Returning to Milan in the golden age

The Milan Fashion Week, which ended last week, was kissed by bright sunshine and warm temperatures, which made the people who came to see the show happy, although the schedule was quite short, it was still full. The fact is that Milan's schedule needs to be extended, it needs to be well-organized, and substantial adjustments are needed, so that it won't make those crazy days full, and then there will be long days without any progress. Of course, this transformation needs to be led by the Italian fashion association (Camera della Moda), recognized by Italian brands, and accepted by foreign media and buyers, who seem to be reluctant to spend more than necessary time in Milan, which is a shame Because the city is experiencing a variety of cultural renaissance from fashion to food to clubs.

In other words, when it comes to fashion, Milan is not Paris. In the past ten years, the Italian fashion world has not brought much real talents, both young and famous. This season, it is worth seeing the usual ones: the last Fendi conference brought by Miuccia Prada, Donatella Versace and Karl Lagerfeld. Then there is Giorgio Armani, and with the collapse of the old world, his dedication to his purist vision is quite heroic, and no matter how his design is in line with the times, he is still immersed in his own things. There are also Gucci from Alessandro Michele, Marni from Francesco Risso and Ferragamo from Paul Andrew, and of course Bottega Veneta from Daniel Lee.

There is hardly any new voice here, but it is interesting to see the rise of the young brand Act N.1. The brand is run by a Georgian and a Chinese, Galib Gassanoff and Luca Lin, who combine the rough aesthetics of the metropolis with the refined sense of style: complexity and ruggedness, masculine and feminine, making the contrast rough stand up. This style is very similar to the style of Vetements. Gassanoff and Lin have added socio-political narratives to their collection. This season's show tells the story of a woman's empowerment. This story is a bit naive in the metaphorical sense, but it is from the heart: considering their spontaneity and authenticity, and they provide a lot of clothing, this is a forgivable mistake.

Using the Fauvist language, Act N.1 hit the correct heart of the season, because cruelty is a popular topic. In fact, there are quite a lot of fears and a lot of monsters in Milan. Obviously, but the split and darkness of the current political moments almost inevitably translate into a high-pressure, barbaric and terrible militaristic vision. However, when I saw a group of girls wearing big boots and fierce girls marching on the catwalk, my back was cold.

In Prada, the Frankenstein-style wife is juxtaposed with the romantic "Wednesday Addams". Miuccia used a Prada-style feminine rhetoric and the harshness of a Swiss boarding school. They wore enough rotten flowers and bags to make millennials and non-millennials rush. People can't help but feel that the brand is trying to regain the relevance of its heyday, which left an indelible mark on the entire series.

At Bottega Veneta, Daniel Lee also took a rather reluctant approach, which is the most anticipated debut of the season. Of course, his first fashion show needs to be impressed, but the boots with the bottom, protective clothing and cyber motorcycle equipment are obviously outdated. They blend a dazzling, soft, ladylike work, and the overall effect, although a bit stiff, still provides concessions. Fortunately, it doesn't tend to be the Céline style as Lee's previous work suggests. Men's clothing is better than a sharp beast, but there is also a feeling of Rick Owens and Carol Christian Poell.

Francesco Risso's pursuit of the personal form of neurotic love in Marni was accompanied by an impromptu repetition of the fetishism, but ultimately it was not realized because it gave the impression of a literal meaning and a heavy, lacking the fascinating iconic freewheeling of Risso. Lightweight. Gucci fashion shows are heavy and cruel with deafening lights, organ music, pointed masks and a group of humpback monsters. Alessandro Michele has bold skills in shaping visual characters, but his way of working is very serious, and the irony of the touch is rarely enough to make this effect alive. This sense of alienation makes the entire show feel round and real, lacking a stylish atmosphere. However, this series marks a decisive step forward for Michele: from the decoration to the exploration of shape and volume, thanks in large part to Kawakubo and Margiela, but still feel bold, novel and eye-catching.

Compared with other fashion weeks, most of Milan's shows are daily wear, and during the 1980s and 1990s, it was a period of “Made in Italy” that really flourished. At that time, Italian-style clothing was worn during the day, so to some extent, everything returned to the original point, which is a good sign. It's all about superior materials, superior craftsmanship, and a firm will to decorate the real life of a real woman with real clothing that is full of energy, not mediocre. This is not an easy balance, but the Italians are doing very well. Paul Andrew, the only creative director who has just been appointed as Ferragamo, and Guillaume Meilland, his menswear design director, have shown some great everyday outfits. They are British and French working in Italy, but the world is global. With the volume and fashion precision of the 1980s and the soulful craftsmanship, the two offer a fascinating, sensible, understated luxury with a vibrant and distinctly Italian feel.

There is also a new energy in Tod's: the lines are bright, the colors are rich, and the message is conveyed - cool elegance. This is the direction that the brand should pursue in the future to gain its true position in the upper level of the luxury market. Jil Sander's day dress is both poetic and precise, Etro's dress is rich in bohemian style, and Agnona, think about the rich lady who went to the bookstore on Saturday morning, and for N.21, it all comes down to For the coats and clothes of middle-class women, they tend to commit crimes. It cleverly utilizes the simplistic zipper and places it in all the right positions to get the right balance.

In the end, Milan fashion seems to be on a positive path – albeit not the most original one – because it is clearly trying to reinterpret its origins. This is especially true for houses with a long history, and it is very nostalgic. Angela Missoni returned to the era of softness, rigor and extension of the Missoni series in 1975. The high waist, smooth lines and shiny surface are the same, but the result is not a flat replica, but a reaffirmation of the correctness of a language, the Missoni language, which is repeated through endless repetition. evolution. At the same time, Donatella Versace is constantly honing its new approach: taking something out of the archives and reshuffling it in a more or less contemporary way. This season, it was a safety pin in 1994, bringing back a spirit of deliberate confusion. It seems to be full of popular Baroque styles - a bit Gucci, a bit Miu Miu, and very Katie Grand - if you understand what I mean - but nevertheless, it still brings shocking people. A bit of a cruel, full of product reviews: The Versace series perfectly sums up the spirit of the season.