Hot off the heels of New York and London is Milan Fashion Week. The event draws to a close today, and while there has still been a mix of digital and physical presentations on the schedule, Italy has proved itself much more comfortable hosting traditional runway shows.
However, this doesn’t mean everything was as we once expected from fashion week – the landscape of the industry has changed so much over the pandemic this would be impossible.
Here’s everything you missed from a unique Milan Fashion Week (MFW)…
Plus-size models at Versace
Versace can always be relied upon for a spectacle, and designer Donatella Versace still managed to deliver one this season – even if she was showing to an audience of the brand’s employees instead of industry bigwigs.
She chose a sexy, Versace version of under the sea for the collection’s theme, with the clothes full of bright colours and sparkly starfish motifs.
But most impactful was the casting of the show. Alongside regular names like Irina Shayk and Adut Akech were three plus-size models – Jill Kortleve, Alva Claire and Precious Lee.
The casting was particularly important because the number of plus-size models on the runway actually dropped last season. The Fashion Spot’s Diversity Report – looking at the statistics of the big four fashion weeks – found the number of plus-size castings decreased from 86 this time last year (for SS20) to 46 in February for AW20, with only two plus-size models on the runways at Milan last season.
Kortleve wrote on Instagram after the show: "It’s so unbelievable to work for brands I always dreamt of working for. I hope that we open the doors for a new generation with the same dreams but who never saw themselves in the magazines or the commercials."
A finale from Fendi
It was a bittersweet show at Fendi, Silvia Venturini Fendi’s last as creative director before handing over to Kim Jones. While the show did have a socially distanced front row – including big names like Normal People’s Paul Mescal – it was still more low-key than usual.
Fendi’s casting was also more diverse than we’re used to seeing, with plus size models Paloma Elsesser and Ashley Graham walking the runway alongside 70-year-old model Penelope Tree.
The brand also wins for the most delicious invitation, sending out Fendi-branded pasta ahead of the show.
More is more at Dolce & Gabbana
While most brands have been navigating their first runway show since the beginning of the pandemic or sticking to digital-only presentations, this is actually Dolce & Gabbana’s fourth catwalk show.
Titled ‘Patchwork of Sicily’, the show was dedicated to the resourcefulness of upcycling your own wardrobe and reusing materials to create something new. The theme feels very pandemic appropriate – even if Dolce is keen on artisans doing the work rather than us at home, telling Vogue: "But what’s important to us is that every piece is interpreted by skilled hands."
As for the collection itself? It was very much what we’ve come to expect from D&G, with bold colours and plenty of clashing patterns.
Marionettes at Moschino
Moschino opted against a physical fashion show and came up with something much more innovative this season. The set-up was like a classic runway show, with the front row full of recognisable faces like Edward Enninful and Anna Wintour and models walking down the catwalk. However, on closer inspection, you’ll see the models and influencers are actually marionettes.
The clothes might not be that memorable – creative director Jeremy Scott went for a 1960s debutante look with plenty of full skirts and embellishments – but the format certainly is.
Perfection at MaxMara
A lot has been made of the spectacle of MFW: how it would work, who would do physical shows and who was opting for a digital version. This chatter is in danger of drowning out what we’re all here for: the clothes. That’s why MaxMara’s show was such a refreshing palate cleanser, full of easy, gorgeous outfits.
The collection was a masterclass in chic and elegant outerwear, featuring camel coats with caped sleeves and mint-coloured trenches. It’s not in everyone’s price range, but it’s certainly some of the most wearable clothes we’ve seen at MFW – and it will likely send trends rippling down to the high street.
