THE BEST LOOKS FROM MILAN FASHION WEEK

Here are our favorite things straight off the runways at Milan Fashion Week.

Ferragamo

From a traditional Italian house like Ferragamo, you’d expect nothing less than the classic, restrained silhouettes and exquisite attention to detail seen on the runway this season. It was all about the craftsmanship in Massimiliano Giornetti’s spring 2015 collection. He put a spin on safari (an emerging trend for spring), showing poncho coats, full A-line coats, and pleated halter-dresses using the supplest of leathers, exotic skins, and woven touches. One detail not to be overlooked? Ferragamo’s revival of the classic 1940s rainbow wedge heel, shown for spring in muted monochromatic tones.

Marni

In a fashion city that embraces a sexier silhouette, it’s no wonder that those women who gravitate toward a quirkier, boxier silhouette worship at the cult of Marni. This season, Marni's 20th, designer Consuelo Castiglioni gave her loyal following of artists, writers, and other assorted stylish intellectuals an audacious collection to try out: Japanese-influenced silhouettes (think kimono robes, extra-long judo ties) in bold, vibrant, floral prints. And if anyone can pull off the ugly-shoe trend, it’s Marni. On tap for spring: A kind of platform Teva. Kudos to the women who will sport these sandals in style—starting with Ms. Castiglioni, who took her finale bow in them.

Antonio Marras

Uniqueness seemed to be the theme of the spring collection from Antonio Marras. With a commitment to original details, including 3-D embellishments, prints, color, and textures, Marras did not go for anything halfway. The collection had a very formal feel overall, retaining a common thread among the tones and colors. Reds, blues, whites, and hints of orange distinguished this collection from otherwise very dark cocktail and evening wear. The best look was a printed white gown with cropped ruffle sleeves. This dress really helps to put an accent on what Marras is trying to say for his woman in spring: she is dignified but nontraditional in the best way.

Aquilano.Rimondi

The duo behind Aquilano.Rimondi were influenced by the art world this season, which is only fitting, given the brand's Italian roots. But it was, in fact, Matisse's French masterpieces Tommaso Aquilano and Roberto Rimondi looked to for inspiration. When blended with their inherent Italian influences, the result was a simple, color-infused collection with impeccable detail. Sheer accents, perfectly paired separates, and cheerful mini dresses were all notable elements of Aquilano.Rimondi's wonderful spring collection.

Gabriele Colangelo

Gabriele Colangelo is known for clean, modern design and the spring collection embodied that aesthetic in full. He began with a palette-cleansing series of all-white looks, followed crisp, neat denim looks, which are rarely seen on the Italian runways. My personal favorite? A strapless pinstripe dress that takes the best part of suiting—the structure and simplicity—and makes it both feminine and formal. 

MSGM

Massimo Giorgetti’s contemporary collection MSGM is always a highlight of Milan Fashion Week. He just has fun with clothes and you can tell by looking at each collection that he's committed to bridging cultural landscapes. Just last spring his tassel Teva sandals were a huge hit both commercially and editorially. I think it can be said that once you convince the fashion crowd to buy an ugly-chic sandal, you are a bona fide tastemaker. This season Giorgetti seemed to challenge the MSGM woman to grow up. The collection was much more sophisticated than in previous seasons, but still retained a very youthful spirit, which has definitely become Giorgetti’s signature. And, once again, the shoes were a wonderfully refreshing update to a tribal sandal, which will definitely be causing some street style frenzies next year. 

Philipp Plein

Philipp Plein’s spring collection was as opulent as it comes. Plein added drama to his simple, monochromatic looks with ultra-feminine silhouettes. Biker jackets were paired with A-line skirts that took on a life of their own on the runway. Additionally, crystal-embellished denim and dresses understandably stole the show. I think the most exciting part of this collection is the optimism. In a season where spring is looking very dark and over-sized, it's still a pleasure to see a designer who's taking on classic femininity in a way that encourages women to stand out rather than blend in.

