Hold off on the bread and wine — before we jet off to France for the grand finale of Fashion Week season, let’s take a moment to revisit the highlights of Milan Fashion Week AW25.
There were rap-divas Doechii and Azealia Banks, then there were supers Alex Consani and Amelia Grey, and, of course, Milan Fashion Week was topped with its expert hand in sophisticated designing. If one thing’s for sure, it’s left us with a severe case of FOMO. Instead of drooling over countless garms that will sit forever on our Pinterest boards, we’re channelling our feels by giving all of you the hot goss that popped off at MFW 25, scroll down to get your dosage of fashion week news:
Blumarine brought the 212 to its AW25 collection
Blumarine’s creative director David Koma must’ve been chewing on some liquorice this season, as he unveiled his debut runway show to a star-studded crowd, with rap’s most controversially uncancellable diva, Azealia Banks, sat front row. Presenting his inaugural collection for Blumarine – perhaps the final boss of Y2K bling – as an ode to the dark romanticism of Italian cinema’s heroines. The Italian fashion house’s signature bubble-gum pink was redundant, and instead replaced with a black floral motif, called the Sicilian thistle, as shades of ink black, blood red and slate grey, all oozed from the mesh bodices and corsets that adorned the models. Despite his turn to the dark side, Koma’s collection still riffed on the sleazy, playful vibe that Blumarine champions, with its iconic butterfly logo fluttering throughout the collection (think diamanté butterflies sat centre stage on a pair of black panties). “The Blumarine woman is happy, confident and knows what she wants”, Koma explained, and we couldn’t agree more.
The Blumarine aesthetic speaks to the socialite diva who wears next-to-nothing on her morning commute, with no care for the stares she encounters, nor for the booming music coming out of her headphones, or even the presumably cold grey weather that looms on her wrap-around sunnies, and she does it with an overly smoky eye and hastily rolled cigarette. David Koma’s offering for AW25 not only honoured this era of the Jenny Humphrey muse, but elevated her to a Blumarine-ified level of iconic.
Fendi’s 100th Bash
Silvia Venturini Fendi dove headfirst into personal memories for Fendi’s AW25 centenary show, and what a family affair! Beginning the show, her grandsons Dardo and Razio (in matching furry outfits no less), opened replica doors from Fendi’s original Rome boutique. Supermodels including Lima, Le Bon, Herzigová, and Elson strutted down the brick-red runway in a luxurious, thoroughly Fendi collection. Sugary pastels, rich browns, and a dash of Roman Holiday glamour, Fendi’s design vaults were raided for inspiration – gowns, lace slips, sharp tailoring, it was a whirlwind tour through Fendi’s eras. With Kim Jones’ departure, the womenswear reins are still up for grabs, but who needs a new designer when you’ve got a heap load of heritage? Fendi’s legacy is found in fur and leather, and they weren’t going to let us forget it, as the two plush fabrics dominated the runway, with shearling stealing the show.
“I didn’t want to spend too much time dwelling on the physical archives. For me, Fendi 100 is more about my personal memories – real or imagined – of what Fendi was and what Fendi means today,” Sylvia Venturini Fendi said on Fendi’s AW25. Bravo!
Gucci’s in-house team showcased their talent
Without a leader to wave its flag high, amidst fashion’s favourite game of creative director musical chairs, Gucci’s in-house team had to step up, after it said goodbye to Sabato De Sarno’s leadership last season. In its current state of anarchy – with the atelier’s latest ascent to the throne still pending – it fell into the hands of the design team to carry the Milanese-label’s torch for AW25, not to mention it’s also Gucci’s 50th anniversary this year. A tough act to execute? Maybe, but an act which the team faced head on.
