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The takeaway from Milan Fashion Week? Sound and sober fashion will dress the 9-5, says Jane McFarland
‘REAL’ CLOTHES are back – but don’t call it quiet luxury. Whether indicative of our tumultuous political climate or economic uncertainty, the overarching mood at Milan Fashion Week was decidedly pared-back – without a Kardashian in sight. But what the fashion mecca lacked in ‘moments’ and new ideas, it made up for with pragmatic shopping suggestions.
Many designers spoke about ‘reality’ when describing their collection. Among them was Gucci’s Sabato De Sarno, who, eschewing themes for clothes, said, ‘My dreams, as with my fashion, always converse with reality. Because I am not searching for another world to live in, but rather of ways to live in this world’. For Bottega Veneta’s Matthieu Blazy, it was his nightly dog walks around Milan that inspired the round-shouldered silhouettes of the brand’s outerwear, telling reporters backstage, ‘I was interested in making a monument out of the everyday.’
So what does reality look like for today’s fashion customer? After spending the past two years navigating the new hybrid work culture and still looking for a bag to carry both a laptop and daily essentials, designers are finally catching up. From Fendi’s new Simply bag (a soft, roomy tote) to the latest iteration of Tod’s iconic Diana bag (aptly named the Squish for its softer, lighter leather), the big bag trend shows no sign of abating. Just don’t forget to call your chiropractor. Shoes, meanwhile, were radically practical, from flat, over-the-knee waders to stack-heeled boots designed for wear-all-day ease.
As per any autumn/winter season, sumptuous knitwear was de rigueur. At Fendi, immaculate tailoring was blended with Aran knitwear, reworked as shrugs and arm warmers. Max Mara’s cable-knit grey dress and low-key-yet-luxe long cardigan knits offered a more streamlined take on wrapping up. At Gucci, knits came with collars of diamanté – a thoroughly modern take on the twinset – while Prada’s jewel-coloured knitwear will tempt even the most ardent eschewers of colour.
Pillars of the Italian establishment can still be relied on to buck the trends in favour of their brand DNA. At Dolce & Gabbana, the 65-look collection riffed off one piece: the classic black tuxedo. For his Giorgio Armani collection, the designer, who turns 90 this year, was inspired by winter flowers – used as sequin embellishments on hats and dresses – to represent hope. New names brought new ideas. Glenn Marten’s Diesel show was hooked up to Zoom, where around 1,000 members of the public could live-stream the show. The stream actually began 72 hours earl