Roberto Cavalli

Roberto Cavalli knows how to make a sexy summer dress—he proved it over and over again with his latest spring collection. These are colorful, easy to throw on (but still sexy as hell) maxi- and mini dresses. According to the show notes, Mr. Cavalli envisions his creations swirling atop the decks of some fabulous yacht docked in Ibiza or St. Tropez or Mykonos. Can’t you just see them now?

Jil Sander

Rodolfo Paglialunga debuted his first collection for Jil Sander to hearty applause. Not an easy feat considering the brand’s tumultuous state—having gone from years of success under Raf Simons, to a brief return under the label’s namesake, to a season under the helm of an anonymous design team. With this spring 2015 collection, Paglialunga made a case for his sticking around. He started with the idea of a school uniform—a button-down shirt and an A-line skirt (and leather knee socks to match). From there he layered on sweaters, boxy sweatshirts, and let the skirts split open to reveal stiff shirting underneath. It was a collection that built on Jil Sander’s utilitarian, minimalist tradition, but felt younger and fresher thanks to a color palette of light blues and burgundies, navies and browns that felt simultaneously '70s-inspired and modern.  

Giorgio Armani

Giorgio Armani prefaced his spring 2015 runway show with a short film by Oscar-winning director Paolo Sorrentino that showcased the rugged landscape of Lipari and Stromboli, two of the Aeolian islands off the coast of Sicily. Images of rocky shores, naked bodies entwined in rope, molten lava, and deserted, wind-swept beaches flashed across the screen. The film set the tone for a collection rooted in sandy, natural hues: A neutral palette to better showcase Mr. Armani’s masterfully tailored jackets (some cropped, some a bit more slouchy), loose trousers, and diaphanous maxi skirts. The standout looks were the evening wear: gathered and draped gowns that felt lighter than air, followed by ornate beaded mini dresses over sheer skirting. To cap it all off, the last model strolled barefoot down the runway, as if dragging her feet in the sand, her head covered in a shimmering beaded crystal headdress.

Emilio Pucci

Pucci designer Peter Dundas created Penny Lane’s ultimate fantasy wardrobe for spring 2015. From Altamont to Coachella, there’s something here for every woman’s inner Stevie Nicks: beaded baby doll dresses, paisley prints, fringed ponchos, suede flares, tie-dye maxis, and even overalls to keep things current. And who better to pull it all off than supermodels like Naomi Campbell, Natasha Poly, and newbie catwalk queen Kendall Jenner.

Etro

Talk about the ideal festival wardrobe. Etro takes on Coachella-chic with their spring collection, which is gorgeous in all its printed bohemian glory. Flat suede boots, long necklaces, and flowy fabrics were the look at Etro today and I can already see all of the desert-centric shoots that will pop up next season inspired by this collection.

Giamba

Giambattista Valli’s latest project, Giamba, debuted today in Milan. Pulling from Valli’s greatest hits, the collection was all about the details, featuring embellished eveningwear, fun fur dresses, and adorable swiss dot tights paired with every look. It is clear that Valli is making a play for who the Giamba girl is: sophisticated and sexy but with a touch of humor and lightness.

Missoni

There was something luxuriously relaxed about Missoni's spring collection. Billowy men's shirts, flow-y maxi skirts and loosely belted trenches dominated the runway, all done in the house's signature zigzags and stripes. For a new styling trick, shirts were tied diagonally over one shoulder and cinched at the rib, and turbans lent the collection an easy on-vacation feel. Summer's just ending but suddenly we feel ready for it again...

Tod’s

Tod’s continues its fashion evolution with a colorful spring collection that is rooted in luxury staples. Collection highlights included suiting in bright bold colors for spring—in particular a yellow pantsuit and a turquoise pantsuit that redefine the boundaries of power-dressing for the office. Plus, the bags, which are always a strong category for Tod’s, were simple yet architectural, and a win for the modern woman.

