Milan Fashion Week spring/summer 2023 will be remembered for Kim Kardashian eating spaghetti, 68 pairs of twins roaming around the city and Paris Hilton embodying her immortal catchphrase “that’s hot”. But amidst the bombastic pop culture phenomenons, which saw brands harness the power of celebrity, there were quieter moments that saw Italy flex its magnetic star power: Kate Moss modelling the most luxurious version of baggy jeans and a plaid shirt known to man at Bottega, Helena Christensen and Eva Herzigova’s supermodel reunion on the front row at Dolce, Solange Knowles making the flight from America just to catch Matthieu Blazy’s show. Perhaps the seasonal run of presentations looked particularly sparkly after a London Fashion Week in mourning, but there was something magnetic about Milan this September.
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Some A-list snapshots enjoyed by social media this season: the cut of Kirsten Dunst’s jeans at Bottega; Lucy Chadwick giving an art girl wink on the runway at that very same acclaimed presentation; Jodie Turner-Smith playing the smoke machine at Gucci (that new purple dye job!); Michaela Coel matching her chocolate brown waves with an excellent autumnal leather jacket at Prada; the man who shouted “Where’s your twin Jared Leto?” during the finale of Alessandro Michele’s Twinsburg spectacle.
Then of course, there were the model-packed parties, feting Edward Enninful’s A Visible Man and Maximilian Davis’s Ferragamo debut, where karaoke and cakes were had deep in the annals of the city’s historic buildings. “So much fun,” said EmRata of the book launch, with Imaan Hammam chiming in “What a night!”, and countless other heart emojis flooding the comment section from Enninful’s fabulous inner circle.
A special mention goes to Bella Hadid, who must have been mapping out her rare vintage looks for weeks to try and single handedly keep street style alive. More than one Vogue staffer’s Instagram has become a Bella outfit stan account over the course of Milan and we’re not mad about it – for the archive Junya and trophy bag spots alone.
All this played out against the backdrop of political unrest, following a landmark election that could leave Italy at the fate of its most right-wing government since the Second World War. Still, the show went on. Much like in London, where the celebration of talent was clouded by the dark shadow of the Queen’s death, Milan proved that there will always be fashion – both as a mode of escapism and social commentary (check out Gucci’s “Fuori!” jackets) – and glamour even in its most surprising forms. If Paris Hilton in a sparkly pink chainmail minidress transported your mind elsewhere for a minute, then Donatella Versace did her job. Brava.
