All the goods from Milan Fashion Week AW24

What?
A back to basics (sort of) approach from Matthieu Blazy.

What do you mean?
Blazy explained his process this season, in the accompanying press notes: ​“Monumentalism of the everyday: a sense of allure and confidence in the pragmatic, utilitarian and purposeful,” he said. ​“How daywear is perceived in this nighttime world; silhouettes are simplified and recognised like monoliths in the dark.”

In other words?
Finding beauty in the banal.

Tell us about the clothes…
Blazy has found the extraordinary in the ordinary ever since his first collection as creative director at Bottega Veneta. Case in point: a flannel shirt and blue jeans for SS23, as simple as it sounds, which was actually crafted from denim. When it comes to building collections, Blazy holds a microscope up to simplicity, attempting to find the intricacies within. In this most recent collection, he embraces negative space, with heavy embellishments kept to a minimum: the first look was an exquisitely cut black peacoat worn with straight-leg tailored trousers fringed at the bottom. And later, block colours in woven egg yolk yellow, an ice-blue cocoon coat, and a two-tone grey knit and high-waisted trousers combination. Meanwhile the more experimental pieces – scratchy prints, patchwork faux furs and enormous coats – felt like protective armour. Here, Blazy studied human behaviour, and was sure to shield it from a storm.

In a song?
Björk – Human Behaviour

What?
The tuxedo done 64 ways – kind of.

What do you mean?
The tuxedo was ripped, torn and sliced apart for D&G’s latest collection. Once the ultimate symbol of refined masculinity, Stefano Gabbana and Domenico Dolce questioned its role today, and how with a little nip and tux (see what we did there?), the two-piece can take on many guises. A cropped blazer, knee-length trouser, enlarged silk lapels? Sure. And in its more traditional iteration, too, complete with a bow tie. And, with it being D&G, there’s plenty of room for a more extroverted sex appeal, if that’s your bag: blazers doubling as dresses, barely there, lacy slip dresses, frilly knickers on show and all-encompassing fur coats to wear on the Tube journey to the party.

In a song?
Charli XCX – Hot in It

What?
Maximilian Davis’ trip through the 1920s.

Sounds roaring. Tell us about the collection.
The 1920s was a decade of emancipation: when hem-lines were raised, money was made and drinks were poured – until the party was over, of course. Davis looked at two of the most notable Hollywood names of the era, Joan Crawford and Greta Garbo, subverting their feminine silhouettes in broad shoulders, heavy wools and supple leathers. But for a modern wearer, oversized coats are worn with wispy, sheer dresses underneath, as though concealing them until it’s safe for the big reveal; brown leathers make up an entire outfit, from shirt to tie to boot; wools form belted jackets inspired by the decade’s utilitarian uniforms. The latter, alongside thigh-high waders and leather outerwear, become forms of protection. Because like the Roaring Twenties, the glamour doesn’t last forever. Sometimes, you need some shelter from the impending storm.

In a song?
French 75.

What?
Luxury menswear house Brioni’s first ever womenswear presentation.

Where was it?
At the house’s Milan showroom.

Tell us about the collection.
Brioni’s reputation as one of Milan’s most revered menswear labels was given a fresh perspective. With sartorial roots grounded in impeccable tailoring and construction, over the past 79 years, the house has been a consistent measure of enduring Italian style: elegance, precision and superb attention to detail. And when the brand’s Austrian design director Norbert Stumpfl was appointed in 2018, he brought with him sleek minimalism in tonal suits and fabrics such as cashmere, suede, silk and vicuna that gave a lighter feel to the house’s signature suits. In this womenswear collection, those sumptuous fabrics were used for trench coats, three-piece tailored suits in rich chocolate brown and draped capes for superior comfort. More casual – but by no means less impressive – looks were showcased, too, with a buttoned-up shirt-jacket that was crafted with a military precision and looser, more informal suiting in charcoal grey. When it comes to Brioni, there’s no need to shout.

What?
The one where Donatella goes punk for Versace.

Tell us about the collection…
There were contrasts in Donatella’s Versace woman this season. While she has rarely – if ever – appeared soft and fluffy, the revered head of the house was feeling a touch gentler this season: “[She] has a rebel attitude and a kind heart,” Donatella said in the press notes. ​“The woman is a good girl with a wild soul.” With that said, it’s Fashion Week – and suffice to say, it’s what’s on the outside that counts: punk-inspired platinum spikes, sharp masculine tailoring, vampy evening gowns with slits down the side, blood-red tweed, leather leggings and leopard print bodices. Plus, a generous amount of eye liner. Sure, she might not appear as a ​“good girl”. But, hey, once the conversion’s flowing, who knows?

