Here are some highlights from Sunday’s third day of mostly menswear for Fall/Winter 2023, as many big brands seemed to hit the reset button:
The ceiling of Prada’s darkened showroom lifted to reveal industrial chandeliers as the first looks appeared on the runway: tailored, slightly blocky jackets with sharp, wing-like collars that fluttered gently with every step, secured and softened by just a hint of colorful knitwear.
The collars, reminiscent of the 1930s or 70s and in retro geometric prints, gave a romantic touch to the otherwise spare and clean collection of co-creative directors Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons.
“There is no room for useless creativity,” Prada summed up backstage.
Sharp collars, which also appeared on cardigans, can be detached, giving the garments longer life and utility. They were sexy styled shirtless on the runway.
The pair continued their exploration of uniforms, the kind that demonstrate the value of work rather than projecting authority. In this sense, the brushed leather tunics with matching coats resembled the craftsman’s apron, worn with a shirt and tie to emphasize the virtue of work, and over the season’s skinny trousers.
The clean look and minimalist cuts had a deliberate retro-futuristic feel, which Simons defined as “very Prada, in my opinion.”
Puffer coats had a round shape. Quilted shirts kept the torso warm under the coat. The shoes were laced with a thick sole and a raised border. The bags were thin bags for documents or computers, with an opening for a thermos.
The suit was mostly black or gray, with pieces that confirmed the color: trousers in red or green, navy blue jackets, yellow and pink cardigans.
Even the space at the Fondazione Prada was devoid of art, down to the concrete floors, walls and ceiling, which came down when the models left the runway.
Outside, hundreds of screaming K-pop fans greeted the band Enhypen as they arrived for the show, and several were rewarded with selfies afterwards.
SIMON CRACKER PAYS TRIBUTE TO VIVIENNE WESTWOOD
The designers behind the Simon Cracker brand paid tribute to Vivienne Westwood’s legacy during the runway show where they presented their latest collection of recycled clothing.
“We are here thanks to her. She was the first to produce clothes from recycling,” said Filippo Biraghi, who founded Simon Cracker in 2010 with Simone Botta.
“We’ve studied her, we’ve worn her, we’ve lived her, and we feel like allies,” Biraghi said of Westwood, who died last month. “She used fashion to protest, as a language of protest for her entire history.”
Following in Westwood’s upcycling footsteps, designers collect unclaimed clothes from dry cleaners and textile scraps from manufacturers to make their unique creations.
In this punk-inspired collection, each garment is unique, promoting non-conformity. Caps served as epaulettes on the shoulders of the jacket; the mini-skirt is made of multiple ruffles at the front and mesh at the back; handmade blankets became coats. The knitting is made from recycled yarn and in collaboration with designer Gaia Segattini.
In the spirit of Westwood, the show closed with a model dressed in a tulle garment with the words: “Demand the Impossible” on the front. The garment was created in collaboration with Jamie Reid, the artistic director of Sex Pistols, who donated clothes from his “brand Ragged Kingdom” for the final look.
Finally, all the models wore photos of Westwood around their necks. Biraghi, who was wearing a t-shirt with an image of a happy Westwood on the front, turned around to reveal another picture of her frowning side on the back.
The designers said their message, which has been with them since the brand’s inception, has become more urgent, citing danger to the planet and “making a mockery of the system”.
“There’s something wrong if you’re not angry today,” Biraghi said.