Milan Pushed (But Thankfully Never Crossed) the Boundaries of Wearability
Three major debuts, one farewell, Miranda Priestly's front row appearance, and a hotly anticipated designer's carrot-dangle teaser later, Milan Fashion Week draws its curtain. To say it was an eventful round of SS26 runways'd be an understatement. So, let's get into the weeds of 'em:
Dario Vitale, formerly of Miu Miu, premiered his vision for Versace, ex-Carven creative director Louise Trotter presented her first Bottega Veneta collection, and once-Bally's Simone Bellotti took Jil Sander back to its '90s heyday.
Elsewhere, Demna gave us a glimpse of his Gucci via a series of archetype portraits, sprinkled with references to the label's Tom Ford and Alessandro Michele periods, all the while the cast of The Devil Wears Prada II made a splash attending the Dolce & Gabbana show. And finally, Giorgio Armani worked Milan's closing shift, just weeks after its namesake founder's passing.
With partakers this varied, to discern parallels isn't as easy a task a one might think. Nonetheless, this SSENSE-assisted cataloging of the Italian fashion capital's forefront emerging trends should hopefully pin down what'll be Spring/Summer 2026's key motifs.
The Clothes In Milan Were Odd, Cool, & Commanding
Milan is where '80s extravagance met '90s minimalism. Of the handful of big name introductions, Vitale's Versace and Bellotti's Jil Sander most obviously treaded backward in time, pleasantly so. The former's neon-wrapped models were just short of a walkman, whereas the latter's razor-sharp tailoring returned the Hamburg-born brand to its restrained roots.
However disparate those offerings may sound, there were popping pinks, luscious leathers, and bejeweled bustiers at both, placing the imagined customers anywhere between Miami Vice and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy-era New York.
Acne Studios Pink T-shirt
Tom Ford Gray Fluid Fit Shirt
AV Vattev Black Trousers
In her more timeless, though certainly not minimalist approach to Bottega Veneta, Trotter proposed a clog-hoofed future of textured trench coats, glassy fringe tops, and, of course, plenty of Intrecciato.
Like fellow line-up member Miuccia Prada's, Trotter's love of odd shapes and compositions materialized in lofty silhouettes and accessories that caught the eye, like braided scarves, roomy bags, skinny belts, and kinky gloves.
MM6 Maison Margiela Gray Trench Coat
Stone Island Gray Jacket
Across the board, soft neutrals clashed with lively pastels, deep blues and greens, with an overall appreciation for power dressing, retro-glamorous corporate workwear, and all the ways one might experiment with these tropes again at the center of designers' attention.
Connected in a shared sense of familiarity, nostalgia, and respective uniformity, some clothes were more, some less essentialist, higher and lower octane.
JW Anderson Brown Large Loafer Suede Bag
Handsome Stockholm Gloves
But all of these outings, however left-field they might've been in places, put equal emphasis on how clothes are meant for use, fun comes from styling, and that wearability is thee luxury.
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