Milan Fashion Shows: A Season Between Two Waters

When Alberta Ferretti announced her retirement in September 2024, she naturally chose her successor from within her ranks. Lorenzo Serafini joined the Aeffe group in 2014 as artistic director of Philosophy, the designer's second line founded in 1984. He has therefore mastered this romantic Italian wardrobe, without fuss, and all in terracotta tones that she holds the secret. Tuesday evening, at the group's headquarters, under the moldings painted with a thousand flowers, the fifty-year-old who, like her, hails from the surroundings of Rimini, in the northwest of the country, does not want to upset anything. While being determined to leave his mark. "I wanted to translate this softness that Alberta has embodied for years, this romanticism in a contemporary silhouette," he explains backstage, in front of his inspiration board where the photographs of the Italian Paolo Roversi meet the portraits of sisters Carla and Franca Sozzani, emblematic figures of transalpine fashion. So I deconstructed the jackets to make them fluid and easy to wear, I also opted for delicate and comfortable materials like crepe georgette and double-sided cashmere, an evening wardrobe to wear during the day. " The first look (our photo) marks this new era: a supple black men's coat casually thrown over a fragile silk nightie. On her arms, this young lady with windblown hair clutches a small mocha rigid leather tote bag. On her feet, she has flat mules. Sheer suits with lace and ruffled cuffs follow one another. Soft leather ankle boots offset the slender look. Serafini plays the Ferretti score wonderfully. From the first to the last look, a wedding dress "or simply for a special occasion", he specifies, fashioned from fifteen meters of cream chiffon muslin, hand-pleated and edged with a cascade of ruffles.

Another atmosphere at K-Way, which, due to its anniversary, parades during the official Italian calendar. Because yes, the famous nylon windbreaker celebrating its 60th anniversary was indeed born on the terrace of the Café de la Paix in Paris ( our editions of February 22, 2025 ). but its owner, since 2004, is none other than the BasicNet group, founded in Turin. It also owns Kappa, the former historic equipment supplier of the local football team, Juventus. It is therefore not surprising that among the guests, we come across the legendary player Andrea Pirlo walking through the exhibition dedicated to K-Way, open to the public until March 2 at the Museo della Permanente. Throughout the three rooms, the visitor discovers the archives of this garment whose name has become a "fridge" of the Italian language (and French of course), just like Borotalco baby powder and Pongo modeling clay. But it's time to take a seat around a podium featuring the colors of the famous zip. "The real K-Way logo is its multi-colored zip," CEO Lorenzo Boglione recently told us . "The name doesn't even need to appear on the product for people to recognize it." A zip that is prominently featured in this anniversary collection on outdoor clothing, cargo pants, scuba dresses and multi-pocket anoraks. A series of bags is also being released in collaboration with French designer Laurence Cahu. But the star remains the original invention of Léon-Claude Duhamel, exhibited a little further on, and which has been dressing young and old since 1955.

It's a feast for the eyes at Dsquared2 ! Here too, we're celebrating an anniversary, the 30th anniversary of the brand of the Canadian twins of Italian origin, Dean and Dan Caten (real name Catenacci). In a setting imitating a red brick industrial building (on "Fashion Avenue", a sign indicates), an incredible parade of old American cars is held, each of which drops off a model near the podium. Coming out of an armoured vehicle from the Rambo saga, the rapper Doechii, fresh from her Grammy for best rap album, opens the show, corseted in a khaki anorak and tight-fitting denim micro-shorts. She runs in 12-inch heels, letting a handful of bills (with the twins' effigy) fall from her trapper bag. Then the Village People follow in his footsteps: the worker, the policeman, the cowboy, the biker… Then come the metalheads in Kiss-style make-up and wigs, dressed to the nines in their beautiful grey suits. The top model of the moment, Amelia Gray, appears as Cher and Naomi Campbell as… Naomi Campbell. It’s crazy, sexy as hell – the sheath dresses slit up to the armpits miraculously showed nothing – and above all jubilant. A pop happening that feels so good!

On the other hand, the mood is not festive at Jil Sander . Rumors of the departure of Lucie and Luke Meier, who have been the artistic directors of the label for eight years, are spreading all the way to the front row this Wednesday morning. Especially since there are changes in the label that belongs to OTB (Renzo Rosso's group), with the appointment at the beginning of the month of a new CEO, Serge Brunschwig (ex-Fendi). In a scenography hung in black, a girl with a rockabilly look advances slowly, in a strapless dress with long plastic fringes like a giant cheerleader pompom, and studded derbies. A black-on-black wardrobe that is never gloomy thanks to the touches of shine, here silver sequins, there a touch of red-black plastic. Suddenly, a girl comes to disturb this very Soulages monochrome in a bodysuit of thick cream twisted wool. But black reasserts itself through a series of monastic cocktail dresses in stiff satin printed with little flowers. Strange atmosphere, especially when the melancholic notes of Starfall by the group Salem accompany the finale. A few hours later, at 7 p.m., the group confirmed the couple's departure.