Three brands with distinct styles and identities took centre stage in Milan this weekend, showcasing the city’s diverse fashion landscape. We caught up with Tod’s, Kiton and Khrisjoy.
 

Tod’s: Lady Liberty Carla Bruni heralds artisanal intelligence

 
On Friday, Italy saw a new kind of Statue of Liberty at Tod’s. Carla Bruni appeared in the world’s largest bias-cut leather dress, standing before a sign that read “Artisanal Intelligence.”

Bruni—holding a massive needle instead of a torch—greeted guests as they arrived at the PAC art centre. She stood on stilts in a three-meter-long dress, its leather bands extending into a train the size of a squash court.
 
Otherwise, what you see is what you get at Tod’s under the creative direction of Matteo Tamburini—no fashion tricks, no Instagram stunts, just polished clothes for women who want to look sharp while leading busy lives.

His standout pieces included minimalist military coats with splayed lapels, mannish sergeant’s shirts, and superb mauve suede redingotes that would flatter any woman.

Equally striking were oversized double-layer cashmere coats, finely tailored pea coats with leather funnel necks, and nappa leather bombers. Accessories included a striking new platform riding boot in snakeskin and a sleek metal-band loafer.

The collection’scolourr palette emphasized natural shades, burgundy, olive green, and caramel—echoing the hues Lady Liberty Bruni wore in her dramatic look.
 
 

Kiton: As good as it gets

 
Kiton has gradually developed a women’s collection over the past decade, and this season, the brand delivered its most successful feminine fashion statement yet.

Kiton has also clearly been listening to its clients, notably with a refined après-ski capsule featuring double-face parkas paired with chinchilla waistcoats and zigzag Alpine cashmere roll-neck sweaters.
 
Staged in a series of Giorgio de Chirico-worthy mise-en-scènes, the collection’s standout elements included a rich rusty-brown section featuring soft, deconstructed windowpane-check blazers, fully reversible shearling redingotes that felt like mink, tobacco-brown corduroy pantsuits, and a striking silk-print femme fatale hostess dress.

 
Kiton also presented an elegant opera-inspired section with white silk jumpsuits and a refined cashmere evening coat with the subtlest whisper of a chalk stripe.

 
The brand showcased the collection inside its Via Pontaccio showroom, arranging it in multiple metaphysical tableaux—a nod to De Chirico in Pompeii—a fitting reference, given that Kiton is Naples’ finest luxury label.

Khrisjoy: Suddenly reborn and rocking

 
One brand suddenly on the move is Khrisjoy, an outerwear label that drifted during the COVID pandemic but now has a new lease on life.
 
In a Milan dominated by beige andgreyy, it was refreshing to see a brandchannellingg Italian enthusiasm and a love ofcolourr.

 
The collection embodied a fusion of activewear, cool athleticism, boldcolourss, and striking silhouettes. This was seen in circular-shaped puffers with ruched sleeves, Catherine de’ Medici-inspired tunics, flouncy ruffled contessa dresses, and windcheaters inverted into skirts.

The looks appeared in a snappy campaign shot by Ezra Petronio of “Self Service” fame and a striking street photography series by the legendary Maripol, currently on display in the Montenapoleone metro station in Milan.
 
There were hints of Fiorucci and a few dashes of AZ Factory, but they were all strong influences. The collection was further complemented by the idiosyncratic food served at the presentation near the Duomomulticolouredd pretzels and black “grissini” with carbon.

Khrisjoy was founded in Milan in 2017 by noted stylist Marzia Bellotti and Maurizio Purificato, co-founder of the luxury Milan-based multibrand store Antonia. In 2021, Alsara Investment Group, an international private investment company based in Sand, founded by Rachid Mohamed Rachid, acquired Khrisjoy.

Now, after a brief sabbatical, Khrisjoy is back on the move.