Four new faces presented their first women’s collections at traditional fashion houses at Milan Fashion Week. The SS23 collection marked the debut of Bally’s new creative director Rhuigi Villaseñor, as did Maximilian Davis at Ferragamo. Marco De Vincenzo and Filippo Grazioli brought a breath of fresh air to Etro at Missoni.
bally
Rhuigi Villaseñor’s designs for Bally look luxurious and relaxed. A suit made of silk velvet with a tiger skin print belongs in the repertoire of the new creative director from Los Angeles, as well as a casual denim outfit or long, form-fitting evening dresses with gold monogram buckles. The new emblem of the house, made up of two interwoven letters B, was also conceived by Villaseñor.
Golden statement jewelery not only lends the ready-to-wear collection a nostalgic glamor but almost a decadent note – as do the opulent silk pajamas or leather suits with a metallic look, tailor-made for the jet set. The new wardrobe of the Swiss luxury fashion house founded in 1851 should be sensual, upscale and above all youthful.
Ferragamo
At the Italian fashion house Ferragamo, founded in 1898, the new creative director Maximilian Davis brought Hollywood history to life for his debut. “I wanted to pay tribute to Salvatore’s beginnings by bringing in the culture of Hollywood—but a new Hollywood,” explains Davis. “Its lightness and sensuality, the sunset and the sunrise”.
Davis creates a new language of luxury with contemporary minimalism and draping that serves as a nod to the House’s home of Florence. Davis also reinterpreted the Wanda bag, first introduced in 1988 and named after Ferragamo’s wife, in geometric shapes.
In addition to suits in fabrics that are not typical for men, such as silk organza, Davis also brings in street style elements such as leggings and transparent jackets in monochrome looks. In their simplicity, these everyday basics are almost as ethereal as the flowing degradé silk dresses in the colors of the sunset.
Etro
At Etro, too, the new creative director Marco De Vincenzo looked back at the origins of the house for his first collection. From this he creates a new, eccentric design language: flowers, birds and exotic fruits on a wide variety of fabrics create a collection that is humorously based on the world of botany.
Etro’s collection should be visibly refreshed with the use of bralettes and wide denim trousers. With clean-cut mini dresses, pencil skirts and oversized shirts, De Vincenzo contrasts the still opulent fabrics the brand is known for. But between hand-dyed, polychrome cashmere, denim brocade and degradé stripes, it’s still hard to discern a clear language.
Marco De Vincenzo also launches his first collection of bags, upcycled from archival fabrics from the home collection.
missoni
At Missoni, the new creative director Filippo Grazioli went about it a little more simply in his first women’s collection. Known for its extravagant knits, the Italian fashion house presented a lightweight SS23 collection of clean silhouettes.
Long, figure-hugging bodycon dresses or mini skirts with leg slits dominated. All in Missoni’s signature zigzag patterns, interspersed with deconstructed elements, sequins and crystals.
