Saturday in Milan witnessed the appearance of the Devil known for wearing Prada at Dolce & Gabbana, a bold and powerful debut by Louise Trotter at Bottega Veneta, and an uncluttered vision at Ferrari.

Bottega Veneta: Soft functionality

For her first collection for Bottega Veneta, UK designer Louise Trotter really put the concept of a ‘bottega’ – or workshop – back into the brand, with a collection that often felt and looked like couture.

The show was one of the most highly anticipated of the entire season for multiple reasons. BV is one of three major houses within luxury conglomerate Kering – along with Gucci and Balenciaga – that are debuting a new designer this month. 
 
It turned out to be a powerful show and with power branding by Trotter, who included the house’s signature material ‘intreccio’ – or woven leather – in nearly every look. Trotter even used intreccio in her Bottega Veneta invitation, a square of treated leather with multiple cut-out lines, that when pushed, formed into an ingenious leather string bag.

There was even an aural intreccio on the soundtrack, as Louise Trotter commissioned Oscar-winning director Steve McQueen to develop an audio artwork mixing the respective recordings of “Wild Is the Wind” by Nina Simone and David Bowie. 
 
“This was a collective work by our team. I took my time, and I am still taking my time, as it’s such a big house. There is a willingness to push and continue to create, which is tremendous,” said Trotter.

See fashion show

Trotter even chose the same show location as her predecessor, Matthieu Blazy, who will stage his debut show for Chanel in ten days. She invited guests to a bashed-up warehouse in south Milan and opened the show with super lightweight leather looks; trenches, cloaks and blazers for guys; cunningly draped off-the-shoulder dresses, panelled gowns for gals. All detailed with intreccio – collars, sleeves, lapels, trim and woven belts.
 
A highly skilled tailor, Louise breathed fresh air into flamboyant doubled-breasted coats, cut with over-wide shoulders and very deep waistlines– and worn with high-collar surgeons’ smocks. Cinematic, Edwardian and the best new tailoring of the season.
 
Most of the cast carried malleable bags, soft squash messenger versions, bent framed totes, or folded oversized clutches. Soft, functional and chic.
 

See fashion show

Before the show went into overdrive with hyper experimental dresses that waved like corn fields or rushes as they moved by. They were in fact made of thousands of strips of recycled glassware hand sewn together, in a reference to Venetian glass. 
 
“I know it looked like Tencel, but it wasn’t,” smiled Trotter, who also took the opportunity to lighten up the Bottega Veneta logo with a fresh type face. The latest update on a truly unique luxury marque, that will celebrate its 60th anniversary next year. 
 
Born in the northern English city of Sunderland, Trotter joined BV with a highly impressive CV. After early stints in New York with Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, she became creative director of Joseph, Lacoste and Carven – consistently winning positive reviews at each house. Though today’s show in Milan was her biggest gig so far. Happy to report, Louise Trotter seized the opportunity with both hands. For this was a hit show and collection. 
 

Dolce & Gabbana: Miranda admires boudoir chic

Nothing summed up the new naughty mood currently wafting Milan than Saturday’s Dolce & Gabbana collection, or make that Boudoir & Gabbana.

See fashion show

Watched over by Meryl Streep, in Milan to shoot “The Devil Wears Prada 2”, reprising her role as icy editor Miranda Priestly. Dressed in white-rimmed shades, and a beige patent leather coat, Miranda made the audience wait until 37 minutes after the schedule start time. Making a dramatic entrance, with her fictional art director Nigel Kipling, actually Stanley Tucci, in a snappy pale gray silk suit. The pair sitting down in the front row right opposite Anna Wintour, who greeted her fellow editor with a flutter of her hand and a rare smile.
 
Suitably settled, off kicked the soundtrack – a blend of classic hits interpreted by the wonderfully smoky voiced Patty Pravo, notably “Notti Bianche” – Italian for a night of love making.
 
And the cast all appeared as if from a boudoir, in various stages of undress. The design duo’s opening looks: a score of men’s striped pajamas covered in strass. All worn open to better admire sequinned bras, tulle tops and lace knickers. 

See fashion show

Being Domenico and Stefano, they also mingled in plenty of their sharp chalkstripe suits, or pinstripe mess jackets and boleros.  
 
For evening, a gang of sexy Sicilian merry widows in lots of black lingerie or semi-undone corsets, marching on stilettos. Whatever they wore, every gal looked she was about to go on a date with a very lusty Lothario, which helped make sense of the show invitation. A ruffled black silk eye mask.
 

Ferrari: Off to the office

Monochromatic fashion at Ferrari, where designer Rocco Iannone concentrated on cut, line and silhouette in one his most successful collections for the house.
 

See fashion show

Gone were the logos and graphics, in came some excellent draping and cutting in a collection whose intention was clear from its title: “Ferrari Officina”. 
 
Rocco dressing his Ferrari clients for work in elongated coat-dresses; blazers with cargo pants; wrap tea dresses; superb jersey columns with knotted midriffs and donkey jackets in canvas. The first dozen looks all in white. Clean, lean but not L-mean, and much more majestic.
 
Before experimenting with sponged leathers and acid-dyed denims, in hues like faded blue or burnt caramel – seen in everything from wicked jumpsuits to Aran sweaters. Total looks accessorized with a new soft Ferrari Dino bag or silver padlock jewelry. 

See fashion show

A punchy show under bright lights, where the cast dashed about to the dramatic sounds like “Final Symphony” by Classix Nouveaux. 
 
“Whether cars or clothing, the thinking and process are the same: one edits, chooses, reduces, decides,” read the program of Rocco, who to make his point, parked three great Ferrari’s outside his south Milan show.

In an active weekend for the brand, its patron John Elkann spent Friday in Rome, where he had an audience with Pope Leo XIV. Gifting the Pontiff – by all accounts an auto lover and petrol head – a miniature Ferrari and the steering wheel of a Formula One racer.
 
And, in the latest sign of the ever-evolving world of Italian fashion in the wake of the passing of Giorgio Armani, senior Armani executives sat front row at the show. Then again, Giorgio did own a stake in Stellantis, the holding company that controls the automobile group which owns Ferrari, Fiat, Chrysler, and Jeep.