The hottest moments from Milan Fashion Week 2024

After the dust settles from New York and London Fashion Weeks, all eyes eagerly turn to Milan. As the fashion capital of Italy and the epitome of luxury, Milan has never once disappointed, and we’re excited to see what’s in store this time around.

With a round-up of the best and most glamorous Italian brands, here are the ones standing out this season.

Day 1

Diesel

Diesel's Fall/Winter 2024 show in Milan turned heads with a groundbreaking concept: projecting a massive Zoom call with 1,000 meeting members onto the walls of its catwalk. 

This uniquely interactive experience redefined transparency in fashion, allowing spectators to watch while being watched. Glenn Martens infused Diesel's signature punchy personality with a sense of maturity, experimenting with innovative treatments on denim and jersey textiles. 

Floral-cheetah prints, transparent sections, and luxurious faux fur accents dominated the collection, while formalwear favoured denim and leather textiles over classic tailoring. With a refreshingly inclusive strategy, Diesel platformed its fans and embraced the digital age like never before.

Fendi

Fendi's collection paid homage to the vibrant fashion scene of 1984 London while embodying the brand's signature sophistication. Drawing inspiration from Fendi's archives, Kim Jones seamlessly integrated New Romantic style with contemporary luxury, resulting in a collection characterised by sleek tailoring, luxurious textures, and confident sophistication. 

The runway presentation divided into intimate rooms added to the drama of the sumptuous shearlings and unique textures. Accessories contributions complemented Jones's vision, while playful touches like Chupa Chups lollipop holders added a modern twist.

Antonio Marras

Antonio Marras took us to the enchanting times of medieval Sardinia with his Fall collection. Marras drew inspiration from Princess Eleonora d’Arborea and celebrated her legacy of strength and enlightenment through his designs.

Voluminous capes and cloaks offered a sense of protection and cocooning, reflecting the current climate of uncertainty. Marras blended embroideries, knitwear, and luxurious textiles to create textures and patterns reminiscent of the Sardinian heritage. While some pieces evoked a medieval charm with patchwork details, others demonstrated modern sophistication. 

Day 2

Milan Fashion Week knows how to keep the excitement alive, reserving the most anticipated showcases for the second day. We saw our favourite luxury brands weave magic on the runway with captivating collections that featured elements like tiny bow details and exquisite leather fabrics.

Prada

Helmed by Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons, this collection exhibited the past, present, and future on the Milan Fashion Week stage. The duo's experimental prowess shone through as they knit the components of history and contemporary aesthetics into a romantic exploration of fashion, transporting viewers into a natural fantasy world with alfresco elements and blooming gardens encased in glass.

Prada and Simons drew inspiration from aviation and sailing, reimagining work uniforms with the brand's signature sophistication. Leather trench coats, pastel shirts, and slouchy drawstring trousers were paired with fuzzy pilot hats for a modern twist. Feminine tailoring took centre stage, enhancing the office attire with strong shoulders and delicate ribboned details alongside sheer slip dresses. This collection presented a fresh perspective on contemporary fashion offering nostalgia with a forward-thinking design. 

Emporio Armani

Armani presented a lineup of soft-edged, flattering suits and jackets, marking it's return to classic fabrics and impeccable tailoring. This strategic move is a nod to the quiet luxury trend, where customers prioritise pieces that offer both, style and longevity.

The collection featured jackets and coats, expertly crafted with sculpted shoulders and buttery fabrics that resonate with the demand for seasonless classics. These were paired with iconic accessories from early Emporio and Giorgio Armani campaigns like berets and round sunglasses, but with a modern twist. From grey windowpane check blazers to jewel-toned velvet suits, the emphasis remains on outerwear versatility.

A few missteps were noted, including billowy athletic trousers and a long dark dress with a rounded hemline. Nevertheless, Emporio Armani's Fall 2024 showcase reaffirmed the brand's legacy of transforming women's tailoring and delivering a compelling display of strength and elegance.

MM6 Maison Margiela

Presenting a fusion of casual and formal codes, this collection reimaged traditional uniforms with a contemporary twist—sharp-shouldered tops with skin-tight leather pants, structured crewnecks and tailored trousers for a more relaxed silhouette, plus sleeveless blazers and oversized leather coats complemented by bags reminiscent of aeroplane neck pillows.

While brown tones dominated the coats, vibrant purple and yellow hues brightened the collection with form-fitting turtlenecks. Along with utilitarian pants featuring intricate zipper details, denim in different washes remained a cornerstone of the collection's bottoms. Leather took centre stage with collared jackets, thigh-high boots, and statement vests, delivering sharp, concert-worthy looks.