What?
A tribute to Truman Capote’s wealthy socialite mates, aka, ​“the swans”: Slim Keith, C.Z. Guest, Babe Paley, Joanne Carson, Ann Woodward and Lee Radziwill.

Who were they?
The swans of New York City were the original influencers. Throughout the 1950s and ​’60s, they appeared on best-dressed lists, graced covers of magazines and galavanted at all the hottest parties. Capote was their confidant; they shared stories of drug use, affairs and even a murder cover-up, all of which made it into his 1975 book Answered Prayers. From then on, he was iced out of the high society circle he was so obsessed with.

OK, so tell us about the clothes…
Creative director Massimo Giorgetti sought to retell the swans as modern figures. He calls them ​“tragic heroins”: free, feminine and rebellious. The collection, titled after Capote’s 1948 novel Other voices, Other rooms, subverts the bourgeois codes of the original swans: what would have been lace detail back then becomes an all-over bodystocking, short shift dresses come in acid yellow and silver studs and crystals are manically placed all over a pair of white leather trousers. Snazzy.

What?
A peek inside Francisco Risso’s family album.

What were the clothes like?
As a child, Risso was a wallflower in what he describes as a ​“noisy family”. He had no aspirations to become a designer; his early initiation into clothing was by scavenging pieces from his grandparents, his sisters and even guests of his family home. In his latest collection, these sweet sartorial memories became a heady mash-up of the familiar: a huge overcoat reminiscent of a child trying on his father’s outerwear; a brilliantly theatrical fur stole; leopard print belonging to an eccentric grandmother and, later in the collection, structural dresses with magnificent, primitive 3D prints that appear as if finger paintings. As freeing as childhood can be, this collection honed into the exploration and experimentation of a time when the world doesn’t make much sense – so we make our own fun.

In a song?
Bob Dylan – Forever Young

What?
The first collection under new creative director Walter Chiapponi, who was previously at the helm of Tod’s.

Tell us about the clothes.
There has been no mightier servant to the Y2K revival than Blumarine. After all, the brand’s archive from the ​’90s and early-’00s is brimming with skimpy pieces for the hedonistic party girl, and the brand’s previous creative director, Nicola Brognano, dived into this head-first. The question was, would Chiapponi carry this forward? It was apparent from the off that he has other ideas for the future of the house. Eschewing Blumarine’s past, Chiapponi looked at the strangers he passes everyday: an amalgamation of styles and subcultures that range from the hungover glares of a dishevelled partier throwing on a leopard print coat, to a clear-headed working girl in straight-leg blue jeans and a jazzy white shirt. Plus, grunge: a Kurt Cobain wannabe in a denim shirt and the Nirvana frontman’s bug-eyed sunglasses all featured. In fact, the final look was a pyjama set complete with a matching baseball cap.

In a song?
Madonna – Beautiful Stranger

What?
A drop and roll exercise from creative director Peter Hawkings.

Tell us about the clothes…
This season, Hawkings sent down a series of seven strict, fitted military coats tightly buttoned and belted. Perhaps a play on strength and sensuality that the Tom Ford brand is synonymous with? Well, before long, it was what was underneath that mattered: the collection came undone and indulged in a much friskier sexuality. In champagne hues, shimmery blacks and cut-out velvets, Tom Ford took a glamorous turn as seen in the fur coats, mini shorts that actually look like miniskirts, and leather in all its guises: bondage-esque trousers, panel dresses, unbuttoned shirts, trench coats and tactile croc-finish outerwear. By the last two looks, there was nothing but a mesh bodysuit left to the imagination.

In a drink?
Dirty vodka martini.

In a song?
Robbie Williams – Come Undone

What?
In Fiorucci’s latest lookbook, the storied Italian brand looked to ​“a long-lost narrative of photo-romance” – small yet grand love stories that were featured in now defunct Italian magazines and comics such as Bolero and Lancio Story, shortly after the end of WW2. With a knack for reinterpreting the banal, that has won the brand a new generation of fans, the collection takes classic knitwear shapes and subverts them through overblown proportions, delectably sweet swirly prints and cutesy frills on over-the-knee A‑line skirts. Dolce!

What?
A starry-eyed collection from Emporio Armani.

Tell us more…
Titled ​“Night Glow”, the collection was a tribute to the night sky. Models stepped onto the silvery runway in chromatic pieces that, for the most part, were adorned with twinkly stars and half moons, with silhouettes combining prominent shoulders, sweeping evening gowns and more experimental dance floor pieces in chain mail tops and billowing dresses that double as shorts. Dominated by black hues intertwined with shades of dark purple, jade green and smokey greys, Emporio Armani’s latest collection felt like an ethereal embrace of the midnight sky.

