Here’s the best of Milan Fashion Week 2019.

This season, Milan Fashion Week for the Spring/Summer season was arguably the best week. However, we’re still waiting for Paris Fashion week (check Fashion Week Schedules here). As usual chez Artémis, we have gathered the best compilation of fashion shows of the week, thanks to this article’s special collaborator, Ada Anicic (twitter.com/voguefedmemore).

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…And let the show begin!

PRADA SS20

Miuccia Prada’s retro take on simplicity sparked a fire on the first day of Milan Fashion Week. Prada took a step back and decided to focus on geometrical patterns and color combining in order to make something that will last. Trends that will stay and outlive all the ones surrounding us now. The accessories reminisced of old Miuccia, with shell necklaces over collared shirts and sweaters. This is certainly the first thing we will see on influencers. Loafers with unusual buckles was something that also sparked our imagination, as well as a large number of leather bags with wooden handles, and unique buckets hats. Pioneer of it’s own sort, Prada will always be one of the most awaited and loved shows of Milan.

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PETER PILOTTO SS20

Showing for the first time in Milan, Peter Pilotto presented us with a runway full of colors, silk and breathtaking prints and patterns, showcasing one of the most creative shows of the season. The collection showed all of the colors one could wish for and could find on this planet, with breathtaking  silky and soft materials. Beach looks, every day looks and also elegant looks came one after the another, leaving us wanting them all and dreaming in bright colors presented in the collection. The brand also showed a few creations made for men on catwalk, dripped in bright colors as well and exuding ’just going to the beach’ energy. Considering its start and the amount of creativity Pilotto delivered in his designs, we can expect much more of them to come in next seasons in Milan.

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FENDI SS2020

Silvia Venturini FendI launched her first solo Fendi collection after the passing of Karl Lagerfeld in February this year.Venturini desccribed her collection as “a solar mood”, the state of being sun-kissed, enjoying the beach waves on your vacation on the coast of Italy. Therefore, the models that walked this season were enriched with a colorful palette of pastels that reached the deep golden hues of sun. Fancy floral prints gave the collection some of the less luxurious looks, ready to be copied at fast-fashion market. Lycra robes and dresses over floral printed tops and skirts gave us a hint of what will become one of the trends in the next season. The summer knits were present throughout the whole show, with the classic Fendi bags, like Baguette and Peekaboo having a knitted twist. What sparked a controversial question discussion between fashion critics and the ones present at the show was the problem of fur on the runway, which left everybody wondering wether it was real or fake, and how conscious Fendi actually is. With a star-studded catwalk and a lot of looks already being recreated on Instagram, the Fendi show for sure gave us some of the moments that will be present on Instagram throughout next year.

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MM6 MAISON MARGIELA SS2020

A wedding party? No, just the presentation of the one and only Margiela. Rather than having a bride and groom slice their cake and enjoy time with guests, we had models marching throughout the venue with headphones in their ears, surrounded by cake and sparkling wine, a real wedding atmosphere. Margiela presented t-shirts with tulle inserts, denim combined with white sides, and denim jeans with wedding veils and simple white tops. The pieces were adjustable, allowing the one who wears them to completely modify them as they wish. Always delivering the most original content, Margiela managed to combine streetwear with weddings and make us actually want to wear them. One of a kind, the MM6 Margiela show is the kind that never disappoints and that is always more of an art performance than a runway.

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ALBERTA FERRETTI SS2020

Alberta Ferretti took an every day look approach to her latest fashion show. She presented bold and unique styles for a modern woman to wear, while running errands and still looking perfectly stylish. Bold pink and orange colors dominated the show, with a hint of black and blue for the finale. Changing the direction of the brand seemed risky, but Ferretti pulled it off better than anyone. Once a romantic brand, this collection took more of a boho turn with tie-dye and loose, puffy designs being omni-present in the looks. Ferretti claimed that fashion should not be serious, while taking a fun twist and creating something unusual but practical for women. It seemed to be far away from a luxurious runway, getting closer to a number of hippie looks copied straight from the 70s. As someone who was a fan of romantic Alberta, the showed filled me with mixed feelings and was not something we would expect from the brand, while it only reminisced the old Ferretti at moments.

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MAX MARA SS2020

Ian Griffith presented his vision of a female James Bond type of character in the Max Mara show: delivering the classical, practical and mouth-dropping collection. Military-tailoring which relied on classical looks surprised us with a few different approaches, like a short-sleeve pocket shirt over Bermudas being presented as a new, modern suit, in pastel tones. Scripting a woman’s s life so perfectly, Max Mara delivered looks for businesswomen who are always on the go, but never forget to sleek their hair and outfit perfectly. The iconic coats which the brand is well-known for were also a part of the show, but with trenchcoats in shorter lenghts and blue pastel tones added to the regular color palette. Griffith also redesigned the cult Whitney bag, making it a mini crossbody. The creative director proved that Max Mara can follow trends without stepping out of its original vision. The finale was a series of pastel gowns worn by big stars, like Kaia Gerber, who presented a night-out look for Mara’s women. Never risking too much or stepping out of its comfort zone, the brand still succeeds to deliver something fresh and new every season, grounding their position in the fashion field.

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EMPORIO ARMANI SS2020

The first thought on this season’s Armani collection would be something soft, velvety, dreamy, just like a pillow or a cloud. Italian master of soft tailoring provided us with a collection full of silky, loose, sheer and shiny outfits. However, these are materials we have seen in previous shows, as well as in other cities like New York (Read now: Your Guide through New York Fashion Week) and London. Big bows, layered tulle dresses and somewhat basic, Instagram like outfits were present at the show this year. We couldn’t help but wonder, was this really a fashion show or just another scroll on our Instagram feed? While Armani wanted to take the best of both worlds, and combine both romantic looks and modern, every day outfits; the collection felt lost and ripped apart between the two worlds. Milan’s favorite designer felt kilometers away from the message he wanted to send, and left us with a runway full of been there-done that looks.