Versace

Versace is always one of the best shows of Milan Fashion Week. Partly because in Milan, Donatella Versace is in her opulent element, and partly because it gives us an excuse to whip out the genius Migos song, "Versace". This season, the fashion house went with a sexed-up, mod attitude, featuring mini shift dresses with details like geometric cutouts and oversized hardware. We also couldn’t help but notice some very Barbie-like looks. With Moschino’s show yesterday and the pink chic looks at Versace, it looks like Barbie is having a major fashion moment after all.

Fendi

The latest Karlito doll made his debut at Fendi on the arm of Miss Cara Delevingne. While Cara and Karl make a pretty killer twosome, the collection itself was also quite notable. An array of pastels and a sportier undertone distinguished Lagerfeld’s Fendi collection for spring, but the devil, of course, is in the details. The feather embellishments and 3-D origami cutouts made the entire Fendi collection a very exciting one. Not to mention the leather feathers which adorned the models' hair. You know there's something to it when Fendi does festival style.

Max Mara

Max Mara introduced a fresh lightness to the otherwise very dark conversation for next spring. This collection was filled with whimsical prints, classic silhouettes (think draped trenches, high-waisted pants, and double-breasted jackets), and adorable hats that are a new twist on the bucket shape. The best look was a head-to-toe red floral print that will definitely have us enthusiastically singing in the rain next season.

Prada

The Prada show is always one of those stop and think moments in fashion. The big purple sand dunes that made up the set had just about everyone antsy with anticipation and if they weren’t in their seats at the show, they were glued to the livestream on their screens. And Prada never let’s us down. While, some might immediately reject the very covered up silhouettes (virtually no skin on the runway), the knee socks, and the sensible heels, Prada will always grow on you. I don’t know what the dark coats and clogs mean just yet, but not to worry: I’m thinking and that is what Prada is designed to do.

Moschino

And almost the polar opposite of Prada, Moschino is made to make you stop and shop. Jeremy Scott’s second collection for the Italian house will already be in select Nordstrom stores starting tomorrow–even though the show was a mere 12 hours ago–and then live on stylebop.com by Saturday. Moschino has redefined what is meant by fast fashion and this season Scott took his inspiration from Barbie. Everything was pink, sparkly, and a little bit larger than life. I wonder if any of these dolls were taking up residence in Marc Jacobs’ pink house but my guess is that all Barbies probably have multiple homes.

Fausto Puglisi

Fausto Puglisi had a major year last year. With everyone from Anna Dello Russo to Lena Dunham calling themselves fans, his clientele alone proves that he's a designer that appeals to a wide range of women. The best part about Puglisi is that as long as you're wearing his clothes, you know you'll always hold the spotlight. With stunning gold lamé dresses and to-die-for rhinestone pool slides, Puglisi makes sure that we're all embracing la dolce vita—at least in our closets.

Fay

Fay, the little sister of luxury brand Tod’s, is making a name for itself. Last season was incredible, but this season they solidified themselves as the cool, contemporary Italian brand to watch. With printed urban separates like baggy Bermuda shorts and oversized parkas, the Fay girl is never lacking style.

Gucci

With last season's fall collection, Frida Giannini took us on a journey through the '60s, and with the latest show, we're continuing to time travel as spring shoots forward into the '70s. Luxe suede, wide cropped pants, and a boho attitude characterize the Gucci woman for next season. One of the standout looks is a red suede wrap top styled with a belt cinched around the waist and a tiny scarf tied around the neck. This stellar collection proves that for Gucci, we can always go back in the future.

Stella Jean

Stella Jean always exceeds expectations in the print department. This season, her collection touched on her Haitian roots, mixing oversized sporty jerseys with her classic feminine silhouettes. The skirts were a huge standout category, as always, because Stella Jean really loves an exciting shape. Paired with a print, it's one of those outfits that's guaranteed to earn you compliments all day long.