And designers declared, 'Let there be light'

MILAN — Lightness was a perennial theme throughout plenty of the shows at Milan Fashion Week.

At Anteprima, designer Izumi Ogino pulled the focus on gossamer textures. The show, held at Castello Sforzesco, offered modern takes on everyday apparel: from sheer trousers in black with decorous shorts underneath to cocktail dresses with oversized paillettes on diaphanous silhouettes. “A season for intelligence and transparency,” read the show’s notes, “fine fabrics flowing and billowing with happiness and comfort, one complementing the other.”

Flesh peeking through fabric was a recurring thread, though most made an appearance on a more modest scale. Ferragamo, which proved to have a substantial showcase of leather jackets and coats, offered a discreetly bare stomach underneath sheer material, paired with knee-high boots and a paperbag-waist leather skirt.

At Missoni, a toned-down bohemia was instantly apparent: in the monochrome ensembles, filmy knits and patchworked textures. Moschino approached the ‘60s by way of the drum: with rock ‘n’ roll silhouettes and a throwaway or two to the hippie. Cotton eyelet dresses in demure white made an impression, though Moschino’s cheeky take offered a jumpsuit that revealed panels of the torso that was more sexy star than quietly sultry siren. Schoolgirl dresses in thigh-skimming cuts were a perfect foil to the colorful, sequined pieces.

Mod cutouts ruled the day at Bally, where the label’s creative directors spun a narrative grounded in the historic brand’s archive. Details from footwear fashioned in the ‘30s and ‘60s served as the groundwork for the laser-cut perforations and scrollwork that appeared on dresses, bags and shoes. Bally’s modern woman is not afraid of a statement, and in these streamlined Mod shifts, she’s found a look that straddles retro and contemporary without being yoked to cliché.

Mesh, cutouts and perforations could also be found at Jimmy Choo and Furla.

At the Jimmy Choo presentation, set against a bold floral backdrop, the label strategically approached summer dressing from two mindsets: the gypset heiress in trippy hats and coin-embellished sandals and the provocative lady with a penchant for discreetly stimulating textures (like: see-through cutouts, fringe, lace). Highlights include their 24/7 heel, which comes in perforated suede in black and magenta.

Furla went highbrow with a collaboration with Mario Airò, who crafted light installations for Fondazione Furla. “At Furla, we are about light, fashion and art,” explains Furla regional marketing director for Asia Pacific Odette Crockett. Held in a whitewashed brick-lined space close to the posh Via Montenapoleone, the latest collection was set against translucent white shelves to allow viewers to see the bags across the room.

“In terms of product, we are very focused on black and white,” Odette tells YStyle. Ladylike purses boast perforated panels, in elegant styles. A mix of structured and slouchy shapes, the new Furla is fresh, and particularly when viewed up close, quite modern in its approach.

Tod’s, meanwhile, debuted its latest line of bags in pale taupe, as well as the D-bag in python at its presentation in Villa Necchi.