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BOTTEGA VENETA SS2020

Investing millions in it’s influencer marketing this year, Bottega Veneta completely reinvented the concept and the image of the brand in a short period of time. Their latest show at Milan Fashion Week showed there’s more of new Bottega to come. Even though I approached the show very skeptically, I then realized that I was blown away by asymmetry, colors and simplicity of the show. Large sun-bleached bags were thrown over bodies. Massive chain necklaces seemed to fit perfectly with anything and everything, giving a whole new vibe to what we call clarity and simplicity. Mules were on every model. They will definitely be the highlight of this season because of their simple aesthetic and practical and comfortable shape. What surprised me the most was the presence of the tangerine color on the runway on the coats, dresses and accessories. Under-the-knee leather shorts dominated the show either by being pulling off elegant looks or a urban ones. Seen & talked about everywhere, Bottega is here to stay. The brand will continue to amaze us with new ideas and concepts that Daniel Lee has cooking in his office.

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VERSACE SS2020

This season’s Versace show could be described with just one word – iconic. JLo’s arrival made everything make sense, since the Versace invitation was a snapshot of Google with the search term “Versace Women ss20”. A reference to Jennifer Lopez’s palm frond dress which was the ultimate reason for the creation of the Google Images function. Palm print was everywhere- dresses, bags, trainers, sometimes mixed with sequins, reminiscing of the late 90’s collections. After Bottega, we could once more see sparks of tangerine over all black outfits, as well as pink and green ones. On the other side, the rest of the collection was dominated by tight, short, black Versace dresses with gold chains in all forms and shapes. The show ended with late night Versace outfits filled with cocktails, sequins and crystals both on cocktail dresses and mules. Micro bags definitely burned down the clutches. After Jil Sander and Fendi, Versace also presented lipstick-sized bags chained over body and styled in multiple ways. Just as JLo’s iconic dress was created for women who want to show off their bodies and be proud, Versace keeps on delivering similar looks 20 years later: no one can pull it off like Donatella.

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MOSCHINO SS2020

Jeremy Scott found permission to break the rules, experiment with colors, painting and assymetry in no one else than Picasso. Moschino delivered a collection inspired by one of the most innovative artists of all times, being given that Kaia Gerber was dressed as a guitar and Bella Hadid became Arlequin. As Picasso painted so many women throughout his life, his wives, mistresses and daughters, there was no other way than for Scott to create a modern Picasso woman. Scott tried to present different parts of Picasso’s work. The creative director delivered looks inspired by mortality and matadors, represented by matador jackets with gold tassels, which is something both Jeremy and Franco Moschino are known for. Since the painter death was always lurking by, few of the looks were filled with the fear of mortality, like a puff-sleeved, floor-length gown with an illustration of a skeleton. The designer also created frame-like dresses and made his models a living and moving work of art. Scott’s friend Stephen Jones created abstract versions of toreador hats and enriched the collection with even more intriguing pieces. Time flies by and artists like Picasso will never be forgotten, many designers will try to honor him. However, one thing is sure, this collection will stay remain of the most incredible homages.

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GUCCI SS2020

On Sunday afternoon, Alessandro Michele presented Gucci with a concept completely opposite to the one he awakened 4 years ago, insisting on the need for a new direction. The show’s opening was a lineup of 21 models in white straitjackets, some with massive buckles or zips, proceeding slowly across the runway. Opening looks were worn with not a single sequin, bow, badge or logo, while models walked barefoot and without any make-up on. These uniforms designate the normative dress code dictated by society and those who control it. They were designed in order to show “how through fashion, power is exercised over life, to eliminate self-expression and curb identity. In the second part of the show, the ambiance was far more restrained and simple than in previous seasons. Michelle decided to use the method of graphic color blocking to add interest to tailoring revoked from 70’s Gucci. Men strolled the runway in boldly colored suits, while there was absence of print which used to rule Gucci’s previous collections. On the other side, Michelle’s take on sexy was more than unexpected, with riding crops accessorizing slip dresses, and vinyl chokers on high-slit mini skirts. Collection’s catchphrase was Gucci Orgasmique which was repeated over jackets and cuffs. The remarkable part of the show is the fact that it was carbon-neutral. With a focus on recycling and reusing, everything from paper invitations, set, and a carbon-offset programme was carbon-neutral for the guests who flew in. In our era, Gucci’s strive to improve our environment and react to global warming is something to respect.

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GIORGIO ARMANI SS2020

Noting that he always maintained idea that fashion should belong to people, Giorgio Armani focused on gray and navy, with some hues of pastel pink and blue. To him, fashion doesn’t belong neither to the designer nor the press. Armani took a pants-first approach, pairing them with opulent pieces like glimmering multistrand necklaces, high-neck draped top and shiny pants, or minimalist midnight tunic over brown pants. Long, strapless silk dresses were layered over opaque pants with necklaces. Smokey gray parachute pants were worn with a pale green bow, a ruffle-edge vest, and a metallic necklace. There were pants with full-frontal vertical zippers and some without any zipper at all. He also offered us a few fancy dresses that flaunted ruffles and ribbon-fringe cages to trip over. The silhouettes often rooted in sportswear, but as Armani himself said the collection was modern but not too extravagant: there was rather something in it that was brave.

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