The spring 2025 Milan Fashion Week season has just wrapped, and as Nicole Phelps and Vogue contributing editor Tiziana Cardini report in today’s episode, it was a week characterized by a feeling of free-wheeling joy. “Designers respond to what’s happening around us, so they really wanted to push the creativity and the spirit of positivity,” explained Cardini. “Every designer I have spoken to—from Francesco Risso, to Simone Bellotti, to Lorenzo Serafini at Philosophy—really wanted to address the soothing power of beauty.”
According to the duo, some of the standout shows this season included Marni, where Risso showed a collection made entirely out of cotton, treated in different ways that exposed the true versatility of the yarn. “What he said to me was that he chose cotton because he wanted his message to be very direct; very clean and clear. But you know, being clear for Francesco always entails some kind of whimsy and some kind of extra creativity,” Cardini added.
At Prada, Mrs. Prada and Raf Simons’s treatise against the algorithm’s flattening of creativity was also a standout in Milan this season—especially a leather skirt with circular “windows” that Cardini deemed the number one item she’d like to add to her wardrobe this season. Gucci’s, Sabato de Sarno was praised for his consistency in his tailoring; and at Dolce & Gabbana, Madonna was the name on everyone’s lips—both because the collection was inspired by her, but also because she took it all in while sitting front row, completely covered in a black lace veil.
There were a few surprises in the week from unexpected labels; like Sunnei, who celebrated its 10th anniversary with a fashion show cast entirely with models “of a certain age.” The designers, Simone Rizzo and Loris Messina, told Cardini that it was inspired by the fact that they’re getting older as a brand, but also the pressure brands can feel as the years pass, to try and become a billion dollar brand. “They don’t want to grow,” said Cardini. “They want to stay as they are doing the things that they like, the way they like.” Another designer duo that has been doing the things they like, the way they like, are The Attico’s Gilda Ambrosio and Giorgia Tordini, who staged their second-ever runway show showing that slow and steady growth is still the best way for young brands to make their mark.
And if you want to find out just who is the designer that has revamped a sleepy brand in just two seasons and turned it into an IYKYL cool favorite, then make sure you tune in and listen to this special Milan Fashion Week episode of The Run Through.