Fashion is one of our primary means of expression. Yet, managing to translate a personality’s different facets into a garment or a look is far from easy. On Saturday, Bally and The Attico managed to do it in scintillating fashion. On the fifth day of the Milan women’s ready-to-wear shows, these two labels were able to convey ambivalence in all its glory with their Spring/Summer 2025 collections. Bally with a chic punkish style. And The Attico by blending power and fragility.

At Bally, Simone Bellotti continued along his path, even though the label has changed ownership, having been bought in August by US private equity firm Regent. The Italian designer, now in his third collection for Bally, is continuously reinterpreting the codes of the long-established Swiss footwear brand, injecting them with a discreet dose of subversion.

The first impression is that Bellotti’s wardrobe is characterised by typically Swiss rigour, with its cute trouser suits, fitted jackets, prim and proper cocktail dresses, sensible white or sky-blue shirts, and sober lace-up shoes. But something weird is at work. Looking more closely, the silhouettes were scattered with unusual details that overturned the established order.

An openwork, fishnet-style vest and a zipped leather gilet were surreptitiously worn under a formal navy-blue suit. Extremely classic shoe models were riddled with spikes, and metal studs abounded on the handbags. A straight-line taffeta skirt seemed to come undone, a swathe of fabric trailing behind it, as though it had rolled off the legs. The collars of coats and jackets were noticeably upturned, the models looking as though they were embedded in the garments.

Bright flashes of red, green and royal blue burst into some items (a raincoat, a blouse, a bra and some handbags), adding a vibrant note to the collection’s generally austere palette. Bellotti also did some bold work with volumes. Some of the suits’ jackets featured flared hems, matched with balloon skirts. Cocooning and hourglass-shaped coats billowed at the sides. Some of the skirts rose almost to a horizontal plane, as though ruffled by the wind, and rotund hoops were layered over straight-line skirts.

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Glamour and sequins characterised the collection by The Attico, also infused with a sporty-street touch. After last season’s dazzling maiden appearance on the Milanese runways, Gilda Ambrosio and Giorgia Tordini came back to Milan Fashion Week with their label, synonymous with a certain kind of cool, laid-back luxury. This time, they introduced in their work an element of fragility, imagining a lovers’ break-up symbolised by the noise of shattered glass, as well as a story of resilience, in which women “are stronger than all of this and tread over the shattered glass appreciating its sound, feeling powerful and very much themselves,” as they explained in their introductory note.

The show was staged in a hangar decorated with vintage crystal chandeliers, under which the models strolled majestically, some sporting large ostrich feathers as a headdress. In party-girl mood, The Attico’s women were ready to roll, more seductive than ever. For them, a party is never far away. They go out wearing tasselled dresses or improvised outfits, in rag-like silvery lace or simply tying a nylon petticoat to a pair of culottes or a sheer camisole. In some cases, their bra acts like a top. When all else fails, a pair of oversize leather trousers is just right.

Otherwise, they slipped on a large anorak or a too-large, washed-out hoodie over a sensual skin-tight dress, or an airier one, decorated with feathers. A flesh-coloured petticoat dress was layered over a pair of black leather trousers. Some of the mini dresses were a whirlwind of movement, with their silvery strips, thin bands of magnetic tape, or fabric shredded into cascades of threads and ribbons. Others consisted of rows of crystals and rhinestones, spinning a clinking spiderweb on the body.

The collection also had something of a masculine streak, with statement items like the huge leather jackets, maxi dresses and overcoats, and a studded belt anchoring a pair of leather trousers made in a patchwork of soft skins. A sportswear element was also present, via a collaboration with Nike resulting in ultra-fitted swimsuit-style bodysuits, sport bras, leggings and sneakers.