SLEEK Highlights: Milan Fashion Week FW22 Part 1

Following London, the energy at Milan fashion week began with excitement and anticipation, with most brands returning to the pre-covid schedule. With the additions of talented, young designers such as Marco Rambaldi, Vitelli and Cormio, to name a few, the days were quickly filled. In what felt like a never-ending game of “how many espressos can you drink in one day?” – the thoughtful intentions behind the collections made it all worth the while.

But of course, this shifted on the morning of Thursday, 24th February, with the news of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Since Thursday, the following days have been difficult to digest, and suddenly, our work in an industry such as fashion felt trivial in comparison to what was and still is happening in this very moment in the East. Continuing on with the week felt conflicting but witnessing various individuals express their support through creative ways, whether it be by dressing in the colours of the Ukrainian flag or holding signs with hopeful messages while entering shows for photographers to capture, or sending models down a silent runway as done by Giorgio Armani – gave us a little bit of hope.

Acknowledging SLEEK’s own philosophy and belief in the power of creativity and community, we share highlights from Milan Fashion Week Fall Winter 2022 that inspired and reminded us that we mustn’t lose our ability to imagine and dream even in the darkest moments.

CAPASA

Milan Fashion Week kicked off with the return of Ennio Capasa, former creative director and founder of Costume National, a brand that had been synonymous with 90s minimalism (think leather jackets, tassel boots, clean tailoring – downtown NYC kind of thing). It made waves throughout the 2000s with its designs and oversized accessories, finding its way on then paparazzi favourites like Nicole Richie, Lindsay Lohan and Katie Holmes during the peak of 2000s celebrity culture.

Now back with his new namesake label Capasa, the show titled “Before It Starts,” presented at Teatro Degli Arcimboldi, in an open space that allowed guests to mingle between models and photographers in what usually would be backstage. Explaining that he is starting again driven by the same reasons that led him to start Costume National in 1987, the “collection 0” gave us what we had hoped for – the continuity of Ennio Capasa’s philosophy on timeless, modern tailoring that made Costume National what it was with slightly relaxed tailoring that reflects the attitude of dress today. Sending models such as Hannah Elyse down the runway, Capasa reminded us of what is to be “effortlessly cool”.

DIESEL

It’s been said that 2022 is the year of Glenn Martens and this was confirmed at the Diesel show. Following his successful collections at Y/Project and most recently his Haute Couture debut at Jean Paul Gaultier, Martens showed us quite impressively, what it means to really understand a brand’s DNA. With so many brands struggling to reconnect and re-establish themselves, he perfectly captures the essence of the Diesel, underlining and highlighting the experimental approach the denim brand is renowned for. The collection was a 101 on the innovative and flexible nature of denim – from frays, prints, cut-outs, rips and structured, an exploration on how the toughness in the origins of workwear can be equally extravagant, soft, sexy, light, and all of the above.

Translating this playfulness onto the runway, the venue was joined by large, blow-ups of Diesel models in provocative poses, balancing between the “I don’t give a f***” sexiness and cheek, the same attitude found in the collection. And with a nod to our era of “logomania,” the big, bold ‘D’ appeared throughout the collection, embossed on the leather goods that complement the design rather than consuming it (as most do), and it’s when these loud combinations make sense, that you know you’ve achieved something special.

FENDI

The focus of Fendi’s FW22 collection was on fabrication. Playing with the lightness of chiffon and delicate layering, Kim Jones was inspired by two archive collections; Spring Summer 1986 and Fall Winter 2000. The starting point was when Delfina Delettrez walked into the Fendi Roman headquarter in her mother Silvia Venturini Fendi’s blouse from the Spring Summer 86 collection, inspired by avant-garde artistic movements such as geometric abstraction. Coupling the hard, geometric patterns with the lightweight materials, Jones states that the collection is an “exploration of strength and of softness.”

MM6 MAISON MARGIELA

Small torches were placed on every seat for guests to shine their light on the models as they walked down an almost pitch-black runway. The intention was to recreate “the cosiness of an evening spent around a campfire with friends.” This collection referenced the atelier’s most loved and recognisable signatures, from boxy suiting, muted colour palettes, exaggerated collars and distressed knits. Collaborating with French outdoor label Salomon, the footwear was reimagined through the lens of MM6 Maison Margiela, echoing “the pronounced block heel, a high top and exposed lacing” as seen on MM6’s mainstay ‘6’ heel ankle boot. An underlying message at play with a snake print styled into each look and some pieces saw the ouroboros motif printed on the garments – an ancient symbol of eternal cyclical renewal – to mark the turn in the life cycle of MM6 Maison Margiela.

FERRARI

If 007 and a racecar driver had a baby, it would be Ferrari. It’s slick, it’s practical and no one would blink an eye as you move from a cocktail event to chasing the villain you’ve identified at the party while incognito. The garments draw obvious influences from its automobiles, using two-tone lines to give depth and accentuate the shape of the garment. Incorporating “a fusion of tailoring techniques and precious materials with technological touches,” the heritage of the luxury car manufacturer breathes through the collection designed by Creative Director Rocco Iannone.