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Dolce & Gabbana

Milan Fashion Week Opens for 2019 Spring/Summer Collection

Milan Fashion Week kicked off with cutting-edge couturiers taking over the city to present their women’s ready-to-wear Spring/Summer 2019 collections. In Milan, a city that lives for glamour, the motto “less is more” certainly does not apply and that was evident in many of the shows. Following on the (high) heels of fashion weeks in both New York and London, Milan’s catwalk season saw dozens of shows by the biggest names in Italian fashion, including Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, Versace, Cavalli, Armani and Fendi.

One of the most obvious features of the week in Milan was the designer’s use of floral prints. Whether for subtle embellishment, or bold vibrant prints, most of the collections made ample use of flowers, so take note as the weather warms up next year.

One of the most interesting venues for their show was Emporio Armani at the Milan-Linate airport where 2,500 guests went through security and departure gates into a hangar for pre-show cocktails. The show itself, held in a purpose-built stadium within the hangar, was a huge Instagram success for the brand.

Italian shoe designer Sergio Rossi went in the opposite direction and held his show surrounded by the leather-clad books in the sumptuous 17th century Biblioteca Ambrosiana, Europe’s second-oldest public library, which is also home to artworks by Da Vinci, Caravaggio and Raphael.

The Prada collection walked the line between conservatism and liberalism, being at times both provocative and virtuous. Conservative knit sweaters were worn over white shirts representing the latter and revealing cut-out details on the front and back represented the former.

Versace’s collection was a celebration of womanhood, with Donatella Versace dedicating the show to powerful and fearless women. The collection of modern glamour was carried by bold prints combined with bright and dark fabrics. Skirts were generally mid-calf adding an elegance and sophistication to the collection.

At Dolce & Gabbana, the theme of this season’s show was DNA—the designers’ own fingerprints were projected on screens behind the audience, but ultimately the stars of the show were not only the extraordinary clothes, but also the many star models from the past who took part in the show. The fashion picks on social media tended towards the elaborate embroidered tailored jackets that Dolce & Gabbana are so well-known for.

The Etro and Missoni shows were two of the social media favorites, Etro for it’s colorful prints and retro-cool beach vibe and Missoni for its layer-upon-layer of gossamer knits. Missoni’s 65th anniversary collection had a delightfully beachy Palm Beach palette, but crystal trim lent an unexpected note of formality to the house’s normally relaxed knitwear.

MaxMara, better known for its winter wear, added some frills to a trench coat and featured a trio of yellow outfits into a collection otherwise consisting of khakis and black. Alberta Ferretti’s lineup was very relaxed with lace tops and sunset pastel tent dresses that looked especially light and welcoming.

Miuccia Prada also made a statement with Bermuda shorts and deeply scooped bodysuits breaking the rules of classic chic, as was her intention, but as has always been the case, challenging fashion is what moves the industry forward.