Milan — Milan Fashion Week wrapped up four days of mostly menswear previews for the upcoming fall and winter in a quiet atmosphere.
Italian fashion heavyweight Giorgio Armani took fans to a hidden courtyard in Milan. An island of tranquility hidden from public view, surrounded by the walls of the city’s austere neoclassical architecture.
Dhruv Kapoor, an Indian designer from Milan, wants to promote the interior journey with his new collection. He seeks to reconcile romantic, aggressive, and pensive alternate personalities as a method of healing.
While exuding similar moods, the designs presented were not aesthetically opposed. One is an exploration of tailoring and muted hues, and his is an explosion of color in silhouettes that mix oversized and petite.
Monday’s show highlights:
DHRUV KAPOOR Promotes Healing
Kapoor has a fundamental message of self-acceptance in his collections that combine floral prints that promote tranquility, cartoon imagery of Godzilla representing aggression, and lace detailing for romanticism.
Through a unisex collection called ‘The Embracer’, the designer advocates embracing all parts, even those that are viewed negatively. Not that he thinks the solution lies in the wardrobe.
“It’s a very simple process. Look in the mirror and say to yourself, ‘I love you.’ And see how the magic begins to change. You just have to admire yourself for who you are,” Kapoor said backstage, adding that he’s seen a dramatic shift since adopting the habit. .”
The collection includes a ripped denim dress fitted over loose jeans. A broad-shouldered suit jacket was paired with tight trousers that flared to bell bottoms. An oversized sweatshirt was layered with a cotton tunic and sheer lace pants. Godzilla raged at the front of his button-down shirt and tight-fitting dress, and silver pillows had reptile spikes on the back of his jacket.
“Godzilla is accompanied by a very negative and huge thing,” said Kapoor. But that should not prevent acceptance, he argued.
Crystals in knitwear, suits and jackets store energy, which Kapoor says can be activated to have a positive impact on the wearer’s life. Instructions are included with the garment.
Models walked through Tiepolo’s rooms in the 18th-century Palazzo Clerici, crossing beneath demonic imagery to the beat of a modem that mixed classical music with hip-hop. The mashup “gives us a glimpse of the past and the future,” he said, Kapoor. “And we are creating new presents.”
Kapoor also promotes environmental healing. Nearly two-thirds of his collection is upcycled or recycled using leftover fabrics that would otherwise be discarded. This season, all of his suiting fabrics are made from recycled plastic.
___
Armani’s hidden Milan
In Italy’s frenzied fashion and financial capital, tranquil gardens in the courtyards of Milan are hidden from view.
Giorgio Armani proposes it as a place to stop and stock up before heading out for business or play. He wears soft shoes with rubber soles this season.
Models sauntered to the soundtrack of Italian pianist and composer Ludovico Einaudi, wearing richly textured suits and separates that exuded confidence in the 88-year-old designer’s trademark soft silhouettes. I was wearing
The color palette consists of soft earth tones accentuated by olive and forest green, with a crimson surge of sportswear and the final sprinkling of a weekend dandy look.Flannel cargo pants paired with a soft sweater. I was. The disciplined double-breasted suit was appropriate for the negotiating table. Large moth furs, including tiger prints, brightened up the quiet mood.
The show concluded with couples in sparkling black evening dresses and formal suits with silk and velvet detailing chatting down the runway as if they were leaving the party.
Armani admitted that other runway flashes of skin this season were sensual.
His only offense is to loosen the arched tie under the knot and wear it tucked into the vest “to give him space to relax.”
“It’s not good to be stiff,” added the designer.