The Runway Rundown: Tod's, Brunello Cucinelli, Sportmax, Gucci And Versace Give Milan A Fresh Sense Of Ease
If there were two pillars on which Milan's fashion output can be based it would be an undeniable sense of glamour and a flaunting of the craftsmanship that predates the city's modish reputation. The latter was exemplified on day four of the SS25 shows in the Italian fashion capital, though the former — heightened glamour — has shifted for next season.
Across all of the major labels showing on Friday, there was a conscious effort from designers in their collection notes to stress a relaxed approach, a focus on a functional wardrobe made for each of their woman's every day. They might have said that they'd shied away from the more obtuse definition of dress up but this is Milan after all and so a sense of polish was unavoidable, if not intentional.
The morning began at Tod's, with a collection that did what it said on the tin. Named Artisanal Intelligence, creative director Matteo Tamburini set about to create a wardrobe to be worn everyday, while simultaneously flaunting the expertise of the house's craftsmanship and 'Made in Italy' values. Tamburini imagined his woman on a journey, traversing the Mediterranean coast on a summer adventure.
This journey along the coastline was witnessed in the collection's colour palette where natural tones dominated; sea blue, meadow field green, stones of sand and rock-face bronze. Familiar wardrobe staples were reinvented with new volumes added, like the trench coat (in both leather and cotton) that found a fresh positioning in a wearable yet more abstract existence. Tod's loyalists will be thrilled to learn that its Gommino shoe remains a focus for next season, while handbags were also a return to form with saddlery-inspired craftsmanship defining the accessories worn on the catwalk.
Also inspired by the Riviera was the Brunello Cucinelli collection that blended the charm of the coast 'with the mysterious allure of desert dunes.' Therefore, a colour palette of sand dune beige set against Breton stripes befitting the nautical inspirations. '[It is] an imaginary and contemporary grand tour,' said the show notes of the collection that the loyal customer will adore — and appreciate when they come to planning their own 2025 sojourn.
Highlights included, of course, its knitwear that straddled 'exploration and experimentation,' while glitzy evening wear offered a charming reprise to prove that every eventuality and occasion, from party to promenade, has been considered. At its heart, a nuanced example of the focus on execution and artistry that continues to endure at its core.
Sportmax followed in a similar vein, dedicating its SS25 collection to the brand's artistry. Overall, it was a stripped-back collection that focused on 'precision, innovation and restraint' which manifested in monochrome ensembles in crisp shades of aquamarine, sand, citrine, and ruby between black and white bookending the collection palette.
Fabrics were chosen to embrace the natural form of the body, allowing and embracing movement, be it in architectural jerseys or the seemingly light weights of leather gowns. Craftsmanship was aligned with innovation, looking forward to how its petite mains might work in years to come. '[It] expresses the technical evolutions at the heart of the new Sportmax wardrobe,' the show notes closed.
For his sixth Gucci collection, marking one year since his debut, Sabato De Sarno explored the 'casual grandeur that has been part of Gucci since the very beginning.' This lofty term was simplified and plainly illustrated in the show's opening look where louche 'essential yet never ordinary' tailoring was worn with trainers in a charcoal grey akin to a workwear palette. Soon came the return of Gucci's deep red Ancora shade, first seen in a leather trench and followed quickly by a drop-shouldered button-up shirt and jersey gown.
De Sarno then paid homage to the 1960s, specifically in silhouette, as muses were said to range from Jackie Onassis to Queen Elizabeth II, both of whom were mid-century Gucci clients. See the structured jackets worn with natty shorts and A-line mini-skirts, while coats were given a 'couture attitude' with that look to the finest construction playing out the Gucci way in its GG Monogram.
Still, the memo was that this Gucci collection was to be worn day in, day out by those with everyday access to this level of luxury. Sequin dresses were present — to the delight of the red-carpet darlings like Dakota Johnson, Nicola Coughlan, Daisy Edgar-Jones and Jessica Chastain nestled on the front row — but the finale was assigned to a carousel of baggy, baggy jeans made up with trailing overcoats and vest tops. The reasoning? 'This collection is... an invitation to stop, seek your own moment,' De Sarno said in a statement. And whether an abstract idea over a reality, it's always going to be easier in jeans.
The night finished at Versace where Donatella Versace also played into this dressed down state. Sure, each look still came fitted with sky-high heels and a polish as only the Milanese might but the majority of its slinky ensembles spoke more of day dressing than nights out. For her note on craftsmanship, Versace entered the world of 3D printing for look-again sequin gowns. The reference might have been the late 1990s but the outlook was entirely future-facing.
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