Eveningwear designer Giuseppe Di Morabito will make his debut on Friday. The designer, who was also a finalist of Who Is On Next, has already found commercial success with over 200 global stores. “He has a very sexy, Italian, assertive look,” says Cardini, who remembers Di Morabito’s Who Is On Next collection. “I’m very curious to see how he develops his vision.”
Another name to watch is Institution by Galib Gassanoff, Feroldi and Cardini agree. The designer co-founded luxury eveningwear label Act No1, before exiting the label in 2023 to strike out on his own. Gassanoff, who hails from Georgia, will make his solo runway debut on Friday morning.
Alongside Murano, Di Morabito and Gassanoff, Feroldi is excited for a few young names to make their returns. “Lessico Familiare has been around for quite a few seasons but it’s always very interesting to see how they are able to manage old laces and forgotten fabrics — they’ll present on Tuesday afternoon,” she says. “I’ll also be checking out Lorenzo Seghezzi’s corsetry in Fondazione Sozzani and Grossi’s denim twist technique at the Designers for the Planet area in Palazzo Giureconsulti’s Fashion Hub.”
Two choices: Stay conservative or be more daring
In terms of the collections themselves, it remains to be seen where Milan brands will fall on the commerciality-creativity spectrum this season. Since Prada reignited personal style with its algorithm-defying SS25 show and “limitless” AW25 men’s show, we’ve seen a more individualistic, fun mood across Milan labels (after a few seasons of sameness).
“In Milan, I expect to see a lot of leather, especially in outerwear, along with plenty of brown tones — particularly in Pantone’s shade of the year, mocha mousse,” says Net-a-Porter’s Barron. “Boho has been a strong trend for us over the past couple of seasons, and I anticipate its return on the runway this season, but with a more edgy twist than what we’ve seen so far. When it comes to accessories, I think we will see more oversized bags with distressed leather, lots of pockets and extremely long handles, while boots will be reaching for the stars, or at least the thigh!”
“The fashion industry still isn’t in a healthy spot, so I think that this will affect how some brands respond,” says Cardini. “Because in this situation of uncertainty, there are always two responses, either stay on the conservative side or be more daring. If customers don’t want to spend or don’t have the money to spend, brands must give them a reason. They need something that makes you dream, something that’s unpredictable.”
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