Diesel’s democratic fashion show, Prada’s reference to the past, present, and future, Matteo Tamburini’s debut at Tod’s, and Sabato de Sarno’s show that left its mark on the fashion industry: Milan Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2024 is one for the books. Cover image: courtesy of Prada
MILAN FASHION WEEK FALL/WINTER 2024
Milan Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2024 showed something fundamental: out with quiet luxury, in with a more sophisticated yet exaggerated way of dressing. While “quiet” houses Loro Piana, Jil Sander, and Bottega Veneta maintain their aesthetic, their collections are getting bolder and more outgoing. There were noteworthy, dainty detailing and mood-lifting looks at Bottega Veneta, slightly oversized proportions at Max Mara, and well-suited looks for any androgynous trailblazer at Tod’s. These are the highlights and most significant trends from Milan Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2024.
Gucci Fall/Winter 2024 – a tribute to the past while defining a new era
ELEVATED WORKWEAR AT TOD’S
Matteo Tamburini’s debut at Tod’s didn’t go unnoticed. Tamburini injected subtle eccentricities into each ensemble — from double-collared shirting to hyper-break pants and layered wool and silk “twinsets” cascading in charcoal hues. Proportion play abounded with leather-panel trenches and knits crafted from stiff-boiled cashmere, elevating each look with avant-garde sophistication. And, of course, there was a role for a red-on-red ensemble.
NEW FASHION DARLING: OLIVE GREEN
While (cherry) red remains the most critical determinant of Milan Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2024, olive green has entered the conversation, too. This refreshingly chic shade took center stage at Gucci, Bally, Alberta Ferretti, Bottega Veneta, Jil Sander, Prada, and others. Designers proved the color to be a real all-rounder. It combines well with lighter green shades, as well as with pink (Prada, Gucci) and brown (Jil Sander, Bally).
WHEN FASHION BECOMES DEMOCRATIC
Diesel started a live stream 72 hours before the show, in which online viewers witnessed the process that preceded it. A thousand online viewers were invited to sit “front row” virtually, viewing the spectacle from home. As they stared at the models, the guests on site gazed back via the giant screens on which the virtual front-row guests were displayed. And so, a paradigm shift unfurled. Theoretically speaking, the democratization of fashion has been in motion for quite some time — ever since, it transcended the confines of haute couture salons and embraced the accessibility of ready-to-wear. Diesel took it a step further by dismantling barriers once defined by the fashion elite. Diesel’s pricing, though, is disputable in this sense; it’s safe to say that the brand hasn’t been reasonably accessible to the masses. Take, for example, a simple yet delicate rushed top from last season’s runway collection, available online for $850. Or a flow-sweeping satin skirt for $1100. The ones who watched the show virtually might have to opt for the brand’s classic staples instead: their skinny jeans still cost around $160.
PRADAMANIA
To understand the future, one must know about the past—the critical takeaway from Prada’s Fall/Winter 2024 show. The “INSTINCTIVE ROMANCE” collection formed an instinctive attraction to history. After all, today’s world is created by memories and the endless possibilities the future holds. Clothes refer to specific eras, and the past should be viewed as a tool for learning, where Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons used it to invent something new. “Yet rather than an intellectual examination, this collection is an emotional reaction to ideals of beauty that still feel resonant,” they explained. And with the collection, a truth both timeless and tantalizingly relevant emerges: if we fail to learn from past actions, we’re destined to echo its outcomes. Such an observation may not sparkle with newfound brilliance. Yet, a gentle nudge is warranted in these moments of cyclic déjà vu, where history appears to stutter and memories flicker faintly. And who better than fashion to imbue such insights with vitality?
DOUBLE BAGGIN’
Double baggin’ might be nothing new—Alessandro Michele introduced the trend at Gucci many seasons ago—but somehow, every designer adopts the idea. Whether the styling technique stems from the need for a new aesthetic or an innovative way to push the handbag category, one thing is sure: guests will wear their belongings in multiple bags next fashion week.
