Weekend Highlights From Milan’s Masked And Socially Distanced Fashion Shows
Sea creatures, 90’s grunge, and puppets, oh my!
This past weekend’s Ready To Wear fashion shows in Milan were magically delicious, taking up every corner of our imaginations with sugary collections that delighted. The overall palette kept away from subtleties and stayed close to traditional flavors Italy is known for — bold, powerful and not in the least bit lacking despite the current climate.
With our previous 9-to-5 office routines hanging on by a thread, home life was reimagined by more than few designers. Tod’s pictured zoom calls in striking knits and woven sandals; Emilio Pucci allowed us to daydream with Tomo Koizumi’s confections. Some designers took a different approach, teleporting to another time (or world) altogether. Versace submerged us under water and Moschino cut us down to size (physically speaking, of course) by sending marionettes down the catwalk.
Overall Milan has so far been a treat, letting us disappear into the “what ifs” of another time while still reflecting on the present moment.
Sportsmax Was Purely Punk
Grunge was the flavour of choice for Sportsmax’s socially distanced fashion show. Models in water downed tresses walked with purpose in punky pinstriped suits in various forms and variations. Pops of orange, highlighter yellows and aquamarine opals unexpectedly graced the collection, all of which were tied together with shiny bauble armlets. Called “Sensual Purity,” the looks were refreshing — a clash of harsh and soft with a tinge of 90’s nostalgia.
Tod’s Won Best Dressed Zoom Meeting
Opening to the sweet tune of bird chirps, Tod’s creative director Walter Chiapponi took the Zoom approach for his Spring 2021 fashion video. Models adjusted their screens before giving viewers a full profile of their looks, from head to (perfectly manicured) toe. With the regal Villa Necchi as the backdrop, Chiapponi took it upon himself to upload a collection “both eccentric and spontaneous, always personal and definitely made by humans.”
The looks themselves paired with luxe leather bags and Tod’s signature shoes were cozy-centric (not so Springy but comforting for the here and now.) Unfolding to musician Okay Kay’s soothing voice, the collection was begging to be curled up next to a roaring fire with a hot cup of cocoa.
Marni’s Collection Takes on a Life of its Own
Appropriately titled “Marnifesto” Francesco Risso gave us a day in the life. With chaotic video clips strung together in a livestream, the viewer was treated to “normal people” dressed in Marni, unapologetically living their lives. You see someone picking up ginger at their corner fruit stand, someone serenading in their apartment, someone dancing at the local bodega — all participants navigating the new pandemic frontier. The clothes added to the eerie cheeriness of the film, comfortable and striking, the Marni collection came alive right before our eyes.
Versace Takes Us To an Underwater Journey to “Versacepolis”
For Donatella Versace, the world is her oyster. Staged in the lost city of “Versacepolis,” the collection dove head first into the oceanic theme with jeweled starfish and ruffles galore. Fun and flirty, the runway streamed live offered wave after wave of serotonin releasing looks. For the Queen of Versace, it was simple: she wanted to break the rules. “I wanted to create something disruptive, something that could be in tune with what has changed inside all of us. To me that meant dreaming of a new world. A world made of popping colors and fantastic creatures and a world in which we can all coexist peacefully,” she says.
Philipp Plein Knows What We Did Next Summer
Model Lorena Rae has some important business to attend to at the opening of Philipp Plein’s digital presentation — one that involves stunning seaside views, a megayacht and a helicopter, duh. Chucking all hesitations of the pandemic out the door, Plein paints a pretty picture for next summer, one filled with adventure dressed in garbs true to his trademark street style. The voice of the collection is roar with a touch of glamour, complete with neon leopard prints of course.
Emilio Pucci Has Us Falling in Love with Staying at Home
“Sulla Riva,” or “On The Shore” translated in English, is exactly what you’d imagine from Pucci’s latest collection. In collaboration with Japanese designer, Tomo Koizumi, a plush pastel world comes to life. Models prance around like woodland nymphs, unaware of the spell they’re casting with the silky looks more fitting for a lazy day at home than a night out on the town. (How convenient!) In a cutesy video,a dance party ensued, showing off the clothes’ lightness as Parisienne singer Cléa Vincent coos her way through her jazzy tune, Château Perdu.
Moschino Pulls Our Puppet Strings
When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade or in the case of designer Jeremy Scott, you make a fully decorated marionette fashion show.
Every minute detail is taken under consideration, right down to the teeny barbie-sized handbags (even the fashion editors in the front row are given some attention. )So lifelike are the toy puppet features, you can almost see them blink. The clothes themselves are somewhat demure from seasons past but paired with the outlandish, yet whimsical fact they’re sewn onto puppets, it makes for a perfect combo. At the end of the show, a miniature Scott emerges with the text “I don’t speak Italian but I do speak Moschino,” written on the front of this little shirt. The sound of a mini applause comes on and I’m left wondering—how soon will human sizes be available?
No Time Like the Present for Giorgio Armani
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Giorgio Armani’s “Timeless Thoughts” collection makes us swoon, as the looks for both men and women were presented in a beat thumping video presentation — no year or era can be pinpointed. As the first fashion show to premiere on television, viewers were treated to his classically cut silhouettes and cool color palette on the national Italian TV station LA7.
Lead image courtesy of Instagram/Versace