Milan/ Paris Fashion Week Highlights

Milan/Paris Fashion Week Highlights

I feel like Milan can sometimes be sucked in between London and Paris, perhaps because the stamina of fashion month is beginning to drag, and the adrenaline is dwindling...but this season, that definitely didn't happen. Designers wowed audiences with bold, striking colour use, a playful attitude and inquisitive welcome to Milan. 

Let's begin with Dolce and Gabanna, their collections are always so fun and combine classic, vintage shapes with bright, modern colours for a really visualy engaging show. I love their use of silk printed tailoring, combined with a mini crown, I mean THAT is runway done right, not too unwearable but at the same time a bit nutty! As always, we saw D&G's classic prints where they take relatable subjects, like a can of beans and fling them into high fashion. This season it was combined with lettering, which, being a lover of language, I really like! Lettering looks effortless, but still says "I do fashion" without being super avant-garde!! D&G's embroidery is second to none (okay if I had to prefer something else I'd say Dior but still...) and this season it it bright and floral, but cheetah print accents remove any trace of it feeling Grannyish, unless you are, you know...@baddiewinkle on instagram.

Moving to Versace (#sorrynotsorry these are a bit mainstream) who wowed the audience from beginning to end with a gorgeous collection, and MAJOR finale. In tribute to Gianni Versace, who died 20 years ago this year, Donnatella took inspiration from all years of Versace and combined them into this fitting tribute. We saw classic black, white and gold Baroque style patterns layered with denim, as well as fabulous neon prints of fashion icons and magazine covers that were used on body con outfits for a sexy, feminine hit, a nice but slight contrast to previous looks. I learn the prints take inspiration from previous designs, "she pulled directly from archives the key prints and pieces from the years 1991–95, the period that saw some of Gianni Versace’s most iconic collections: Vogue, Warhol, My Friend Elton, Icons, Baroque, Animalia, Native Americans, Tresor de la Mer, Metal Mesh, and Butterflies" (from vogue.com) . The finale was astounding, unknown to the audience, behind the backing curtain were five 80's and 90's supermodel heavyweights, Naomi Campbell, Carla Bruni, Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer, and Helena Christensen posing on steps ready to be unveiled. They looked goddess-like dressed in gold mesh gowns, and then, as their contemporary counterparts had so beautiful demonstrated only moments before, they then "werked", not walked down the runway to a standing ovation.

Finally for Milan,  Moschino put on a show like no other. There were flowers, My Little Pony branding and and leather for a truly playful and fun collection. Moschino is known for playing with unlikely brands and a few years ago they played with the McDonalds logo in a collection that was super youthful and fun. This season, My Little Pony was given a "Mosch-over", and it was so easthetically exiting. Model Kaia Gerber opened the show, dressed in fishnet tights, a feather skirt and a spiked cap she looked so confident and classically Moschino, playful and damn-right FUN!! Moschino has a seriously feminine, but slightly androgenous vibe in its collections, and this season, the combination of leather biker jackets and tulle skirts is a perfect example. The collection has a good use of colour throughout, and combined with the black accents it was a little overdone, and childish, but in a good way! 

P A R I S

For Paris, Chanel every year puts on a performance, not just a runway show. The Grand Palais was the venue, but if you watch the show video here it doesn't look anything like a Parisian building in the centre of a city. Chanel constructed a literal waterfall for the backdrop of the show, an unreal idea that is totally mesmerising. The models wore an amalgamation of off white tweeds, teal and perspex. Every outfit looked similar to the classic Chanel shape, think tweed jacket and skirt, but with a seasonal twist it worked perfectly. The tailored culotte trousers Chanel made I also really like because it's a trend that has been very popular this year, and Chanel putting it on the runway I think flings them back into "fashion". Chanel also used clear perspex, a trend that also has been made popular this year on instgram to add a seasonal, summery twist to the tweed, a great balance. Like with Moschino, Kaia Gerber opened the show with her confident walk and sassy image. Honestly, I think she appears more experienced in her walk than other famous models who shall remain nameless. Considering she's 16, just incredible. This Chanel collection could be mistaken for a cruise line, which I think is a good thing, because it shows Chanel can do summer looks with style and a fundamental feminine strength, Coco would be proud. 

Christian Dior's message was that of Feminine power, independence and modernity, due to the use of new shapes, dynamic fabrics and contrasting colours. Why? catalyst (and creative director) Maria Grazia Chiuri of course!! Maria is a woman I admire, and the fact she was appointed Creative Director only adds to my love of her. Set on blending Dior with feminism, another passion of mine, she has carefully constructed the Dior customer to be a lover of all things inclusive, and her latest collection was no exception. In many ways, she's revamped the Dior Women from the 1950s, who then represented a new found femininity after the War, and now represents an independent women unbound by traditional societal conventions. Maria created the iconic teeshirt emblazoned with statement lettering "We should all be feminists" a few seasons ago, and her current version says "Why have there been no great women artists?". It opened the show with a strong and thought provoking message, enhanced by denim blue, black and white colours the collection was fresh faced, chic and unmistakable Parisien with the use of stipe patterns and a beret making an odd appearance! By the end, sequins and embroidery added another modern element to enhance the sheer skirts and strap tops seen on the runway. Red used alongside multicoloured hearts between looks adds a sexy, and engaging, Très Christian Dior darling...

Lastly, British designer Alexander McQueen were at Paris Fashion week this season, and the collection took inspiration from English gardening. We saw appliqué flowers that appeared to be thrown across gowns, and splattered over raw cut tops, for a slightly deconstructed, unconventional look. On the feet were studded boots and sandals that made the collection feel truly McQueen, glamorous, but not too #GLAM. McQueen himself trained in Saville Row, and although there was not much tailoring, what was tailored was very typical of the brand, a bit edgy and un-nerving, like his early work seen before he died in 2010. McQueen once said "Fashion should be a form of escapism, and not a form of imprisonment", and this collection really brings those words to life. His legacy continues as the blend of utilitarian accesories and haute couture clothing makes for an escape, a mixture between style and wearability, the perfect runway collection.

Goodbye fashion Month! We've seen many looks, most notably denim, colour and transparency to name a few, but one thing remains; A strong message of Women, that is truly positive, engaging, and unapologetic.