Rooted in the 1960s, the team’s ethos for its AW25 offering was a nod to “a continuum of craft, taste, and culture that passes through time”, the press release noted. Harking to the beginnings of Gucci’s ready-to-wear career in the ‘60s, we saw shimmering shift dresses stamped with jumbo-buttons, then we took a pitstop in the ‘90s – the era of Tom Ford’s glitz, glam and sexiness – think skin-tight slip dresses and interlocked G logos. It was a medley of the Gucci we know and love: high collars, headscarves, fur coats, and rich colour palettes. The cherry on the cake, however, may have been in the evident absence of any of de Sarno’s cherry red AKA Ancora Rosso, which was swapped for Gucci’s Ancora Verde (which the design team sported as they donned Gucci green sweatshirts whilst taking a final bow). Gucci’s team is peppering us with anticipation for what-ifs, and we all sit on the edge of our seats, awaiting an answer.
Doechii joins the Dsquared2 party
Dsquared2 threw the MFW runway party everyone wanted to crash – a heady mix of fashion, music, pop culture, in an electrifying, nightclub-esque atmosphere.
The Swamp Princess herself, Doechii, used the Dsquared2 runway as a personal stage. Decked out in the house’s finery, the rapper not only performed a killer set for the brands’ 30th anniversary bash, but also strutted down the runway to her own personal soundtrack. Opening the show with a remix of her single “NISSAN ALTIMA”, she emerged from a giant army truck, cigarette in hand, proving trash couture is officially a thing. Sharing the catwalk with supernovas like Naomi Campbell and Irina Shayk? Just another day at the office for this Grammy winner. And because one performance isn’t enough, she closed the night with JT, rocking a white tank, corset, and lace-up boots, for a sizzling rendition of “Alter Ego”. From Alligator Bites to runway lights, Doechii is officially a high-fashion model.
Onitsuka Tiger’s AW25 collection brought Tokyo to Milan
Onitsuka Tiger has had us all gushing over its MEXICO 66 sneakers this summer – perhaps the cooler, underground sister of the Adidas Sambas – and it’s not stopping there. For AW25, the Japanese-label paid homage to its beginnings on the streets of Tokyo: neon-lit and effervescent with urban energy, the city that’s always got the upper-hand in fashion’s trend cycle. Cultivating this electricity, Onitsuka Tiger brought the streets of Shibuya, Shinjuku and Harajuku to the Milanese catwalk. Entitled Urban Duality, it’s Italian creative director Andrea Pompilio celebrated the metropolis, in iterations of sparkling embellishments that adorned shirts, jackets and dresses, then there were traditional suits in houndstooth, or oversized peacoats in an earth-toned colour palette.
A nod to the punk aesthetic was a must, studs dotted themselves onto accessories, as Pompilio teased the arrival of a new Onitsuka Tiger bowler bag (which we’re sure will be on the arm of a stylish it-girl in the blink of an eye). Showed us it can do clothes just as well as footwear, Pompilio’s AW25 showing not only fortified this, but also highlighted his capabilities to produce the ultimate, it-girl capsule wardrobe.
Ferragamo’s balletic ode to Expressionist dance
Maximilian Davis has been en pointe these past few seasons at Ferragamo, with his expert eye for references playing on the ballet craze that’s arguably been in its final movement amongst the internet crowd. Last season, he told a story of the ballerina-off-duty, giving us flesh-toned leotards and ribbon adorning heels that wrapped around models’ ankles. For his most recent offering, the British fashion designer pas de bourréed into the world of German Tanztheater – an expressionist movement of dance in the 1970s and 1980s, a time that Davis notes as an “expression of love through movement [which] feels unexpected, explored in a way that, even decades later, nobody else ever has”.
A slightly more surrealist inspiration bodes well for the Ferragamo aesthetic, taking the renowned German choreographer, Pina Bausch, as its ultimate muse. Bausch’s enigmatic relationship between body and movement, or performance and clothing, lends itself to a designer’s eye, and so Davis pliéd into these relationships, evoking the synergy of both ballet and fashion. Two worlds that require beauty and strength to resonate synonymously – think sharp tailoring, shearling coats, fur-clad skirts, silken slip dresses, virtuosic draping skills. Also re-interpreted was the Hug bag, whose name echoes the interlocked bands of leather covering its front, which Davis interweaved onto other parts of the body. It was a symphony sung by the Maximilian Davis vernacular, and a symphony we’ll keep on singing until Ferragamo’s next season.
