Milan Fashion Week: The Review

Milan Fashion Week made headlines this past week, both on and off the runway. If you thought that the Hadid sisters couldn’t get any bigger, think again. Gigi received a lot of attention in the media, and not in the way you might think. Many stories broke after Hadid physically defended herself when a man picked her up in the streets of Milan. Following the incident, she received heavy criticism from the media for what some considered “attacking a fan.” However, many have come out in support of Gigi, saying that she was right for defending herself from a stranger who was physically assaulting her.

Back on the runway, Gigi turned heads when she walked the Bottega Venetta show arm in arm with iconic supermodel, Lauren Hutton. The brand celebrated its 50th anniversary, serving up some serious style, as well as sending iconic faces down the runway, such as Karen Elson and Eva Herzigova. Bottega Venetta, however, was not the only label to call supermodels out of retirement. Versace, too, had more than a few familiar faces walk for their show. Some of these supermodels included Naomi Campbell, Doutzen Kroes, Adriana Lima, and Carmen Kass.

It was also no surprise when Jeremy Scott debuted a collection at Moschino that generated a lot of buzz. He took a two dimensional approach to his collection for spring, sending models down the runway dressed like paper dolls, paper flaps and all. Not unlike Scott, the show was a testament to his love of using popular consumer culture for his fashion inspiration. While some question the wearability of his clothing, it no doubt garners attention for the brand and makes it one of the most sought after seats at Milan Fashion Week.

One of the largest trends continues to be athletic wear. While athleisure has been prominent for the last few seasons, the style continues to evolve and change. Versace embraced the new leisure movement by incorporating nylon into outerwear and adding leggings. Max Mara and MSGM, too, joined the movement by showing rain parkas, biker shorts, and sporty bodysuits.

There is one trend on the runways that one can’t ignore: comfort wear. With trends like athleisure, it is becoming evident that women are no longer willing to sacrifice comfort for style. Cue the reinvention of our favorite house-lounging outfit: pajamas. Many houses, from Dolce & Gabbana to Fendi, created sophisticated versions of this look.

The use of sheer fabrics was prevalent on Milan’s runway. Fendi created a show featuring many ethereal and wispy looks paired with brocade, while Emilio Pucci debuted barely sheer, vibrant jumpsuits. Alberta Ferretti added sheer ruffles to her ensembles, and Prada incorporated see through pieces into its feather-dominated show.

Undoubtedly, Milan did not disappoint this fashion week. There was a sense of celebration of the old and new, with many nods to the tradition of Italian fashion. Bottega Venetta’s anniversary celebrated the history of the house and its iconic moments while Versace made nods to the great supermodels of the years past and sent a strong message of female empowerment. Designers displayed their pride in the long history of Italian craftsmanship and the houses that Italian fashion was founded on. At the same time, there was optimism for the future, and an acknowledgement of the changing role of fashion week and those involved. With such a successful week in Italy now over, one can only look forward to what Paris Fashion week has in store.

Check out our favorite looks and trends in the galleries below!