Ferrari AW25

Ferrari AW25

Think sharp pinstripe tailoring topped with a signature red tie and opulent shearling; luxurious burgundy leather skirts, dresses and jackets covered with fabulous fringing; hand-dyed denim with a trompe l’oeil scrunched effect, and lashings of gold, green and chocolate-brown to boot. But beyond Irina Shayk, Adriana Lima and Amelia Gray Hamlin walking the red-carpeted runway, it was a multi-coloured, hand-dyed and polished leather trench that really felt like the star of the show.

Ferrari AW25

Next was Ferragamo, where creative director Maximilian Davis had also set out a red carpet of sorts – but here, it was made up of thousands of red rose petals. The looks that subsequently emerged were worthy of every single one.

The British-born designer presented a collection inspired by the German Tanztheater ‘and the unbound expression of their liberated choreography’, as she show notes explained. Hints of the 1920s and 80s – decades key to the expressionist dance genre – could be spotted throughout, whether in the form of drop-waist, lace-appliqué silken slips, utilitarian leathers and tailoring, dreamlike prints, or the florals taken directly from Ferragamo’s iconic Eighties campaigns.

Ferragamo AW25

Ferragamo AW25

Despite his rather lofty reference-points, Davis is a master of crafting collections that feel innately relevant to the modern woman, instantly desirable, and supremely wearable too. It’s safe to say that between all the chic skirt-suits, oversize coats, silky minis and new iterations of the cult Hug handbag, guests left with an alarmingly hefty new wish-list.

Ferragamo AW25

Show-goers seeking sartorial inspiration for the party circuit, meanwhile, were spoilt for choice at Dolce & Gabbana. The brand’s AW25 collection was aptly named ‘Cool Girls’ and featured all the OTT outerwear, off-duty outfits, and sparkly, see-through, sultry separates you could hope for. Lingerie-inspired looks were front and centre, denim was low-slung and bedazzled, oversize menswear-esque pieces styled seamlessly with the ultra-feminine, and the sunglasses were bigger than ever – perfect for the morning after walk of (no) shame.

Dolce & Gabbana AW25

Dolce & Gabbana AW25

All the while, real-life ‘cool girls’ including Naomi Campbell, Delilah Belle, Jessie Andrews and Heart Evangelista sat front row, and models emerged onto the streets outside the venue for a DJ set by Måneskin bass player Victoria De Angelis, kicking off Saturday night in style.

Dolce & Gabbana AW25

Show-goers were back bright and early on Sunday morning, however, for Dolce & Gabbana’s second spectacle of the season: the Milan debut of emerging designer Susan Fang, that was supported by the Italian luxury brand. The Chinese-born, London-based designer’s ‘Air•Memory’ collection could not have been more markedly different from Milan’s usual tendency towards the sophisticated and minimal, or glamorously outré.

Fang, who usually shows in London, brought a dream-like, ethereal quality to the final day of Milan Fashion Week with her signature pastel-coloured, light-as-air, ultra-delicate tulle designs. ‘The collection pays tribute to my mother, Ai Lan,’ she explained to ELLE UK. ‘I’ve incorporated her vibrant paintings—self-taught and full of life—into the collection, transforming them into sequins, embroidery, and denim art, which captures her love of nature and the joy of her memories.’

Susan Fang AW25

Susan Fang AW25

‘Showing in Milan is an incredibly special experience for me, as it’s a city that holds deep personal and cultural significance,’ continued Fang. ‘Milan is a hub for Italian craftsmanship, and the opportunity to present “Air•Memory” there allows me to merge my Chinese heritage with the rich tradition of Italian artistry. It’s the perfect place to showcase a collection that blends diverse cultural inspirations.’

Incidentally, the final show of Milan Fashion Week’s AW25 season was also about returning to one’s roots, and taking inspiration from diverse cultural spheres – albeit in a decidedly more classical, Italian luxury way. We’re talking about Giorgio Armani, of course, who closed out the week on a high with his glorious ‘Roots’ collection.

Giorgio Armani AW25

Giorgio Armani AW25

The epitome of effortless elegance, models emerged wearing flowing silk trouser suits, impeccably tailored jackets, softest cashmere knits, and shimmering embroidered dresses made for the red carpet. The palette was dominated by neutrals: sandy and golden shades of beige, deep browns, quartz-blue and endless greige, all inspired by ‘the volcanic hues and mineral glows of sun-scorched earth, reassuring in its ancestral purity’, as the show notes explained.

And as ever, the smiles on the models faces were telling of an overall softness and ease in the collection, that even extended to the bags and shoes. As Armani himself put it, these are pieces ‘designed for light yet assured steps, communicating an innate sense of confidence.’ That’s something we can all aspire to.

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Clementina Jackson is Acting Site Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, working across news and features, trends, e-commerce and SEO. She was previously Fashion Editor at Cosmopolitan and Women’s Health, and Acting Digital Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, where she was named as a PPA 30 Under 30 award winner for her work on size inclusivity. An experienced fashion, travel and luxury lifestyle journalist, Clementina has also written for Harper’s Bazaar, Vanity Fair, Condé Nast Traveller, Tatler, Red and Italy Segreta.