Jil Sander’s Farewell Collection
A poetic goodbye, Lucie and Luke Meier, the duo who redefined Jil Sander’s quiet luxury since 2017, just staged their final act. Milan witnessed a Jil Sander duality: light and dark, tough and tender, their AW25 collection wasn’t just a show, but it was a poignant farewell, a distillation of their eight-year-reign. It was Jil Sander but amplified. Sharp tailoring met romantic elements – lace inserts, studded belts, glossy finishes – disrupting the brands signature severity. Feminine whispers like sheer ribbons and shimmering sequins became grounded in a stark palette of black, grey, and red. It was edgy, pretty, and all things in between – a dance between masculine and feminine. Leather jackets hung over silk blouses, billowy dresses were framed over boxy outerwear, finished with chunky boots and dramatic knits – the collection showcased a new facet of the Jil Sander woman. Texture took centre stage, as a healthy portion of fringe bounced with every step, whilst fur collars and sharp shoulders commanded attention. The striking finale was a fitting final chapter, closing a defining chapter in Jil Sander’s history with elegance and undeniable impact.
Hogan’s Milan-inspired photo exhibition
Riffing on the beating heart of Milan’s youthful spirit, Hogan unveiled its AW25 collection on Thursday, crafted as a love letter to its Italian hometown, and the architectural details – which the label dubbed as Urban Fabric – that remains as a poignant inspiration for the luxury footwear brand and so many others. Walking around the city, marble, ceppo stone and metallic detailing imbue the city’s cobbled streets, which served as Hogan’s springboard for AW25: the result took form as a series of ready-to-wear looks, perfect for the Milanese it-girl.
“Make it chic, but relaxed”, the press release read, and so it did: brown leather shearling jackets, beige trenches, and oversized puffer coats, all collided with Hogan’s new Script logo shopper, and Flap bags, stamped with Hogan’s H logo. Chunky trainers tied themselves around the arms of the bags, alongside kitschy fluffy keychains, decorating the collection with the youthful energy central to the collection. At the forefront of the collection’s design language, however, was Hogan’s expertise in the footwear-verse, as the label re-visited archival classics, like The Hogan Olympia, which gained a slim-fit modernisation, available in both sneaker and ballerina editions. Epitomising the forward-thinking, on the go spirit of Milano, Hogan remains true to its Italian DNA for AW25.
Going Spaghetti for Moschino
Moschino never disappoints with its extravagant shows and consistently brilliant collections, and this season is no different. Adrian Appiolaza, three seasons in as creative director, delivered a playful nod to Franco Moschino’s legacy for AW25, a “chaos of ideas” that felt both fun and festive. Garments were playfully marked with tailor’s chalk, bin bag dresses accessorised with globe handbags, the classic Moschino extravaganza of styles. Appiolaza created a new iteration of the iconic 1992 Mannequin dress to open the show, Moschino theatrics then followed with frilly polka dots, gauche florals (which became iconic in-turn), and duvet coats with matching pillow fascinators.
Amped with his usual wit and sartorial approach to things, Appiolaza infused the collection with heap loads of gimmicky accessories: biscuit packets turned into clutches, wine bottles became bags, and even trash bags got couture treatment. Lightbulb earrings and spaghetti clutches? It’s Moschino! “C’est trash chic” proclaims the finale look, sported by Alex Consani, who clutched onto a series of bin bags (literally taking out the trash). Appiolaza’s own “Don’t Be Silent” tee underlines the message: Moschino isn’t just fashion; it’s a conversation, and this collection is certainly making some noise.
