Dimmed Glamour. Ferragamo AW24

February 26, 2024 | Design & Culture by Ed

Now on his fourth collection for Ferragamo, Maximilian Davis‘ vision of the brand is coded with some distinct signifiers. Once again, Davis found inspiration in the brand’s founding decade, saying “the 1920s used clothing as a way to celebrate freedom. And that expression of freedom is something that resonates with me, my heritage, and with Ferragamo.” Visual references to the 1920s – raised hems, fluid fabrics, touches of fringe, relaxed cuts and dropped waists – reflected the “era of emancipation,” modernized with masculine cuts, utilitarian elements, and Lotta Volkova’s styling. As a result, this particular expression of freedom through clothing was one anchored in shape, with a strong focus on sleek eveningwear, drapery and structured tailoring. There were two lovely shimmering flapper dresses that appeared to be adorned with thick fish scale-style sequins, which were meticulously constructed from leather covered in a special metallic finish. Throughout, these hyperfeminine sensibilities – like sensual, sheer touches – were juxtaposed with masculine shoulders, thick knit jumpers and fisherman wader-style boots. Davis is intrigued by Old Hollywood, given Salvatore Ferragamo’s history with actresses; autumn-winter 2024 is a singular homage to ’20s icons like Joan Crawford and Greta Garbo.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Punk Hot. Versace AW24

February 25, 2024 | Design & Culture by Ed

At Versace things got hot. Punk hot. For autumn-winter 2024, Donatella Versace was thinking about all kinds of rebels. Siouxsie Sioux, who was on the soundtrack, was a stand-in muse, but for Donatella, the spirit of punk is as well expressed by defiant individuals: Prince, whose Versace-made jackets, fitted through the waist with wide shoulders and designed to make him look taller than his 5’2” frame, were a template for this season’s tailoring, and of course, her brother, Gianni, whose charismatic style codes like the Barocco print and chainmail echoed throughout the entire collection. While the models’ spiked hair and heavy eyeliner said “punk” straightforwardly, this was as polished as you expect from Versace, even more so because Donatella said she used Atelier Versace fabrics, first shredding them and then weaving them into tweeds dotted with crystals, which she cut into miniskirt suits or jackets that she paired with stirrup leggings and ballet flats for both genders. The virginal white swallow tail collars that decorated little black dresses and long ones were lifted from a 1993 Atelier Versace show staged at The Ritz in Paris. But the show’s most striking number – an hourglass column with a sheer bodice and sleeves and a neckline encrusted with crystals that only partially obscured the shoulder pads – mixed demurral and provocation. Donatella was certainly inspired this season, and it shows.

In the mood for Versace hotness?

ED’s SELECTION:

Embellished Satin Slingback Pumps

La Medusa Embellished Patent-leather Shoulder Bag

Embellished Ruched Crepe Midi Skirt

Cady Mini Dress

Embellished Leather Platform Loafers

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Chic Commuter. Tod’s AW24

February 25, 2024 | Design & Culture by Ed

At Tod’s, a very promising debut by Matteo Tamburini. This is one of these Italian brands that struggle to find their path to ready-to-wear. Walter Chiapponi had some solid ideas, but it just didn’t click. Tamburini’s autumn-winter 2024 was an ambitious observation of Milan commuters’ style. His office-bound travelers were a runway fantasy, but there’s certainly something undeniably chic about how Milanese people dress day-to-day, and this Tod’s outing was a convincing reflection of that. The motifs that ran through this collection were the belts featuring gleaming hardware inspired by vintage Alfa Romeo grilles, and the house’s emblematic driving shoes that came with enlarged and more robust gommino traction on the soles. Some of these shoes arrived with extravagant leather fringing, a detail that was echoed further down the line in leather scarves. Just as the Tod’s shoes came with that finely-calibrated customization to take them beyond the norm, Tamburini applied strokes of subtle oddness – double-collared shirting, hyper-break pants, four layered wool and silk falling-off charcoal “twinsets,” pushed proportion leather-panel trenches, knits in stiff boiled cashmere – to almost every look. If you’re not still persuaded to step into a Tod’s store, then at least you might want to get inspired by some of these styling tips.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Moschi-yes. Moschino AW24

February 23, 2024 | Design & Culture by Ed

Adrian Appiolaza‘s Moschino debut collection felt like a gush of much-needed fresh air in Milan – and the beginning of a very promising, new chapter. The brand needed an urgent revamp after a decade of Jeremy Scott’s camp over-the-topness. In November, the heart-breaking passing of Davide Renne (who became the forth creative director of Franco Moschino’s label just a month earlier), shocked the entire fashion industry. Appiolaza’s appointment was announced barely a month ago, and his first collection – completed in such short period of time – proves that he’s a supremely talented designer. The autumn-winter 2024 collection reflects the tongue-in-cheek spirit of the brand’s founder through a number of riffs and referenced: the over-sized silhouettes, XXL polka-dots and tomato prints, Rene Magritte-esque prints and the in-your-face flag of Italy used as the colour blocking palette for a couple of dresses and tops. Appiolaza also managed to convey the nearly-forgotten, super-chic spirit of the house which was contrived by Rosella Jardini in the 2000s: think slip-dresses covered in pearl necklaces or finely cut tailoring. But the line-up tells us a lot about Appiolaza himself, who for a decade worked at Loewe, and earlier with such creatives as Clare Waight Keller, Marc Jacobs and Miuccia Prada. The Buenos Aires-born designer is an avid vintage fashion collector – make sure to follow his page on Instagram! – with a soft spot for Martin Margiela and Comme Des Garçons. There’s an interesting connection between Moschino and Margiela – both designers played with surrealism and deconstruction, but in aesthetically different ways. Appioloza showed a bustier made from ties; trench coats worn inside-out; hats that looked like paper boats. Those little moments of humor are what Moschino used to be in its origins, and the new creative director certainly embraces that in a stylish, unconstrained way. Bravissimo!

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Romance With The Past. Prada AW24

February 22, 2024 | Design & Culture by Ed

Prada o’clock is Milan Fashion Week’s prime-time. And with a collection like today’s outing, Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons once again confirm that their dialogue is the ultimate creative powerhouse. The autumn-winter 2024 collection, presented on a glass runway elevated above terrarium of moss and streams, is an exploration of notions of beauty, of a contemporary world formed by memories. Romance with the past is a recurring theme in Miuccia’s work, and it seems that Raf is feeling more and more comfortable with playing around with the old-fashioned feminine decorum: prim cardigans, lace, bows. But in case of Prada, the old always feel new, revelatory and simply unexpected. Dresses were covered in layers of ribbons, but don’t you dare calling it “coquette“. These women, a bit bourgeoisie, a bit activists, in their knee-length boots and biker caps, aren’t here to lounge. The suiting and outerwear looked “normal” in the front, but in fact was absolutely revealing in the back. Prada and Simons really indulged themselves in the richness of textures and layers: we have feathers, crushed velvet, butter-smooth leathers, technical cotton, fur trims. Speaking of leather, these cropped perfectos – styled with apron-like skirts – felt so good. If “sexy” wasn’t really addressed so far in the creative duo’s work, then this collection delivers many levels and ideas of sexuality, from something kinky, even perverse, to classic Old Hollywood allure (think housecoats with sharp waists and the cold-shoulder moment of the finale dress kept in the most hypnotic shade of Victorian purple). A total YES.