MFW presentations: sometimes the smaller the better

Milan is changing and reinventing itself more and faster lately. Milan Fashion week with their regular brands and parties seemed to become a déja-vu, of course always with some exceptions (we love Prada for their modern vibe and always spectacular accessories and Max Mara for their classics). But there is more attention to smaller labels which just get it right, not only by the location of their show, but by the newness we are all looking for.

 

THE GIGI

the Gigi collection 2019, © Gigi

The Gigi, designed by Milan street style star Ana Gimeno Brugada, known for her timeless masculine style and exceptionally cool sense of colour. Her collection is clearly inspired by her idiosyncratic but inimitable, much-copied look. “I detest when there’s too much obvious balance, not to mention when a look is too matchy-matchy!” she says. For her, it’s the perfect imperfection that makes a look just perfectly well and she is a master of playing that game.

the Gigi collection 2019, © Gigi

 

ATTICO

attico, 2019. © attico

The Milanese design duo Gilda Ambosia and Giorgio Tordini launched their already much celebrated label ATTICO in 2016.

We love this vintage-inspired collection which makes you think of the movie The Witches of Eastwick, the late-’80s Hollywood blockbuster starring Cher, Susan Sarandon, and Michelle Pfeiffer.

Think big shoulders, big hair, and shimmery makeup and party dresses that make heads turn.

This season their presentation was at a 29th-floor penthouse in a ’50s high rise near the central train station, with a round bedroom and a 360 degree sky terrace, perfect location for a party.

attico, 2019. © attico

 

RtA

RtA 2019. © RtA

A surfboard is the thing to hold on to when it comes to MFW. With paddleboards at Emporio Armani, real-life surfers at Etro, and barefoot models in rash guards at Sportmax, surf culture was present, even not at the beach. Naturally then Los Angeles import Eli Azran and his five-year-old label RtA fits in perfectly. Locals know the line for the all-vinyl collaboration Azran launched with Anna dello Russo a year ago. But RtA’s vibe is more after-dark on the Sunset Strip than surfing in Malibu.

 

 

AU JOUR LE JOUR

au jour le jour, © 2019

Another venue of presentation that matched perfectly the vibe of the collection. Temakinho, the Japanese – Brazilian restaurant and club designed by David Chipperfield Architects.

As the designers, Mirko Fontana and Diego explained, this was all context for a collection that was a fusion of ’80s influences (the power shoulders especially), tropical colour stories, and prints. It emphasized evening wear (notably in the fanned-sequin dresses and one V-neck minidress in micro-sequin fabric with reefs of white ruffle at each shoulder)