Armani.
Tailoring remains at the core of Giorgio Armani’s collections and it seldom falls short of spectacular. Mesmerizing geometries, mixed with fluid silhouettes created the vision of luxury that stems from heritage yet remains timeless. The collection encompassed both eveningwear and pieces more laid-back and daytime-friendly never losing that specific elegance that only Armani manages to capture. Consistently and incomparably.
MM6 Maison Margiela.
In the latest MM6 collection we saw the future and past being both ripped into a million tiny pieces and put together in one nonpareil experience. Nude tones gently flowed from the beloved bodysuits onto tailoring and gloves, turning models into solemn statues. We saw deconstruction of the traditional and juxtaposition of what's left against the modern, especially in the stunning pairing of a double-breasted cropped blazer with a ‘double-breasted’ skirt.
Valentino.
This season, Pierpaolo Piccioli played variations on his creative violin, and we all danced in ecstasy to the intoxicating tune. We saw the House’s proudest moments gathered on one runway, here were the whimsical florals, ruffles, tulle and, of course, dresses with volumes beyond comprehension. Tailoring was, as always, sleek and precise, however without any risks. In womenswear, Valentino presented a wide range of silhouettes as a powerful display of its expertise, nay, sorcery.
Even though Milan still remains a somewhat traditional fashion capital, it surprised us with a lineup of innovative young brands that were a breath of fresh air among the (often detached) heritage brands.
RICOSTRU.
In its SS21 collection, RICOSTRU embraces futurism in a way that echoes the classic comics and does so forever elegantly and never kitschy. Let’s start from the very end. The last look was a stunning red cape paired with gloves and underwear and made us recall Devil May Cry video games. Even though the pieces followed a very specific aesthetic, their range was broad enough to cover tailoring, loungewear and, perhaps, a couple of bold iterations of evening wear?
Shuting Qu
In Shuting Qu’s SS21 collection, prints reigned supreme. Plaids, stripes and florals were fused together with filigree precision resulting in hypnotizing and strikingly precise silhouettes. One common feature in the entire collection was bodysuits that worked beautifully with blazers, dresses and more. The direction chosen by the brand makes it perfect to switch from replacing raw materials with deadstock – something more designer should look into.
Gianluca Capannolo
Gianluca Capannolo’s presentation was a festival of colour. The brand masterfully blended heritage with modernity (the pairing of feathers with sheer comes to mind). The pieces read as instant resort classics with their bold geometric prints upon silks and the stunning headscarves. We can absolutely imagine Gianluca Cappannolo becoming the next brand préférée among the visitors of French Riviera.
This season, Milan Fashion Week took us on a journey through time and convinced us that, apparently, early aughts’ fashion wasn’t all that bad, and showed what gowns to wear in outer space.
ANNAKIKI.
For its SS21 collection, ANNAKIKI took us to a remote planet, where models strutted in futuristic pieces under the starry sky. We saw prominent ‘80s influences expressed through shoulder pads, neons and oversized blazers. Although the collection consisted of extravagant evening wear with ruffles and glitter galore, a few versatile staples could be seen, mainly the sleek high-waisted pants.
Blumarine.
This season Blumarine declared that 2021 is the new 2005 with its erotic silhouettes that evoke the memories of Paris Hilton from a decade and a half ago. The collection had it all, low-waisted pants, boleros trimmed with fur and deliciously short mini skirts. We were also happy to see the latest reinvention of The Little Black Dress as a body-hugging piece gathered at the front and styled with striking sandals that lace all the way up to the thighs.
CALCATERRA
CALCATERRA’s Ss21 collection was aptly named ‘Ethereal’ and redefined the complex facets of the modern woman. The angelic pieces seemed to have elevated the basics to state of the art that is pleasant and wearable. An array of coats, jackets and vests read modern and elegant, while the presentation itself felt more like a series of renaissance paintings, creating a new context for contemporary fashion by relating it to the finer things.