Louise Trotter’s debut at Bottega Veneta was the standout show at Milan Fashion Week. That’s according to Simon Longland, director of buying – fashion at Harrods.

He said the “debut felt strong, assured, and already deeply in tune with the house. These were clothes to covet now and to cherish forever, combining exceptional workmanship with a sense of ease and refinement”.

He sees the label as being the key driver for must-have pieces too, saying it “delivered many instant wish-list pieces, particularly the intrecciato coats and jackets that will no doubt build immediate waiting lists”.

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But he also rated Fendi highly, saying it “stood out with a beautifully vibrant colour palette and a summer energy that ran through the collection. Sportswear detailing met embellishment and craftsmanship, and the accessories in particular were extremely compelling”.

Longland praised Gucci too, highlighting the non-runway-show format in which it revealed Demna’s first pieces for the label. He called it a “a cultural moment. The premiere of Demna’s Gucci began with a brown carpet arrival and unfolded with a film screening starring Demi Moore. It was an inventive, disruptive way to launch his debut capsule – only 37 looks – and ensured standout visibility in a crowded season”.

Apart from his Gucci and debut (and Trotter’s at Bottega Veneta). Longland felt Simone Bellotti’s first work at Jil Sander “showed a sensitive and elegant vision for the house”.

As for trends, he said “colour was everywhere – bold, bright, clashed and blocked. At the same time, monochrome looks in pure black or white dominated, showing the season’s full contrasts. References to the 80s and 90s were strong, and we saw a constant dialogue between minimalism and maximalism, tailoring, modesty, and sheerness”.

But overall, he sees it as a “season of transition” with the raft of designers showing their first collections for particular labels clearly at the start of a period in which their vision for those labels will evolve.