Dua Lipa, Kate Moss and Noughties trends: Everything you missed from an opulent Milan Fashion Week
Italy’s fashion capital pulled no punches this season.
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Your support makes all the difference.Milan Fashion Week came back with a vengeance for its spring/summer 2022 collections.
The shows were almost fully in-person, with packed audiences soaking up the theatrics.
Here are some of the highlights from a fashion week full of celebrity appearances and eye-catching clothes…
Dua Lipa swaps music for modelling
Dua Lipa made her runway debut at Versace opening the show in a black deconstructed skirt suit and closing things off in a sparkly pink outfit.
Lipa was far from the only famous face to appear in the star-studded show – she was joined by Naomi Campbell, Gigi Hadid and Madonna’s daughter Lourdes Leon all stomping the runway to a soundtrack of Lipa’s songs.
Versace and Fendi join forces for a megashow
Versace’s solo show certainly got tongues wagging, but that was merely a taster for the big event: a surprise joint presentation with fellow Italian luxury brand, Fendi. The format was simple: Kim Jones and Silvia Venturini Fendi of Fendi designed 25 looks for Versace, followed by 25 outfits designed by Donatella Versace for Fendi.
Such a ground-breaking collaboration had to be modelled by the best in the industry – and the so-called ‘Fendace’ show delivered on this front. Legendary supermodels such as Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss and Amber Valletta were joined by the next generation – Gigi Hadid, Adut Akech, Emily Ratajkowski and Moss’ daughter Lila.
It comes as part of a new trend for big name brands to join forces, hot on the heels of the Balenciaga/Gucci show. What could be next: Chanel and Dior? Burberry and Richard Quinn? Only time will tell.
Prada goes global
Prada showed its commitment to being a global brand – as well as recognising how lucrative the Chinese market is – by putting on two simultaneous shows: one in Milan and another in Shanghai. Big screens were put up in both locations, so the audience could see how each outfit looked on the two different models.
Noughties trends are inescapable
Style stars such as Bella Hadid and Rihanna have been trying to convince us Noughties trends are back, and it seems like high fashion is taking note.
Throwback styles permeated almost every show – from the butterfly halter neck tops at Blumarine to the big belts at Dolce & Gabbana. Fendi even brought back pink-tinted glasses, making us regret throwing our favourite Noughties accessories away.
Armani takes us to the beach
One designer who managed to resist the allure of low-slung jeans and tank tops was Giorgio Armani. His latest collection was pure seaside opulence, from the perfectly tailored palazzo pants to the light dresses.
While plenty of high fashion brands try to appeal to younger audiences, Armani continues to hang his hat on timeless elegance – and doesn’t look to be changing his ways any time soon.
Boss indulges in pure Americana
You might be forgiven for thinking New York Fashion Week was still in full swing, judging by Boss’ presentation in Milan. Teaming up with Russell Athletic for a spring 2022 sportswear collection, the Boss show was basically a full-on sports day, complete with food trucks, cheerleaders and a marching band.
The clothes were all about vintage-inspired sportswear – from the bomber jackets right down to the baseball caps.