Everything that happened at Milan Fashion Week

After New York and London, Milan also welcomed the fashion circus that came to the city to present the SS24 collections. Unlike the previous two fashion weeks, MFW was packed with events, including important debuts like Sabato De Sarno's as creative director of Gucci, fashion show events like Diesel's and a bevvy of celebrities leaving Hollywood for Italy. It was an intense seven days where the hype and FOMO went through the roof. Did you miss anything? Don't worry, G-Club gives you an overview of everything that happened during MFW.

Debuts

This MFW was marked by many debuts. Peter Hawkings, Tom Ford's right-hand man and successor, presented his first collection as creative director of the brand and decided to stay true to Ford's codes and sensual glamour. Bally's SS24 collection, designed by new creative director Simone Bellotti, was perfectly in line with the aesthetic of quiet luxury and was a rational and austere reinterpretation of the school uniform. All eyes, however, were on Sabato De Sarno. The designer from Campania made his Gucci debut to the sounds of Mina's Ancora and went from the brand's basics with an essential, refined look. The lines were dry, clean, minimalist and precise, as were the looks that included crystals, red-purple and green accents, vertiginous wedges and new versions of the classic Jackie bag. There was also a first for The Attico. The brand, founded and run by Gilda Ambrosio and Giorgia Tordini, came to its first défilé. The setting was outdoors, on Via Guerrazzi, in the Corso Sempione - Arco della Pace area, between two rows of sofas where insiders, fellow designers, friends and it-girls sat. The look that kicked off the show? A long crystal dress with a white fur tail, and to finish, Vittoria Ceretti wore a black feather dress.

From Hollywood to Milan

MFW Front Row was better than the red carpet at the Venice Film Festival. In the time of the screenwriters' and actors' strike, Hollywood landed in Milan and sat down in front of the photographers' flashbulbs to watch the fashion shows. Scores of models and film stars gathered for what was probably Kim Jones' last collection for Fendi (will Alessandro Michele take his place?). Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Amber Valletta, Cara Delevingne, Demi Moore, Gwendoline Christie, Christina Ricci e Naomi Watts applauded the Roman fashion house's colour-blocked looks. Prada testimonials and fans gathered on the second day of MFW to discover Raf Simons and Miuccia Prada's new collection: Scarlett Johansson, Vincent Cassel, Emma Watson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Wes Anderson, K-Pop band Enhypen, Rosalia and Kylie Jenner. Kylie Jenner was also among the managers of the Dolce & Gabbana runway show, along with Rosie Huntington, Alessandra Ambrosio, Bianca Balti, lady Kitty Spencer, Lucy Hale and Blanco. The faces of Peggy Gou, Yara Shahidi, Ilona Staller, Erykah Badu e Julianne Moore could be seen in the front row of Bottega Veneta. Many celebrities also came to support Sabato de Sarno at Gucci. A few names? Ryan Gosling, Julia Roberts, Julia Garner, Paul Mescal, Jessica Chastain, Jeremy Strong, Jodie Turner Smith, Mark Ronson, Halle Bailey, Kendall Jenner with boyfriend Bad Bunny, Anna Wintour, Vittoria Ceretti, Mariacarla Boscono, Sabrina Impacciatore, and many others. For Jessica Chastain, the excitement of de Sarno's Gucci debut ended in a private party of sorts in her hotel room, where the actress and Jeremy Strong sang and danced to Madonna's Like a Prayer.

The models

The models who dominated the MFW catwalks? Vittoria Ceretti, Mariacarla Boscono and Irina Shayk. The top three models wore SS24 collections by Roberto Cavalli, Max Mara, Fendi, The Attico, Missoni, Ferrari and Alberta Ferretti, to name a few. Instead, the prize for the brands that gathered the most famous tops goes to Dolce & Gabbana and Versace. Besides Vittoria, Irina and Mariacarla, the Lombard-Sicilian duo chose Ashley Graham, Mona Tougaard, Anok Yai, Natasha Poly and the legendary Naomi Campbell to make their sensual and elegant outfits even more special. Another super-top caught the attention of the Versace fashion show was Claudia Schiffer, who made her first appearance on the brand's runway since 2018. She was joined by Kendall Jenner, Precious Lee, Gigi Hadid, Amelia Gray, Iris Law and debutant Natalia Bryant, daughter of Kobe Bryant, who presented the 90s Bon Tonne Mood collection. Another debut at this MFW? Madame, who walked the runway for Cormio.

Alternative formats

Fashion show is now a reductive term. More and more brands prefer alternative formats that are more reminiscent of art installations or real happenings instead of the simple alternation of models on a catwalk. Diesel and Glenn Martens held a mega rave that gathered 7,000 people at the former Farini station, including students, industry insiders and fashion enthusiasts. The enthusiasm was so great that not even the pouring rain stopped the party, which continued even after the presentation of the collection on the set of Nts DJ. Sunnei, on the other hand, opted for a fun and cool re-enactment of Dancing with the Stars with the models and models on a platform in front of the audience who were asked to express their appreciation by voting from 1 to 10 through paddles given to them. Also crazy was Avavav's fashion show where the models got dressed as they walked, stood in front of the platform and then walked backstage and stopped halfway down the catwalk.

The most striking places

Ermanno Scervino paraded under the portico of the central courtyard of the State University. Missoni opted for the former Pelota playground in the heart of Brera, highlighted by the monumental metal spheres of artist Shawn Kolodny. Tod's opted for the workshops of the Teatro alla Scala, where the sets for Don Carlos are prepared, and Marco Rambaldi for the greenery of the Floricoltura Radaelli, amid greenhouses and plants. Alberta Ferretti held her fashion show in a courtyard of the 15th century Sforza Castle, and Giada had her catwalk set up in the Braidense Library.