story of Italian Fashion” directed by John Maggio was also screened. Dolce & Gabbana organized a vernissage in the Sala delle Cariatidi of Palazzo Reale called “Ciao, Kim!” and dedicated to American entrepreneur Kim Kardashian.
Giorgio Armani inaugurated at the Armani Silos “Guy Bourdin: Storyteller”, an exhibition dedicated to the French fashion photographer, which will be open to the public until the end of August.
Due to my many commitments related to the sales campaign I was unable to attend this fashion week in person so I didn’t get to see many industry friends but from what I have heard they were very pleased with the fashion events they attended. However, during my only afternoon off work I had the opportunity to visit a retrospective at Palazzo Reale dedicated to photographer Vincent Peters, which closed a couple of days ago. This was a wonderful visual experience and I will talk about it soon on the website. In the meantime, here are my seven favorite looks from this MFW edition:
1) ERMANNO SCERVINO: Ermanno Scervino’s collection presented a harmonious palette, with colors that ranged from white, dark gray, light blue (in this case a shade of washed-out denim), lime and ruby red to close the show with a series of garments in black. The collection was inspired by the designer’s love of cinema, particularly the sensuality of Ava Gardner. Solid-color dresses designed for an hourglass figure, with masculine oversize shapes in jackets and coats. Coats that are big and soft, to be worn over miniskirts or leggings. The Tuscan brand’s press kit explained, “Fall 2023 is a linear collection, with impeccable shapes, as rigorous as a painter’s canvas where Ermanno Scervino designs precious workmanship, manipulates fabrics, drapes lambskin, carves jersey and knitwear.” I have really enjoyed the masculine-cut tailored jackets worn over loose-fitting pants, so I couldn’t help but choose this look in ruby red (red has been a very present color in the next Fall/Winter collections), which plays with transparencies in a fine way and is elegant in every aspect.
2) GIORGIO ARMANI: when talking about minimal chic in terms of fashion and design one cannot help but think of Armani, because minimalism has always distinguished the Italian House’s identity and aesthetic. The layered collection presented at Teatro Armani was titled Cipria (face powder in Italian) and was an homage to women’s beauty rituals; the model who closed the show walked the runway while touching up her face with powder). The sartorial garments were inspired by the Orient, which has always influenced the Armani universe (I have already talked about this on the website in my Armani Silos article, where I mentioned the designer’s collaboration with Japanese architect Tadao Andō). The colors in the collection were soft; the many beige garments that opened the show were true sartorial masterpieces, and many of the models were wearing black berets. The color pink was present in a number of garments, confirming itself as a trend for the upcoming fall/winter season as well. One of the first looks featured a faux-fur coat with a beautiful animalier effect, something rarely seen in an Armani collection. The homage to layering fashion, born in the 2000s, was rediscovered in a series of layered outfits that looked elegant and refined, especially in the color combinations. I love this layered look for its wonderful shades of beige and the cut of the coat, with those touches of black giving harmony to the whole ensemble.
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