Prada

Every year, the Prada show is shrouded in secrecy as we await one of the most anticipated shows of the season. And this season, the Italian giant welcomed us into their effortlessly cool and chic home.

Greeting us in the front row of their Fondazione Prada base were the A-list guests in full: Rosalia, Kylie Jenner, Hunter Schafer, and Emma Watson, amongst many others. Co-creative directors Miuccia Prada and Raf Simmons worked hard on their womenswear SS24 collection– and in it, they gave us the minimalist and elegant uniform we need to hustle as hard as they do.

But this time, their workwear attire and signature ugly chic aesthetic had an element of fun. Layered fringes, distressed floral patterns, and golden foil joined the otherwise monochrome colour palette. A master atjuxtaposition, Prada contrasted its signature boxy silhouettes with delicate pastel-toned organzapieces.

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For their Menswear SS24 follow-up show, you didn’t know what to gawk at first; the front row, the chic clothes, or the slime leaking from the ceiling.

Diesel

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Expectations are sky-high when you’re on top, but somehow Glenn Martens met them once again. The ‘Only For The Brave’ collection lived up to its name as guests braved the rain to watch Diesel’s latest show. But that didn’t stir them from cheering and hollering as models walked through the Scalo Farini rail yard space (where Gucci used to show).

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The 7,000 people rager got especially loud when they thought Bella Hadid finally made her big runway reemergence, only to discover it was a lookalike model. But the triumphant return that really did happen was last year’s viral belt skirt– only this time it was half transparent. The naked look was a common theme too, with tight silhouettes in nude colours and underwear-gracing hemlines.

Although Martens did adopt trends like the ‘sheer dress’ and micro skirts, brand signatures also made an appearance. Denim-on-denim-on-denim was the name of the show, as trousers were triple-layered and the material distressed to the point of destruction. Some of the garments also had parodied movie posters (i.e. Batman) stamped on them. So much was going on, and yet the whole collection was somehow cohesive. Through an acid-washed and muddied colour palette, shredded jersey, and thrashed tuxedos, Martens created the ultimate stylish wardrobe for the apocalypse. Although the weather predictions proved awry, the forecast for today’s coolest brand is still positive: it is the moment.

Blumarine

If Diesel styled us for the apocalypse, Blumarine dressed us for heaven. Purity and romance shone a light on the usually Y2K-focused brand, with angel hues like violet, gold, and pristine white.

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Early aught stapes including tube tops, ultra-low waists, and wrap dresses still sneaked in an appearance though. And just in case you missed the theme, Nicola Brognano sent models down the runway with feathered wings on their backs. But those weren’t the wings stealing the show; Blumarine’s signature butterflies were everywhere from brooches, corsages, knitted patterns, and even as a devilish underwear bottom.

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This pop of mischief was sprinkled even more with the black skin-tight silhouettes, plastic dresses with metallic studs, and sheer material. With exquisite tailoring, tulle materials, and whimsy floor-sweeping gowns, Blumarine gave us an unexpected sophistication to their usual nostalgia, with an ethereal collection that beckons us to the light side.

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If the fashion world is praying to angels above, this season they’re bound to be dressed in Blumarine.

GCDS

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For their SS24 show, Giuliano and Giordano Calza replaced their usually bright and cheeky clothes with softer colours and more sophisticated designs. But they didn’t ditch their signature salaciousness altogether, showing barely-there shorts, tiny bras, exposed thongs, and plenty of sheer tank tops.

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Mia Khalifa and Alessandra Ambrosio watched from the front row as Calza turned up the notch on the Canadian tuxedo, presenting denim trench coats, mini dresses, and even knee-high boots. Inspired by the Calzas’ hometown of Naples, designs were also filled with Italian motifs and sailor stripes that had us dreaming of summering on the coast.

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The brand didn’t shy away from that European luxe either, delightfully surprising us all by closing the show with very off-brand sequinned, voluminous evening gowns. This refinement was also obvious in the monochrome suits, structured sweaters, and silk trousers. A preppy element was injected into the show too, with shirts that read ‘TI AMO GCDS” and oversized varsity jackets that have us wanting to enrol in college to justify buying them.

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Although this was an unexpected collection for the label, it still didn’t disappoint. When in doubt, choose GCDS.

Tom Ford

How do you replace Tom Ford at Tom Ford? Just ask Peter Hawkings. After working in close-knit with the designer himself for over 25 years, Hawkings presented his debut collection for the eponymous brand. And even if the name behind the brand is retired, the collection was Ford to its very core.

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‘Glamour, sexiness, elegances, and beauty’, in Hawkings’ own words. It was nothing disruptive but that wasn’t the point. It was a consistent reinforcement of the high-quality staples the brand is famous for, from the reinvention of Ford’s iconic 1996 belt buckle to the shirts unbuttoned past their navel. The colour palette was just as consistent, full of brown, cream, and black, with a brief interlude of pastel pink and blue hues.

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The show even homogenised men and womenswear, sending both genders down the runway in velvet suits and shiny mock croc. Before the British designer took the reigns the brand was in a ‘Parent Trap’ style situation, with Hawkings leading menswear from London and Ford womenswear from LA. Although the tiny shorts that were stars of the show were worn exclusively by the female models, it’s clear that the Tom Ford woman is approximating the man and vice versa. After establishing so strongly the brand’s codes into his SS24 collection, we can’t wait to see how Hawkings adds his own flair in the future.

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But for now, we’re glad to say that Ford-the man, the legend, the legacy lives on.

^{Words by Alexia De Las Heras}

^{_{Header Image: @Prada Instagram}}

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