From New York to London, Milan and Paris, fashion weeks make a big return

Dolce & Gabbana’s collection was curated by Kim Kardashian. Photo: AFP

The September fashion weeks showcasing the Spring/Summer 2023 collections proved that the industry is back to its former pre-pandemic glory.

Runway shows were bigger, busier and more elaborate than ever.

This is evident in New York and London, right up to Milan and Paris. The designers were seen attempting to outdo each other – all of them with creative show concepts and outlandish gimmicks.

Gucci for example, featured 68 pairs of identical twins in its runway show titled as “Gucci Twinsburg” at Milan Fashion Week (as seen on the cover).

Christian Siriano focused on classic designs, drawing from the glamour of old Hollywood. Photo: AP

“After walking two separate runways divided by a wall of portraits, 68 sets of twins and doppelgangers joined hands with their sibling or other for the Gucci Twinsburg finale,” the fashion house wrote, sharing a video on Instagram.

While each pair of twin wore the same design, the message was that fashion is beyond what you see visually.

“And then, the revelation: the same clothes emanate different qualities on seemingly identical bodies,” said creative director of Gucci, Alessandro Michele, in his show notes.

“Twinship is a topos that transcends biology showing us the sense of co-belonging and sisterhood that should guide our trip through this planet.”

His show definitely took the term “twinning” or “twin dressing” – a fashion trend that emerged earlier this year – to the next level.

Read more: Cher, 76, stuns guests at Balmain runway show with catwalk in a spandex bodysuit

The bold and the beautiful

Also seen at Milan Fashion Week is the Dolce & Gabanna collection co-designed by television reality star Kim Kardashian.

This one sends a message of how style is very much celebrity driven.

Interestingly, one of the fashion label’s founders, Stefano Gabbana, has called the Kardashian family “the most cheap people in the world”. He made the (long deleted) comment on Instagram back in 2018.

Stefano and Domenico Dolce appeared with Kim at the end of the show. They were all smiles.

As for the collection, it saw Kim digging deep into the Dolce & Gabbana archives. The designers selected looks from the past that they loved, of which she worked on (or rather, curated) from there.

“You could feel the moment you put on a Dolce & Gabanna dress that the intention when it was designed and made was to celebrate the woman wearing it,” Kim wrote on Instagram.

Caught by surprise: guests under the rain for the Tommy Hilfiger runway show. Photo: AFP

“To make her feel like she could do anything, be anything, own her confidence and her beauty.”

She also revealed that it started with a conversation with the two designers, later leading to a project spanning months.

Star-studded indeed

Another designer banking on celebrity culture was Christian Siriano. He opened New York Fashion Week at the former townhouse of actress Elizabeth Taylor.

The theme was “old Hollywood”. He said Taylor inspired him, alongside Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Bianca Jagger and Judy Garland.

“I was watching the girls do rehearsal and I was like, oh my God, imagine Elizabeth Taylor in her heels walking up these marble steps. How fabulous. It’s so cool to be here,” Siriano was quoted as saying to AP.

To add to the glamour, he had music sensation Janet Jackson sitting front row as one of the guests for his show.

Rocha showcased femininity with her designs. Photo: Instagram/Simone Rocha

The designs were all classic and fabulous. Evening gowns, tailored suits, little black dresses – all these were styled in a chic way.

Tommy Hilfiger also drew from the past for his New York Fashion Week show. His collection paid tribute to the late Andy Warhol, a visual artist known for his pop culture works in the 1960s.

While it may sound unassuming, the event was not without drama.

Held at a drive-in cinema in Brooklyn, the weather decided to give everyone a surprise. A heavy downpour occurred – yet, the show went on all the same.

Most of the guests put on plastic ponchos to keep dry while others used umbrellas to shield themselves.

Models however, walked in the rain.

One face that stood out on the runway was Lila Moss, the daughter of legendary supermodel Kate Moss.

Her mother was sitting in the front row, of course, huddled under a large umbrella shared with Kourtney Kardashian.

The clothes were all edgy and cool, sort of like a younger take on Hilfiger’s usually classic American sportswear.

Take note: the designer is 71 years old this year.

Read more: Victoria Beckham debuts at Paris Fashion Week, but will this help her brand?

Simply too cool

Designer Harris Reed’s debut at fashion week was very much anticipated.

This is the very person dubbed “Harry Styles’ secret fashion weapon” by Vogue, having designed outfits for the singer since 2017. The connection is central to Reed’s image, and has helped him achieve superstardom status among young fashion lovers.

Reed showed his collection at London Fashion Week, where he sent out avant-garde outfits with big silhouettes and bold accessorising.

You can say that he is one of the brightest rising stars in fashion at the moment.

Cher walks next to Balmain creative director Olivier Rousteing. She presented a creation at the runway show in Paris. Photo: AFP

A few days after that, Reed was announced as the new artistic director of French fashion house Nina Ricci.

At 26 years old, he is the youngest appointment at Nina Ricci since its founding in 1932, replacing Dutch duo Rushemy Botter and Lisi Herrebrugh.

Another designer who is loved for being quirky is Simone Rocha. She dares to experiment with her creations.

For her London Fashion Week show, she combined utilitarian silhouettes with delicate floral prints, deconstructed corsetry, bows and lace veils.

Haris Reed’s debut show was about avant-garde excitement. Photo: Harris Reed

It also featured menswear for the first time. This is a big change, as Rocha has always been known to push the message about femininity and the celebration of women.

“It’s (about) this idea of contrasts; fragility and masculinity, sensitivity, nature, anger,” she told Another magazine.

Her designs embody the eccentricity that London fashion is recognised for.

Seen on the runway were bomber jackets and harnesses, juxtaposed with tulle, delicate floral prints, voluminous puff skirts and lace veils.

“This collection was very much a reaction to the last few years,” Rocha explained in the show’s notes. “It was very much harnessing an emotion that felt like this kind of powerful, feminine statement.”

As for Paris Fashion Week, which was still ongoing at the time of writing, it is expected to close of the season with a bang.

Already, a few of the Parisian shows have made headlines.

Cher’s appearance at the Balmain show ellicited screams from the crowds. The singer wore a spandex bodysuit with plunging neckline, plus platform wedges.

Victoria Beckham will make her debut at Paris Fashion Week too. She has only previously showed in London and New York.

The fashion world’s biggest names such as Dior, Chanel, Saint Laurent, Stella McCartney and Issey Miyake are also on the calendar for Paris, and the week is expected to be one big extravaganza.