In a song?
Well, since we’re on the subject… Miley Cyrus’ Midnight Sky.

What?
The second womenswear collection from Gucci’s Sabato de Sarno.

Who was there?
Daisy Edgar-Jones, Solange and Kirsten Dunst joined Julia Garner, Salma Hayek, Maude Apatow, Romy and Mark Ronson, who provided the soundtrack.

Speaking of the soundtrack, what was on it?
Ronson’s curation of tracks included Kelsey Lu’s version of 10cc’s I’m Not In Love, and The Irrepressibles’ Two Men In Love. How romantic.

Alright, tell us about the clothes!
Now in his stride, creative director Sabato de Sarno has certainly cemented his vision for Gucci: clean, stripped-back, with the occasional suckerpunch of wild colour and nods to the house’s pivotal era in the 1960s. All of that was, in parts, present in de Sarno’s most recent outing: a steely grey playsuit, sheer, lace dresses in black, and irreverent overcoats thrown over. But this collection seemed to emphasise movement – hard to depict in a static image, obviously – with the shimmer of embellishments on overcoats, shorts-and-jacket co-ords and oversized knits catching the light and leaving a mark in its path. And de Sarno’s Italian knack for romance was indulged in Ancora red leather outerwear, sumptuous velvet suiting in a similarly romantic hue and coquettish Mod jackets nipped at the hem, confidently worn as dresses in their own right.

What?
A descent into darkness from GCDS.

Tell us more…
What started as a collection of clean, white tailoring, oversized T‑shirts and whimsical, almost virginal lingerie abruptly took a turn to the darker side. The collection, after all, was titled ​“Toys for Adults” – and child’s play this was not. GCDS’ creative director Giuliano Calza dug deep into the tresses of the underworld, playing around with oversized proportions and exaggerated shapes. There was a sense of playfulness, with nightmarish elements evolving through dark leather trenches, Chucky – the killer horror doll – motifs, lashings of blood red detailing and barely-there dresses in dark black velvet.

In a song?
Black Sabbath – Heaven and Hell

What?
Adrian Appiolaza’s debut as the new creative director of Moschino. It was bittersweet, following the tragic and unexpected death of Davide Renne in November 2023, who was appointed for the role just a month before.

Who is Adrian Appiolaza?

Prior to clinching the top title at Moschino, Appiolaza remained behind the scenes at some of the biggest fashion houses. Since 2002, he worked under Phoebe Philo at Chloé, Miuccia Prada at Miu Miu, Louis Vuitton under Marc Jacobs in 2010, back to Chloé under Clare Waight Keller in 2012, then onto Loewe under Jonathan Anderson in 2014, where he remained the house’s ready-to-wear director for a decade.

Whew. So he has big ideas for Moschino, then?
After a decade of Jeremy Scott at the helm, this felt like Moschino for a new generation. Stripped back compared to Scott’s theatrical pop culture references, Appiolaza lent into house founder Franco Moschino’s irreverent ​’80s spirit, blending whimsical elements such as cheeky suspenders, punchy slogans and smiley prints with bold silhouettes. Titled ​“Eccentric Elegance”, the collection featured a mash-up of wild colours and textures, with oversized bows and exaggerated ruffles winking at Moschino’s signature, unabashed sense of humour.

What?
A smart, grounded wardrobe.

Tell us about the clothes.
For the most part, MM6 Maison Margiela was a no-frills affair. Opening with minimal, matter-of-fact shapes – oversized leather biker jackets, fitted blazers, silky shirt and trouser combos – the collection slowly descended into abstract territory. Neon yellow roll-necks and leggings were paired, casually, with an ankle-grazing, overdyed denim coat, a printed top takes its shape from a pillowcase, lurid leggings are unapologetically gold, and a simple waistcoat forms an extreme V‑neck that descends way past the belly button. Here, you’ll find enough simplicity to build an everyday wardrobe. But with enough pazazz for the inner freak.

In a drink?
Aftershock.

What?
A frilly bow to the past from Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons. Not to be confused with nostalgia.

Where was it?
At the usual Fondazione Prada venue, of course. The show set had the same underfloor utopian garden as the Men’s show in January – minus the office chairs, desks and computer monitors. This season was no work, all play.

