Milano Moda Uomo - 4 days jam-packed with fashion brands strutting their latest 'cool' down runways in old abandoned factories, art galleries, underground sets and re-designed convention centres. The S/S '19 show was exactly that, just a little less buzzed about than I expected. With a few big names like Fendi, Prada, Versace scattered over the calendar,most of the shows and presentations were held by younger, emerging labels. Some really cool new ones to watch out for: Vien, Sunnei, Sartorial Monk, Diesel's Red Tag!
What's more, Milano Moda Uomo is no longer a pure celebration of men and masculine fashion: with co-ed shows from brands like Stella McCartney and M1992 along with gender fluidity taking the stage by storm, we women are everywhere.
Take me for example: (tooting my own horn I know, but a girls' gotta do what she's gotta do)
Last year during the S/S 18 fashion week in Milan, I worked as a backstage dresser for Atsushi Nakashima and other designers. This year I had press credentials, sat in front-row seats and met designers backstage for a quick quote to put into my stories! Glamorous? Indeed! Needless to say, after I got over being star-struck, I was able to make some pretty apt observations, hence this written dialogue.
We've known for quite a while now that the long reigning makers of 'rules of fashion' have been overpowered by the voice of millennials, and they have just one thing to say - BREAK THE RULES!
While the ubiquity of street gone luxe and sportswear for glam-wear was palpable indeed, here are some of the fashion trends I spotted on the runway:
Transparency is no longer an intangible demand from consumers - gauzy shirts and skin-visible clothing was on every runway - Fendi, Palm Angels, Ih Nom Uh Nit, N21, M1992 etc.
The obsession with phones is now creating a new style - hang them around your neck or put 'em in a pouch that hangs around your neck - either way your noose is tied!
After playing around with high-waist, low-waist and mid-waist jeans, designers finally decided to combine all three in one - with multi-waist jeans having demarkations for each - spotted at M1992 and Diesel Red Tag.
Bags, bags, bags - of every kind and every where. Slung down around the neck, worn over the chest, harness bagpacks and even man purses (at Prada, Versace).
All that glitters isn't gold but these seasonal collections were all about head-to-toe gold on blazers, trousers, jackets - seen at Ralph Lauren Purple Label, M1992 etc.
Layered bottoms made an appearance on almost half the brands collections, including Marni, MSGM, Besfxxk
At Ih Nom Uh Nit, Vien, m1992
Even off the runway, the Italians didn't dissapoint. Mini-celebs, Italian bloggers, influencers and fashion editors showed up in extra-cazh attire or wearing glitzy gold at 11:00 am. There were no cases made for acceptable / not acceptable. I recognized a lot of Versace's Medusa-inspired prints and even spotted someone in head-to-toe Astrid Anderson (a preferred designer). But what really caught my attention were the subtle references to environmental issues - slogans about the 'black planet' on sweats and tees along with messages about polluted oceans in M1992's collection.
If there's one thing the takeover from streetwear has done, it's made luxury labels more aware about the reality of equality, in every way.