mfw

Identity and Ethics

Peering Behind the Veil of the Fashion Industry

When it comes to identity, the spotlight often shifts away from ethics. That seems especially evident during the Milano Fashion Week.

The recent emphasis on rediscovering lost brand identities amid transitions between creative directors is appreciable. Instead of merely chasing trends and pushing boundaries to the point of absurdity, there’s a noticeable return to celebrating heritage and the unique DNA of fashion houses. However, amidst this shift, one can’t help but question the credibility of companies that have previously indulged in such superficial games.

The discrepancy between image and reality at MFW

The day before the conclusion of Milan Fashion Week, a revealing program titled “Indovina chi viene a cena” (Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner) aired on Rai3 (you can watch it here). The journalist Sabrina Giannini and her colleague shed light on the stark reality behind sustainability claims in the fashion industry. It became evident that the more brands flaunt their sustainable slogans, the less sustainable their practices proved to be. Sustainability is 90% greenwashing! This disillusionment extends beyond just material choices and production processes. In fact, it delves into the exploitation of cheap labour through outsourcing. A practice that starkly contrasts with the Italian craftsmanship ethos.

Fashion industry, identity and ethics

While these issues aren’t new to those who follow fashion’s undercurrents, the program highlighted some uncomfortable truths. Particularly striking was the response of the influencers when questioned about their awareness of designers’ materials and sustainable practices. Their dismissive reactions have underscored a glaring disconnection between the industry’s rhetoric and its actual impact. Specifically, these girls giggled or ran away, having no means to participate in a more than necessary discussion. By the way, does the fashion industry need these kinds of people? Really? Is this what the fashion industry is about?

Furthermore, Sabrina Giannini attempted to engage with designers and fashion houses on these pressing matters. What response did they get? Silence and indifference. Despite sustainability being touted as a pivotal theme in fashion, the lack of willingness from brands to engage in open dialogue is concerning. Indeed, it raises questions about the industry’s true commitment to ethical principles beyond mere lip service.

If the aim was to reveal the stark misalignment between the industry’s professed values and its actions, then the brands, with their silence, have succeeded!

Ethics, respect for work, workers’ rights, impact on the planet. All fall under the sustainability hat. But the fashion industry is not interested in that. Dear designers, refusing to open your doors, you have succeeded in unveiling your true faces.

Ultimately, Milano Fashion Week was all about identities. But clearly, no one cares about ethics!

Identity and Ethics Read More »

In The Name of Cleanliness

Reflections on Milano Fashion Week: A Blend of Style, Substance, and Identity

Milano Fashion Week unfolds in the name of cleanliness. Style cleaning, image cleaning, and even people cleaning.

A distinct narrative emerged amidst the flurry of runway shows. One characterised by themes of neatness, precision, and authenticity. Cleanness of designs accompanied by a less showy audience. It’s a mood that permeated many collections, reflecting a need to restore brands’ identity.

Fall/Winter 24-25 Milano Fashion Week

Designers such as Fendi embraced this ethos, presenting a collection defined by immaculate tailoring and modern elegance, with precise references to its heritage.

But also Prada was in this flow: fluttering ribbons and bows contrasting with mannish blazers and maxi skirts. A lot of grey. Military silhouettes accented by marine hats, feathered or in velvet.

Antonio Marras‘ homage to Eleonora D’Arborea stood out. A historical figure who lived between 1300 and 1400, seen as a national heroine of Sardinia. Marras’ collection has exuded opulence. Elaborate silhouettes, intricate embroideries, and textured fabrics evoked a sense of bygone grandeur. The spectacle captivated audiences with its unique blend of history, theatrical performance and defile.

Our heart breaks for MM6. Unfortunately, it seemed to have lost its way. Once, it was synonymous with avant-garde innovation under the helm of Martin Margiela. This runway looked like Diesel. In fact, the collection felt disconnected from its original identity. One might say Martin Margiela is no longer there, which is true, but Margiela is still the brand name. Therefore, shouldn’t we expect a certain continuity?

FW24.25 Moschino by Adrian Appiolaza

Moschino‘s new creative director, Adrian Appiolaza, made a promising debut, infusing a sense of contemporary flair. The designer honoured the brand’s iconic codes, mixing wearable silhouettes in a game of basics and boldness. Bravo Appiolaza! Even for bringing a message of peace on the runway. In fact, we applaude designers who use their platform to support important causes.

Yet, a sense of dystopia looms in the fashion industry. Brands celebrate new collections in the name of cleanliness and restoring their identities. Yet they all feature too many outfits. Furthermore, yesterday, a major TV news report was all about vintage fashion. Entirely!

One might wonder, what are the new clothes for?

In The Name of Cleanliness Read More »

The Futuristic Fusion of DassùYAmoroso

Exploring the Metahuman Fashion Landscape

Today, we invite you to discover the futuristic fusion of DassùYAmoroso. A pioneering force at Fashion Hub, where innovation meets imagination in a spectacle that blurs the lines between reality and the digital realm. In an era where fashion and technology intertwine more than ever, Milan Fashion Week unveils a groundbreaking collaboration that epitomizes this union.

Fashion Hub showcasing a futuristic fusion

Fashion Hub is an initiative by Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana dedicated to nurturing emerging talents. Today, it provided the stage for DassùYAmoroso to showcase their vision: “Wonder of a metahuman.” Amidst the buzz of Milano Fashion Week, their presentation captivated audiences with its bold exploration of the intersection between fashion and technology.

