A fashion spectacle at Tom Ford, Emporio Armani, and MM6

Thursday, the second day of Milan’s Women’s Fashion Week closed with a downpour. As the rain got heavier by the hour, the fashion shows continued unabated in the plush salons of Lombardy’s capital, with their share of delays. Following MM6’s techno-futuristic collection and Emporio Armani’s chic ready-to-wear, Tom Ford set the evening ablaze with a magnetic show.

At the prestigious American luxury brand, the runway instantly transformed into a red carpet spectacle with the arrival of a host of Hollywood stars, including Sharon Stone and Uma Thurman, intermingling with supermodels Amber Valletta and Adut Akech Bior. Shrouded in darkness, the show venue, with its sprawling runway and flanking rows of bleachers covered in luminous carpeting and marble, exuded the ambiance of an exclusive New York nightclub.

Peter Hawkings, who succeeded Tom Ford in July 2023, delivered a second vibrant and energetic show, catapulting audiences back to the flamboyant 1980s-90s, reimagined through a contemporary lens tinged with a hint of seductive allure. The atmosphere evoked a fusion of Oliver Stone’s Wall Street and James Bridges’ Bright Lights, Big City, blending the perfect wardrobe for businesswomen of power with ideal attire for jet-setters.

Ever so chic, the quintessential Tom Ford woman strides through summer and winter alike in stiletto sandals, whether enveloped in sumptuous fur coats and navy pea coats adorned with golden buttons or glamorous evening gowns. As a confident working woman, her wardrobe boasted an impressive array of three-piece suits with wide-lapel jackets, alongside sexier ensembles featuring mini-skirt suits or micro-short ensembles.

She has an affinity for leather, a sentiment echoed by her male counterpart, whom Peter Hawkings introduced to the runway for the first time on Thursday evening. Coats, particularly in lamb skin, vinyl, or crocodile, along with form-fitting trousers and bustiers, clung to her frame like a second skin. Black suited her splendidly, especially when she draped herself in opulent velvet creations, punctuated by chunky golden bracelets and necklaces, or more provocative mesh ensembles.

Meanwhile, at MM6, the same fervor permeated the air, albeit projected onto a more contemporary, almost futuristic realm. Clad in seemingly endless black ensembles or golden thigh-high boots, embracing their legs up to their thighs, the models exuded a Catwoman allure, with their gaze veiled behind oversized black or red sunglasses.

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Always on the move, navigating between sleepless nights and bustling days, hopping from one plane to another, they armed themselves with leather travel pillows or cushions, fashioning tops and mini-dresses from their very pillowcases, a testament to their resourcefulness and adaptability.

Maison Margiela’s contemporary line continued to push the boundaries of sartorial convention, juxtaposing traditional garment construction with avant-garde deconstruction. Sleeveless men’s jackets, elevated at the shoulders, were repurposed as mini-dresses, while armholes in coats allowed arms to slip out. Quilted jackets or classic models were worn inside out and buttoned at the back, revealing their silky and colorful linings that transformed these sleeveless pieces into elegant evening gowns.

Playful details complemented this quirky wardrobe. For instance, zippers diagonally crossed garments in the most unexpected places (at the back, across the chest, on the front and bottom of trousers). The top of a jacket lapel was adorned with two eye-shaped pins and a safety pin holding a key. Frayed linings peeked out from some tops, while several knit pieces were torn, unraveling in places.

The show also unveiled a series of footwear created in collaboration with Dr. Martens.

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At Emporio Armani, sophistication met ease, with pieces that harmoniously blended tailored refinement and casual nonchalance via a dark palette of blacks, grays, blues, and greens, accented with touches of purple. Classic gray wool pants were paired seamlessly with satin jackets, faux fur coats, or soft blue or green mohair sweaters. Nylon pants, reminiscent of ski trousers, offered practicality for rainy days, while tunic blouses replaced traditional shirts. The three-piece suit alternated with feminine velvet ensembles and ethereal tulle skirts, adding versatility to the collection.

Ultimately, the youthful line of the Italian luxury house struck a delicate balance between wearable everyday fashion and understated sophistication, maintaining a sense of freshness with a poetic undertone. This sentiment was epitomized in the show’s finale, where models adorned in dark evening attire, illuminated by glimmering stars and crescent moons, traversed the runway amidst a flurry of snowflakes, sheltered beneath oversized umbrellas.

Reflecting on the collection, Giorgio Armani remarked, “I aimed for consistency in crafting garments that are not only visually striking but that are also wearable. While the collection featured some hints of extravagance and spectacle, every piece remained highly adaptable. Though masculine influences such as coats may have been featured, my designs are inherently feminine at their core.”