Fun, fringe, and femininity adorned the runways at Etro, MSGM, & Missoni
Milan Fashion Week Spring-Summer 2020 will likely go down in history as the moment Jennifer Lopez rewound time in that dress (the one she also wore to the 2000 Grammy Awards) on Versace’s Spring 2020 runway. Twenty years later, it was still the showstopper. However, there were many other moments and lots of other dresses—plus pants, skirts, shirts, and shoes—of note for the season. In our preview guide to Milan Fashion Week, we mentioned that in addition to looking forward to Gucci, Prada, and Fendi shows, the buyers from our Italian partner boutiques were particularly excited to see what Etro, MSGM, Missoni, and GCDS would have in store for Spring 2020. Here are the highlights:
Etro epitomized haute hippie style
We wondered how Milanese family-owned brand Etro would take its heritage paisley motif in fresh directions. Creative director of womenswear, Veronica Etro, looked to the past for her inspiration, citing “posh pirates” and “aristo groupies” from rock’s earlier days, as well as strong historical heroines from the book “Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls” as her muses. The resulting collection featured white shirts—one with menswear-inspired tailoring and another with a plunging ruffled neckline. There were also swoon-worthy flowing dresses with handkerchief hemlines, intricately embroidered vests, and velvet jackets. Yes, there was plenty of paisley, but there was also sheer leopard print and artisanal patchwork. Among the most noteworthy styles were the kaftans, a Mick and Bianca Jagger-inspired white suit, and an editor-favorite fringed patchwork cardigan coat comprising mixed textures, animal print, stripes, and paisley. The slouched foldover boots and butterfly-accented gladiator sandals will also surely inspire some trends when they hit the streets.
Shop paisley prints and luxury separates inspired by Milanese tradition from Etro at italist.
MSGM served major ruffles, bows, lace, and fringe
Spring 2020 marked the 10th birthday of Massimo Giorgetti’s label MSGM. To mark the milestone, the designer worked without outside inspiration, instead mining his archives to create a new collection from his own strongest notes from previous collections. He used lace from his first collection to create airy tailored suits in hot pink, chalky neon yellow, black, and white. He also doubled down on his fun, feminine, quirky aesthetic with giant bows (think big cats, not kittens), exaggerated ruffles, and distorted floral prints. Among the most delightful pieces in the collection were the brightly-patched sweater and skirt sets, the tweed shorts suits, and the puff-sleeve tie-dye dresses. The dramatically fringed strappy dresses with deep v-necks and the raffia sandals are the stuff of beach party dreams, as we noticed here in Los Angeles.
Shop fun, feminine styles from MSGM at italist.
Missoni made people smile
Missoni took cues for Spring 2020 from globetrotting couple Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg’s famous tendency to trade clothes. The duo’s confidence and carefree wanderlust was interpreted via sweater vests, slouched shirts, and slightly masculine jackets layered over flowing maxi skirts and dresses. In fact, layering was a major theme throughout the collection, as was the concept of mixing and matching. Shimmering pieces also abounded with long, semi-sheer dresses featuring deep necklines over contrasting swimsuits, layered maxi skirts paired with patchwork tops, and a multitude of sheer shirts in stripes and Missoni’s signature zig-zag pattern. And then there was the sparkling suit, its loose-cut, double-breasted jacket and relaxed-fit pants. Either piece would look amazing on its own, but together, they’re a red-carpet must-have. Creative Director Angela Missoni shared that she wanted to evoke joy with her collection. “I want it to be happy and light—light in weight and light in spirit, and easy in the mix, also.” It seems this collection checked all of her boxes (and those of Missoni fans everywhere).
Shop shimmering knitwear and more from Missoni at italist.
GCDS was as gutsy as ever
GCDS’ Spring 2020 collection was an ode to subcultures—from rave references and nods to ‘90s pop culture to Japanese kawaii cuteness and hentai hutzpah. Teeny bikinis and platform combat boots featured Care Bear faces. High-cut neon bikinis were layered over bike shorts, and “Jurassic Park” logo tees were paired with micro shorts and logoed neon over-the-knee boots. Hello Kitty made an appearance, too, on lace-up over-the-knee platform boots. The runway lit up with psychedelic rainbow styles that would look wonderfully trippy under a strobe light, plus dresses and high-heeled cowboy boots emblazoned with PG13-rated hentai graphics. Among the highlights of this eye-catching collection, the denim styles seemed the most wearable beyond the beach or night club. However, the shoes were the true standouts—rainbow-chained gladiator sandals, those neon boots, ruffled cowboy boots, and camouflage-print ruffled sandals are destined for many a starlet’s closet.
Shop sport-inspired streetwear and sweats from GCDS at italist.
Find your own voice: Milan Fashion Week Spring-Summer 2020
If Milan Fashion Week could be summed up in three words, they’d be fun, fringe, and femininity. Designers made a concerted effort to reflect concerns about current events through sartorial statements that are soft, but streetwear ready, too. Find your own voice as you shop the collections of the best-known designers and brightest up-and-comers at italist.
The Spring-Summer 2020 runways of New York and London didn’t disappoint, either. Be sure to check out our buyers’ faves, including Burberry, Richard Quinn, Tom Ford, Ulla Johnson, and more.
Thinking of heading to Milan for your own fashion-filled getaway? Read our buyers’ insider tips on their favorite hot spots to stay, eat, drink, and play in the world’s fashion capital.
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By: Nafeesa Saboor
Nafeesa is the founder and editor of Shoes N Booze, a blog that pairs shoes with cocktails and provides shoe and cocktail-related tips, trend information, and reviews. Her writing has also been published in The Source Magazine, xoJane, Sisters from AARP and other publications.