With Milan Fashion Week coming to a close, we’re reminiscing on some of our favorite debuts for the Fall/Winter 2023 season. Below, we’re diving into the collections introduced by Bottega Veneta, Missoni, Jil Sander, Bally, and Ferragamo.
Courtesy of Bottega Veneta.
Bottega Veneta presented the final installation in its “Italia” trilogy, a concept by Creative Director Matthieu Blazy representing the country’s past, present, and future. The setting of a parade, and the polyphony of individuals it offers, was the point of departure for the fall/winter 2023 season, introduced in a show space outfitted with spotted carpet and a display of ancient Roman-style bronze statues. The collection unfolded as a thrilling tactile experience of intoxicating silhouettes, pulling from influences ranging from everyday to extraordinary—like the question of what it means to be chic and when that begins, all the way to the works of the Italian artist Umberto Boccioni, whose futuristic eye lent ideas in form and pattern. The shapes, textures, colors, and styles were as varied as one might find lining the streets at a parade, though a few that stayed in our minds included a suite of pieces like shirting and dresses imagined in the softest of Nappa leather (a yellow top and skirt set with flowers, in particular), a scaled turtleneck with a fringed-and-knit skirt and a woven leather shoulder bag, and a stunning overcoat in mint and brown fur and feathers styled with a pair of fringe-covered shoes.
Courtesy of Missoni.
Entitled “In Full Bloom,” Missoni pondered the rose as a symbol of love, beauty, and joy in its latest collection. Employing the flower’s form in a quest to dress a wearer who embraces both their strength and delicacy, the designs were full of revealing transparencies, flowery motifs, argyle knits, looks that played with opposing volumes, and of course, the house’s signature zig-zags. Layered looks paired skirts over unitards and sheer gowns with full-bodysuits, voluminous furs and overcoats with tiny shorts and knit tops, and textural outerwear with three-dimensional patterns, all while embracing warm, earthy colors and fabrications that are soft to the touch—velvet, faux fur, luxurious knits. The collection also featured ruched pieces with asymmetrical details and openings, trousers and suiting separates with enlarged forms, and accessories like oversized shades and statement earrings.
Courtesy of Jil Sander.
The mission of Jil Sander is to provide its wearers with an arsenal of items to be interpreted and contextualized in any way they see fit. This season, that toolbox embraced impulsivity and unpredictability through fun, fuzzy, technical, and ethereal pieces. With gender norms and the distinction between night and day absent, the house exemplified the feeling that anything goes if you make it so, pairing juxtaposing items like dresses with chunky-soled boots or oversized separates with long elegant gloves. Elements we loved included graphics of enlarged cherries and peppermint candies, knits textured with tiny tufts of fur or tinsel-like yarn, furry outerwear with a teddy bear appeal, and opulent florals prints, sequined embroideries, and dimensional crocheted appliques with yarn fringe. Looks were styled with colorful balaclavas, lug-soled footwear, oversized shoulder bags, chunky chain necklaces, and leather gloves that passed the elbows.
Courtesy of Bally.
Bally’s collection “Persistence of Time” featured men’s and womenswear designs for the fall/winter 2023 season. It was imbued with an unapologetic glamor that suggested ties to Hollywood and the answer to what happens when one dares to dream. Strength and sensuality coalesced on a runway set inside a historic residence in Milan. There was leather, knitwear, and metallics in tones of deep red, brown, and black in silhouettes to the effect of an off-duty movie star après-ski—like sizeable overcoats, sartorial sets, and chic ensembles alluding to sportswear styles. Standout looks included a fur hoodie with leather details and a long black leather skirt with metal studs, a quilted puffer and pants reminiscent of snowboarding attire paired with a semi-sheer turtleneck, and a cape with braided leather ties paired with a velvet bodysuit with a built-in hood, sheer stockings, and heels.
Courtesy of Ferragamo.
Ferragamo’s “Cinema” recalled the house’s own designs for stars from the 1950s, taking cues from the era and applying them to clean-cut, contemporary silhouettes with an air of hyper-feminine futurism. Derived from classic notions of glamor were shades of red accompanying black and white and styles that departed from mid-century archetypes, highlighting cinched waists, off-the-shoulder framing of the decolletage, and an hourglass figure. These styles were modernized through a vocabulary of sharp lines, new-age fabrics, and streamlined details. Pieces we loved included a brown leather trench with a high neck and a singular white lapel, a ballgown skirt imagined in nylon and paired with a cropped hooded jacket with cocoon sleeves, and a shiny mini dress in red lamé with long sleeves and a gathered fabric styled with razor-sharp pointed heels.
