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Best of Milan Fashion Week AW23

by Lucia Malanga 


Milan Fashion Week has now been and gone, and here are some brands that absolutely blew me away with their designs.


1. MSGM


If you love monochromatic outfits like me you would love the way MSGM is able to create a  range of monochromatic designs. They were absolutely stunning and contained various black textiles that you would not suspect to go together. They had faux fur  as accessories, like scarves, seen in look 8, paired with an amazing silk dress and fur shoes. This look amazed me because I would have never thought of styling fur boots with a silk dress. The runway designs  felt simplistic even though they were  items that are considered "over the top", like the fur.



The colour combinations that shocked me where the Grey, white and silver. You would assume these colors would fade into one another but they do not. The use of various textures for the different colors made it difficult for the colours to fade into one another, they complimented each other.


Some runway looks are fascinating because the outfit is "normal looking" then you look down and see these amazing black fur heels or boots! 


Towards the end you start to see the designs having a bit of silver aspects and shimmer being added to the black designs. Then for the tenth look the is no more monochromatic black. You are introduced to new  prints and amazing pops of colour. It is as if the designer was subtly introducing colour to the viewer. Preparing them as to what is to come. I see this in look 7, the is a beautifully tailored one shoulder top covered in shimmer paired with, black trousers and fur heels. 


Then, for look 8, the silver aspect sticks out more but as jewelry and it's still subtle. Look #9, the model has on a simple black dress, paired with a big sparkly clutch bag, and on her leg the is a silver anklet. The designer seems to have subtly introduced silver in the first 9 outfits to prepare us as to what is to come. 



Finally, we start seeing amazing pieces with various animal faux fur prints instead of just plain black designs. The theme around it, simple with a hint of business, does not change just the textiles and shoes. The blazers are no more monochromatic they have animal print and its absolutely amazing to see. It made me think of pieces that are regarded as "over the top" as pieces I can style to elevate my everyday staple  clothing. I had never wanted fur hats and shoes as much as I do now!



2. Han Kjøbenhavn


With this runway, the  looks showcased are phenomenal. It feels like I am transported to another world. I loved every look. The way each design is beautifully sculptured literally took my breath away. The common theme here "gave out of this world galore". 



Look 4 had a beautiful red mesh fabric with a Sculptural head piece that elevated the look. It felt like they were going to take me away to a cult and I would oblige. I would hold their hand and allow them to take me to their cult. I was in awe. The first look starts of with a metallic dress amour and feathery shirt design tucked into the dress. I believe it alludes to the various designs with those textiles that are to come. I say this because runway look number seven has this beautiful mesh feathery dress with a sculptured feathery neck piece and black glasses that give off crow witch or crow queen or even something the evil queen would wear while she gazes at the sky outside on the balcony.


These looks are fascinating because as each look appears on the runway you are already thinking which fictional character would wear this and where? Or if you were a fictional character where would you wear this? 



Look 5’s design appears to have a metallic fabric and it is sculptured in a way that makes it appear hard. Like nothing could cut through it. The dress movements look already imprinted on the dress and that is my favourite detail. 


Look 12 has these amazing thigh high boots. I believe these boots are boots one wears at a place that does not have gravity. They pull you down so you do not float away as you are walking on the street. I loved everything about the Sculptural designs in this runway and the way they just make you want to live in your own fantasy world wearing these marvelous clothes.



3. AVAVAV 


Breakage, that's all I can say about this runway. The designs here have taken breakage to a whole new level. I love the way certain fabrics falling out. They  made the outfits feel extraordinary and personal. They feel personal in the sense that you are running late and you accidentally tore your white collard shirt while running to put on your shoes, your stitches on your pants are unravelling, the only thing in tact are your tights and shoes. That is how I see it. It is bringing in some unique features that I truly love and you can create stories to each look. 


The designs, have a beautifully deconstructed style with an apocalyptic colour pallette but in some designs we see a logo or phrase  sparsely spread on certain places on the designs. Could this be a subtle hint that logo mania may be making a comeback? 



One certain look stood out for me the model's shoe fur fabric was all over the catwalk and I've never seen this done before with shoes. Even though the shoe is deconstructed it is alluring. I want those shoes. The fashion here feels very reminiscent of 2014-2018 deconstructed fashion but here it's elevated and more sleek. It gives off futuristic streetwear fashion. 


The jeans featured in look 6 were beautifully deconstructed and stitched in a manner that brings a whole new perspective or style to boyfriend jeans. These jeans are jeans I would personally wear instead of boyfriend jeans. The way they stitched the front part and the pocket stitching going different directions is amazing detail. Mermaid maxi skirts are sculptured in a alluring way, it looks as though the skirt is moving with ease as the clothing is falling apart. It created a beautiful image.

I have observed that faux fur is a common element. I believe we would be seeing more faux fur designs  and they may be outlandishly large or have bright colours.The runway looks had  no over the top makeup too. The designers  allowed the clothes to be the statement pieces and do not want anything rearing away from that which is fascinating to see. Hoods are going to be trending I believe and oversized glasses. No more small sunglasses and small handbags. We are gearing towards big bags. Another interesting thing is the bright neon colors mixed with Logo mania and deconstructed clothing . It's given 2010s fashion, I believe we are witnessing the subtle  comeback of the 2010s.


 

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