During the 11th and 16th centuries, Italy was at its peak of creative growth, and key cities in Italy began to provide luxury goods. However, the real beginning of contemporary Italian fashion was not available until 1900, when fashion parties became popular and Milan became the base of luxury fashion. While Italian fashion was designed for the rich and popular before 1900, it was in the 1970s and 1980s that Italian fashion became “ready-to-wear” including pieces like miniskirts, layers, jackets and more. Today, legendary Italian models such as Armani, Fendi, Gucci, Prada and Versace are taking over the fashion world.
While there are a number of distinct Italian types, and Italian pieces can be chosen anywhere from tight to loose, edgy or amorous – you will find specific pieces that can be distinctly Italian in design. Silk scarves, striking jewelry, designer handbags and statement jackets and layers are some of the most popular Italian pieces.
At Milan Fashion Week A/W in February 2023, specific features and frequent themes prevailed. With a heavy emphasis on popular corporate wear such as suits and blazers, MFW was packed with some high-profile developers from luxury models that are sure to be seen on the high street this summer.
Let’s take a look at a few of the developers who dominated this spring’s Milan Fashion Week A/W and some of their designs that you’ll see around you.
Alessandro Dell’Acqua of N°21, the models are very likely to appear on anyone you can see on the high street. His series included tweed cuts and plenty of feather dresses in a variety of materials that are easy to wear and style. Mild grays were present in several of his designs, allowing the true frame and style of the clothing to shine through. Another notable Dell’Acqua style was his sexy strappy dresses that fell over the model’s shoulders. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see two-piece cuts used with an artist case and over-the-knee boots because the Dell’Acqua collection.
Bottega Veneta’s Matthieu Blazy is yet another designer to help you keep an eye on. His use of over-the-knee boots and big tops in his line is something we’ve started seeing on a lot of A-listers in the last year and it’s really going to become a lot more popular now. Superstars like Ariana Grande and Ellie Kardashian have created these pieces, which are staples of contemporary fashion. You’ll discover these classy knee-high boots and oversized tops, either blazer or button-up. Blazy has evidently noticed this, creating related patterns and capitalizing on this latest trend.
Another designer who has focused on over-the-knee boots and oversized clothing, especially jackets, is Blumarine’s Nicola Brognano. Borgnano included bomber and aviator jackets in his series, sticking to quiet sounds that accentuated the details of the jacket types. Even in his series, knee socks, designed in the same shades of brown and black, prevailed.
Image by Maria Lupan on Unsplash
Walter Chiaponni of Tod’s jumped on the jacket and fur bandwagon, which featured several of his many notable designs including trench coats. His trench layers were a variety of colors – navy, trim and dark, each encouraging individual little facts like devices, buttons and cuts. One of his many beautiful designs was a striped dress with a pencil silhouette top and jacket-style neckline. The quiet sounds of his series were beautiful and showcased the versatility of jumpsuits as equal parts popular and industrial.
And Ferragamo’s Maximilian Davis also introduced corporate fashion trends, especially the secretarial look. His series of sport jackets and trench layers, one of the highlights being a fiery red pantsuit that screams “I’m the CEO”. The trench layers were in proper Italian style, with hair between the layers and dyed with custom cheetah prints. Another trench coat was a red advanced pattern. Textiles were particularly important in this collection.
While these developers only skim the surface of some of the gorgeous looks from Milan Fashion Week A/W, the consistency in the models and emphasis on fashionable office wear was incredibly prevalent. And that’s why it’s extremely appropriate to be seen in every key city this summer where fashion is critical. Team the vibrant fur with a dark button-up feather top and dark knee-high boots. We’re sure you’ll see remnants of MFW on the high street.