In the final looks, classic suiting received a contemporary update with kaleidoscopic colours while shiny satin materials elevated eveningwear silhouettes. 

Day 3

Third time's a charm, they say, and Day 3 of Milan Fashion Week certainly lived up to that adage. Among the multitude of luxury brands, two stood out for their exceptional designs and astounding presentations.

Gucci 

Opening with a sleek and understated short coat, the collection celebrated the timeless elegance of coats in all their forms. From classic black and camel overcoats adorned with subtle sparkle to bold statements in moss green and navy, each piece exuded sophistication and style. Leather trenches in vibrant hues added a contemporary twist, along with pea coats and bomber jackets, which were a nod to traditional favourites.

Following last season's "factory reset," which marked De Sarno's debut as creative director, this collection felt like a deliberate step towards refinement and restraint with a renewed focus on accessories, including sleek handbags and statement shoes. Coats emerged as a strategic choice, offering both comfort and versatility, which further signals the brand's deliberate shift towards timeless style. 

Marni 

Marni's collection emerged as a bold departure from the expected offerings of practicality and wearability as seen elsewhere in Milan. The show opened with a futuristic choir in a cavernous space adorned with crinkled white paper, setting the stage for oversized coats, structured sweaters, and stiff dresses, which echoed 1960s retro-futurism.

Risso's exploration of proportions and textures was evident throughout the collection, with chunky leopard-print dresses and mixed animal prints converging with space-inspired cocoon coats and armour-like garments. The juxtaposition of colourful, crafty looks against space-ready fashions created a captivating fusion of primitive energy and avant-garde aesthetics. The collection exuded a sense of bold experimentation and boundary-pushing creativity, with models strutting down the runway in dresses with triangle-shaped hoop skirts and oversized sunglasses. 

Day 4 

The fourth day unfolded with an air of seduction and revelation, as designers pushed the boundaries of sensuality and sophistication on the runway. From daring silhouettes to intricate details, we celebrate fashion's ability to evoke desire and intrigue.

Ferragamo 

Maximilian Davis' latest Ferragamo collection transports us to the clandestine style of the 1920s Prohibition era. With oversized masculine woolen overcoats juxtaposed against wispy, transparent embroidered dresses, the collection embodies a sense of mystery and freedom. Drawing inspiration from the era's speakeasies, where revelers concealed their activities through clothing, Davis offers a celebration of sartorial liberation. 

Wool coats with broad shoulders evoke the glamour of Joan Crawford and Greta Garbo, while beneath, dresses adorned with scalloped sequins and draped fringe pay homage to the flapper aesthetic with a contemporary twist. Full-cover looks are paired with woolen tights, while knit mini-dresses are elevated with hip boots.

Ferragamo through this invited wearers to embrace the duality of concealing and revealing, echoing the spirit of defiance and freedom from the Prohibition era.

Dolce & Gabbana 

Naomi Campbell's final strut, which also marked her Milan Fashion Week debut, fulfilled the very essence of this collection as she stunned in layered lace bras, a front-slit sarong, and fetish leather gloves.

This collection gave us a palpable sense of sexiness, as designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana bought together tuxedos with lingerie. Cropped tuxedo jackets tantalizingly reveal lacy bras, while sheer sarong skirts tied with satin bows offer glimpses of lace panties. From stiletto heels to felt berets with netting, each look is made to heighten the senses. Full tuxedos whether formfitting with cigarette trousers or short shorts, exude confidence and sophistication.

Day 5

The finale of Milan Fashion Week took a trashy turn, quite literally. As the final curtain fell on the illustrious event, the runway of the AVAVAV show became a stage for chaos and controversy. Spectators watched in astonishment as banana skins, cans of tomatoes, and eggs were hurled onto the catwalk, transforming the scene into a surreal spectacle of disorder and dissent.

This unexpected turn of events was not merely a random act of disruption but a deliberate commentary on the darker aspects of the fashion industry. It was a manifestation of the online vitriol and hate that designer Beate Karlsson has endured since the inception of her brand in 2019. The screens flanking the runway displayed a barrage of negative comments directed at Karlsson, serving as a stark reminder of the toxicity that pervades the world of fashion.

Despite the chaos, there was a method to the madness. AVAVAV's shows have become known for their unconventional approach to runway presentations, often blurring the lines between fashion and performance art. This latest display was no exception, as models braved the storm of debris with poise and purpose, embodying resilience in the face of adversity.

In the end, we were served a provocative reminder of the power of fashion to provoke, challenge, and inspire. It was a fitting conclusion to a week filled with glamour, controversy, and unabashed creativity.

Also Read: Milan Fashion Week 2024: The schedule, line-up, and more

Also Read: The hottest moments from the New York Fashion Week 2024