Marni linked up with Olaolu Slawn and Soldier Boyfriend for AW25
Anyone for a Martini spritzer? We know Francesco Risso certainly is, as the creative director for Marni served up its AW25 collection with a side of the cocktail, and a glimmer of sophistication. This season, Risso transformed the runway into a Salon-esque experience – mimicking the opulent legacy of cabaret rooms. Taking place in the brand’s headquarters, hand-painted tablecloths drenched the setting, as swanky waiters donned Marni get-ups whilst handing out the martinis. Paintings by Nigerian artists Olaolu Slawn and Soldier Boyfriend scattered about the HQ-turned-salon, marking an ongoing collaboration between the artists and Risso, who shared a studio together back in London, when the partnership was first born.
Marni’s usual flare for all things fun and funky was ever-present – a signature house code that typically gives the label its fresh edge against the industrial backdrop of Milan’s hometown heroes – chartreuse, cobalt blue, and crimson injected the collection with its usual hint of maximalism. Another Marni classic, fur, was a persistent theme, which wrapped itself around models in iterations of scarves and mini-skirts, and nestled onto the ends of jumpers and coats. Then there was a softer turn, as Risso opted for sumptuous satin dresses, which were glazed in iridescent finishes, as the collection culminated in a series of dresses that were decorated in grafitti-inspired graphics. At the heartbeat of its design DNA is a playful, inspiring, and creative brand identity – Marni consistently proves that you’re never fully dressed without a smile, and AW25 was a testament to this.
Santoni’s 50th Anniversary
Santoni, the luxury Italian shoemaker, celebrated 50 years of footwear with a dazzling Milan Fashion Week bash. “Meraviglia – Makers of Beauty for 50 Years,” wasn’t your average showcase, it was a love letter to the artisans whose nimble fingers craft Santoni’s iconic shoes. Photographer Jack Davison’s lens captured both the soul, and soles, of this craftsmanship through the rhythmic stitching and the well-worn tools.
The accompanying Meraviglia collection felt like flying through a dream: think sleek loafers and sculpted boots in rich “Oro Meraviglia,” “Bronzo Meraviglia,” and “Ebano Meraviglia” hues. Archival designs got a modern makeover, with key pieces like the men’s Carter and Carlo, and the women’s Sibille and Virna, which blended Italian tradition with innovative flair. A new “Santoni Culture” emblem marks this milestone, hinting at a bold future. “Meraviglia” reminds us that true luxury is built stitch by stitch, with passion and precision.
Giuseppe di Morabito’s been in his feels this season
Giuseppe di Morabito has always found his happy place in the fashion industry shrouded in the bushes, quietly building his fashion empire in the shadows, and it’s seemingly worked, as Di Morabito’s business has been raking in profits of up to 10 million euros. Not to mention his esteemed list of clientele: from Rihanna and Zendaya, to Dua Lipa and Lady Gaga, so when the designer decided to swap his under-the-rug approach for the limelight of the runway, presumably nobody expected him to bring out a humanoid robot as the centrepiece of the collection.
Entitled Alone with the Stars, Di Morabito’s AW25 offering came as a response to, what the designer ambiguously called “a life-changing event”, in his show notes. Utilising the concept of a catwalk as a vehicle to illuminate his personal experiences, Di Morabito interweaves historical and artisanal references into the theatrical format of which the runway took place within. A synergy in which Di Morabito expresses as strength and delicacy, darkness and illumination, history and modernity. Underscored by metal chestplates, leather that moulded itself into vein-like textures, meticulously crafted demi-couture, and metallic flowers which manifest on dress straps and suit brooches.
The futuristic collection culminated to a peak, as Yasmin Wijnaldum – who stunned in a bedazzled corset – faced head-on with Ameca, Di Morabito’s humanoid robot. The duo mirror each other’s movements in an abstract interlude, as Ameca muses to the Dutch model: “In this train’s dream we catch shadows as if they were substances, and sleep deepest while thinking we are most awake…I am only Ameca, and come after all, we are alone with the stars”.
Words – Freya Goodchild-Bridge and Isabella Ardeman
