Gaetano, an Italian furniture designer, and architect who designed Bottega Veneta’s vibrant set made a direct statement before the show. He said that his poured resin runway and hundreds of bespoke, multicolored chairs were a tribute to diversity. “It’s about the human being. We are all different. People who claim that we are all one — they’re lying! We all are different, and that is our defining characteristic — otherwise, we’re just copies.” Diesel tried to make Bottega Veneta a more accessible event days before. He broke with tradition by inviting the public to the show. It hosted a staggering 5,000 people, of which 3,000 were not-industry guests.

Bottega Veneta: Belle of the ball

The week’s most popular collection was Matthieu Blazy’s second Bottega Veneta collection. The elegant and thoughtful collection, which combines womenswear with menswear, included almost every item you could need in a wardrobe. It also featured suits and beautiful cocktail dresses. Blazy repeated a technical trick that he used with his debut collection. Blazy put Kate Moss into simple jeans and a flannel shirt, which were actually made of printed leather. The final look of the show, a bright turquoise, fringed dress, was a huge success.

Versace: Gothic goddesses

Donatella Versace was another notable highlight. In her show notes, she stated that “I have always loved rebels.” A woman who is confident, smart, and a bit of a diva. This moody collection featured mini dresses inspired by lingerie, fringed leather, and lace-detailed veil designs. It was perfect for goth girls. Paris Hilton made a bold move at the end. She walked down the runway wearing sequinned fuchsia, channeling the rebel Barbie look.

Millennial cool at Fendi

Fashion’s obsession with Y2K continues to be strong. Kim Jones’ new collection, featuring Gen Z-friendly cargo pants in leather and silk, fluffy platform heels highlighted in highlighter green, and leather mesh dresses — just cemented this idea further. For women looking for classic, sophisticated styles, a solid layer of neutral colors offered many options.  The familiar scene was re-enacted four years later, with some significant edits, at the House’s Spring-Summer 2023 opening. A black-and-white film of Kardashian eating spaghetti and smiling wryly before models left the show.

Moschino Inflatables to Inflate

For a moment of levity, those looking for escapism will always be able to rely on Jeremy Scott’s Moschino designs. The playful collection was no different this season, but Scott did draw inspiration from darker realities. Scott spoke backstage to CNN Style and said that he was conscious of global issues such as the wars in Ukraine, economic inflation, and the continuing assault on women’s rights when creating the looks. Scott’s inflatable designs were created to combat the negative mood and provide literal buoyancy. He said that there is so much negativity in the world, but we need to make room for joy.

Prada powers ahead

This season, Miuccia Prada’s partnership with Raf Simons was a success. The latest collection from the pair showed a new partnership between the highly respected designers. Simons has been a co-creative director at Prada since 2012. The collection was dominated by delicate, almost paper-like designs. The many narrowly cut pants suggested that skinny jeans may soon be back in fashion. The familiar scene was re-enacted four years later, with some significant edits, at the House’s Spring-Summer 2023 opening. A black-and-white film of Kardashian eating spaghetti and smiling wryly before models left the show. Or was it an attempt at ridiculing the brand’s past mistakes? It’s possible that we will never find out, but the label has been quiet about this rare acknowledgment of a controversy.