At the helm of DassùYAmoroso are Stefano Dassù and Pasquale Amoroso, visionaries who embrace a no-gender, contemporary Street-Punk aesthetic. Freedom defines their brand, transcending conventional boundaries and celebrating diversity without compromise. With collections like “I AM WHAT I AM” and “I AM AN ALIEN,” they challenged societal norms and championed individuality as the ultimate form of expression.

DassùYAmoroso: Wonder of a meta human

DassùYAmoroso at Fashion Hub

The Italian duo isn’t new at experimentation and pushing the boundaries of innovation. Yet, it’s their latest endeavour that pushes the envelope. Through an array of innovative collaborations with tech partners, DassùYAmoroso introduces a collection inspired by the enigmatic allure of sirens. These mythical beings, reimagined as travellers in the metaverse, symbolise the bridge between worlds. A motif echoed in the brand’s seamless integration of fashion and technology.

In a conversation with Cri (founder of suite123) at Fashion Hub, Stefano and Pasquale elaborate on their groundbreaking approach:

“It’s the first time an emerging brand has forged such extensive partnerships with technology firms, effectively melding fashion and technology into a singular entity. The collection draws inspiration from the siren, a mythical figure navigating the metaverse. For us, the siren embodies a journey between realities, a fusion of two complementary worlds. Through our collaborative efforts, we’ve crafted an immersive experience, leveraging augmented reality to traverse this cross-universe landscape.”

As the fashion industry continues to evolve, the futuristic fusion of DassùYAmoroso stands at the forefront, redefining the boundaries of creativity. And paving the way for a new era of metahuman fashion.

The Futuristic Fusion of DassùYAmoroso Read More »

Milano Fashion Week 24

Simplicity and practicality for Spring-Summer 24

Milano Fashion Week 24 is over. So we want to analyse the overall feelings. What’s in the air?

It looks like fashion designers had to focus on safety. So, they provided simplicity and practicality through those tailored techniques typical of the Italian style. In fact, collections were more down to earth. Easy to wear, which also means easy to sell. Market demands, not creative genius.

Spring-Summer 24

We were happy to witness the end of the circus Alessandro Michele made for Gucci. Perhaps Sabato De Sarno needs time to develop his own path, but anything would have been better than the flea market jumble. However, it would be interesting to understand to what degree this collection is the result of his view or a commercial request.

Still related to the above topic, there’s a discussion about the expectations on genderless fashion or the end of it.
We are astonished! Specifically, we cannot understand why people identify genderless style with the circus! Can anyone explain?
Take a garment without asking yourself if it comes from a specific gender category. Then wear it (with elegance, if you can). This is genderless! And it’s still here!

Indeed, isn’t the work of Mattieu Blazy for Bottega Veneta a blend of blurred gender identities? Though fabrics and outfits seemed too heavy for a Spring-Summer collection.

Thoughts on Milano Fashion Week 24

Overall, the impression is that clothing was the background as brands mainly plan to sell accessories. On the one hand, we are happy for the end of the circus. It was time to take a sense of elegance and Italian tailoring back. But on the other hand, brands mostly looked the same. Unless you have a trained eye, and so you can say, ‘this accessory is from this designer’ – it is almost impossible to tell the difference from one to another.

Milano Fashion Week 24 has probably satisfied people’s needs and the industry turnover. But, in this game of overlapping design codes, and by compromising to any current contingency, we wonder where brands are going. More precisely, do you think brands are reliable?

Milano Fashion Week 24 Read More »

Milano Fashion Week 2023

Fall/Winter 23: between reality, wearability and confusion

Milano Fashion Week 2023 shows a fashion recovered from Balenciagitis! The extremely contagious phenomenon that has affected almost every designer so far – seems gone! And finally, brands looked in better shape. However, the number of outfits presented in every single fashion show underlined the blindness of the fashion system towards climate emergency.

Highlights from Milano Fashion Week 23

Gucci: a lot of everything and too much confusion in da house. This show transitions from Alessandro Michele, who destroyed Maison’s heritage in favour of a clownish style, to the new designer, Sabato Sarno, whose first collection will see the light in September. Though waiting for the official handover, perhaps it made sense to show 30 archive clothing pieces mixed with accessories. All that confusion from a Maison like Gucci was nonsense.

Milano Fashion Week 23

Prada: the collection focused on reality, with well-balanced silhouettes and beautiful origami decorations. Indeed, wearable clothes with a purpose, like the nurse dress, had the intent to offer uniforms for daily life. But what about BOF’s title? “A plea for compassion at Prada.” Talking about compassion for a fashion show seems a stretch. Compassion for what? By the way, we still wonder if Miuccia needs Raf Simons. She can do better than stitching a logo onto a skirt.

Dolce & Gabbana: so many deshabille looks gave the impression of an underwear show. However, when the more “habillé” outfits came out, we finally could see some of the Dolce & Gabbana original designs. Indeed, this one was much better than their latest fashion shows.

Bottega Veneta: precise tailoring cuts highlighted an image of quality and clean elegance. Beautiful textured fabrics gave a sense of unexpectedness. But maybe too many themes make you lose attention.

What do all the brands have in common?

Apart from the circus of most participants at Milano Fashion Week 2023 with zero idea of style or elegance and some indigestible starlets. Still, everyone showed trillions of outfits! They persist on that. Why? Nobody is slowing down. No one hits the brake, creating and suggesting an idea of style and lifestyle in tune with the current times.
The fashion industry (as our economic system) thrives on an overproduction pattern. Even if the world is melting down, no one cares to make a change!

Milano Fashion Week 2023 Read More »