Who was there?
An army of superstars: Gabriette, Rina Sawayama, Hunter Shafer and Amandla Stenberg, plus Tracee Ellis Ross, Letitia Wright, Emma Watson and Gwendoline Christie

Tell us about the collection.
This season was an interrogation of cliches, where notions of beauty were called to question. For Simons and Mrs. Prada, a collection starts with first examining the past: how has clothing evolved over time? What do gender stereotypes represent today? And crucially, how they are subverted for the modern woman. In this collection of contrasts, pill-box hats of the ​’50s, fur-lined shift dresses of the ​’60s and even velvet turbans of the Roaring Twenties are recontextualised. The first look, a boxy black shift dress adorned with multiple bows – later seen in powder pink – might assert a feminine cliche, but when worn with square-toe leather boots and an exaggerated cap, notions of a combative masculinity eschew gender stereotypes. Severe leather jackets were paired with casual draw-string skirts, wispy, fragile silk was set against harsher tailored wool, and candy colours proudly clashed. Regarding the past as much as it is the future, this is a collection of bold ideas ready to be challenged.

In a song?
Frank Sinatra – My Funny Valentine, which soundtracked the start of the show.

What?
Far-out travels imagined by Etro’s creative director Marco de Vincenzo. Tickets, money, passport…

So, where are we going?
We’re not exactly sure. This season, de Vincenzo was hooked on the idea of travelling without a map, and all the weird and wonderful discoveries along the way. Given our reliance on Google Maps, who knows where we’ll end up. But if it’s anything like de Vincenzo’s latest Etro collection, you can bet on a rollicking ride on a magic carpet through buzzy markets selling earth-tone spices, serene beaches where the waves are just right, and potential holiday romances, too. Here’s hoping! And Etro’s got you covered with loose printed shirts, off-shoulder dresses, light layers and, for the evening chill, large, multi-purpose coats and blazers to sharpen up in. Better get packing.

In a song?
All Saints – Pure Shores

What?
A ​“Marbelous” show from Milan’s foremost extrovert.

“Marbelous”, you say?
It’s a term coined by Roberto Cavalli himself, one that was used for the house’s latest collection that, you guessed it, featured a whole lot of marble. It’s no secret the Cavalli woman enjoys the finer things in life: great art, gold finishings, animal prints, pricey wine. And here, creative director Fausto Puglisi cranks up the volume on opulence, zooming in on marbles found in the grandest of galleries, Renaissance churches and Italian architecture. But beyond the excess is a full wardrobe: stretchy, full-length skirts, mini dresses, printed trousers and floaty cut-out party dresses. And a great big puffer coat, clean, tailored two-pieces and stripped-back gowns (for Cavalli, mind you) in ruby red and sunset orange. An all-rounder for the unreserved.

In a song?
Sheena Easton – The Glamorous Life

What?
Kim Jones’ melting pot of influences from Blitz Kids to a wealthy Roman woman on a mission.

What were his references this season?
Jones has long been influenced by British subcultures, and this season, he dusted off Fendi’s archive sketches from 1984 and found commonality in the transgressive characters of the Blitz Kids and New Romantics – expressive, experimental, unapologetically queer, and centering their look on an amalgamation of global style influences. The opening two looks of the show followed a similar structure to a traditional Japanese kimono, with tailoring offered up in knee-length skirts, structured trousers and fuss-free blazers with subtle cinching. Cracking his knuckles, Jones played around with knitwear by artfully sticking sweaters onto the backs and fronts of models, while the poppers of leotards poked out from over waistbands. Alright, so the Fendi woman isn’t about to do a Leigh Bowery anytime soon. But it’s that sense of London nonchalance that permeated the collection.

In a song?
Visage – Fade to Grey

What?
The first-ever fashion show to feature 700 members of the public tuning in via Zoom.

Wow, really?
Yes, really. Diesel’s creative director Glenn Martens is big on community. Now, we know that’s a wafty industry term, but Diesel has previously had fashion students sitting in its shows and offered free tickets to the public for a post-show rave as a way of getting his biggest fans in on the action, too. And so 700 people appeared on gigantic screens in the show space from the comfort of their bedrooms/​livingrooms/​kitchens/​cars, dogs and aliens included! Fear not, any behaviour that overstepped the line would have resulted in said person being booted out of the group chat with plenty of people sat in the waiting room prepped to entertain the crowd.

Anyone else of note?
Booked and busy DJ VTSS strutted down the runway – her first.

So, tell us about the clothes.
Diesel was turning 43 when Martens took the helm in 2020, with the brand edging closer to a midlife crisis. It was in need of young blood – and a kick up the arse. Ever since, Martens has consistently delivered raw sex appeal and an appealing, youthful edge owed to the Belgian designer’s wavering eye cast on subcultures, nightlife and pop culture. Four years on and Martens’ Diesel is just as exciting as it was back then – with an ever-growing, die-hard fanbase. His silhouettes are blown out of proportion, hemlines remain ecstatically short, skin is part of the outfit, and the all-important attitude is testament to Martens’ understanding of clothes as confidence. It’s little wonder why he’s still got the tongues wagging.

In a song?
This VTSS mix should get you in the mood.