When it comes to getting the attention of paparazzi at fashion week, colors and prints are the safest bet to ensure their lens is on you. However, this season monochromatic black has taken over the streets of Milan.
That is in contrast to what has been seen on the spring 2025 runways, where chipper pastels have reined supreme. The trend, which first appeared in New York, carried through to London and is now washing over the Italian runways from No. 21 to Prada, is a sign of optimism on behalf of the designers, while those seated in their front rows have dressed for a much darker mood. And while attending a fashion show has been likened in the past to attending a ceremony of religious significance, make no mistake about it —their looks are far from drab funerary-attire.
Outside Marni, for example, one showgoer bared her midriff in a black bra top and flared skirt, accented by a pair of furry shoes, while another styled her black bubble-hem halter dress with leopard boots and a creative half-updo.
All-black tailoring, an Italian speciality, was also given a directional twist, just see the guy wearing a lean topcoat over ankle-length pants to show off his ultra-flat ballet-slippers, the men’s shoe-of-choice at present.
Elsewhere, women updated their black suits and little black dresses with handbags. At Fendi, the house’s signature Peekaboo bag was spotted in black with two lollipop charms, a collaboration with Chupa Chups which debuted on its runway last fall.
These all lent a bit of whimsy to all-black, but the neutral above-all is practical, something this photographer clad in a black denim jumpsuit clearly knows something about. It’s an ideal one-and-done piece for navigating Milan’s narrow streets to get the perfect shot.
Here, WWD’s “They Are Wearing” vertical tracks the best head-to-toe black street style looks seen at Milan Fashion Week.