Fashion is a swinging pendulum, and what was in style “back in the day” can come back in style any time.
That was the unofficial theme of Milan Fashion Week, which took a retrospective approach to fashion as designers referenced the past for their fall/winter 2015 collections and runway looks. The show concluded on March 2, having lasted for a week.
Jeremy Scott, creative director of Moschino, was influenced by 1990s urban style for his 2015 collection. Puffer jackets and outerwear “re-twisted in a new way,” were some of the themes that came up when he spoke to Style.com. From neon puffer jackets, to Looney Tunes embroidered knit mini-dresses, Scott embraced the urban vibe of New York City. His cheeky finish to the collection featured evening gowns that were made to look like someone spray painted all over them.
Versace is a brand that epitomizes Italian fashion and for this upcoming season, Donatella Versace did not disappoint. The collection only used the five colors: Red, yellow, green, blue and black and Donatella paid homage to the old Versace, back when her brother Gianni Versace was the creative director of Versace from the 1980s to the late 1990s.
One of the jackets in the fall/winter 2015 collection was reminiscent of Gianni’s 1992 collection titled “Miss S&M.” Donatella wasn’t trying to copy what her late brother had done. Rather, she wanted to infuse the old with the new. She managed to incorporate hashtags, emojis and other digital symbolism in a tasteful way by placing the beaded Versace logos over the finale looks.
From a sexy blast to the past of Versace, comes Dolce & Gabbana for the future – motherhood. Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana had three models that were mothers walk the runway with their children. Not many designers do that. Also, Dolce & Gabbana favorite, Bianca Balti, walked the runway while very pregnant.
The collection itself was very feminine, with sleek cuts and lace galore. There was also a reoccurring theme of embroidery throughout the collection. Domenico’s nieces created drawings, and he used those drawings as embroidery on some of the dresses and skirts in the collection. The rose was also a common motif throughout the collection, as Stefano’s mother’s rose scented perfume was the influence, as reported by Style.com.
Dean and Dan Caten of DSquared2 also drew from their past collections this season. The two brothers have a knack for dramatic presentation on the runway that was noticeably toned down in their presentation. Past designs include an abandoned island with a waterfall, mud on the runway and a winter paradise. This season only featured a simple staircase, a pink runway and a spotlight that led the models down the runway.
According to the twins were also influenced by their Canadian heritage for their collection. The collection had a tribal glamour feel to it, and with a mishmash of styles in the collection, what could have been a visual nightmare managed to work. Military embroidered jackets lined with fur gave it that earthy edge, while the blinged-out jewelry and opera gloves gave the clothes a “rich kid goes camping” vibe. In addition, models wore geometric bodysuits underneath their clothes, so that when skin was exposed it was made to look like they were tattooed.
The short-lived Creative Director for Emilio Pucci, Peter Dundas, showed he can learn from the past as well. Dundas’ final collection for Pucci was some of his greatest hits with the brand, while both still keeping the Pucci print motif and also adding something new. The ombré-dyed mini body-con dresses, that were previously in his fall 2010 collection, made a reappearance, expect this time Dundas rendered different astrological signs on the clothing that matched with the model. He also brought a sexy rock-and-roll edge to colorful iconic Pucci prints.
When a new designer takes over a well-known brand as the creative director, they hope to make a lasting impact, and it seems the next creative director at Pucci has a large past to live up to.
Richard Nguyen can be reached at [email protected].
