My Favorite Looks from Fashion Month

Miu Miu saved an otherwise bleh season.

Not attending fashion weeks abroad has never stopped me from caring about fashion weeks abroad. Most seasons, I gleefully tune in to the London, Milan, and Paris runway livestreams from my laptop at home like a football fan following their team. This season, though, I found it really hard to engage.

I just didn’t care! And it wasn’t for lack of trying. Fashion feels so disconnected from real life right now, and insane prices don’t help. Sure, Bottega Veneta looked nice. But will I ever spend $11,000 on a top? Nope. At the very least, I hope to scroll through a collection (god, there are so many collections) and feel excited about getting dressed. Feelings are free! But brands are so focused on making another billion dollars in sales that they don’t seem interested in ideas anymore. “My theme is the clothes,” said Gucci’s new designer, Sabato De Sarno. That’s like a chef saying their theme is the food. It may be good, but I need something to chew on!!! Otherwise, I’m just going to buy vintage.

I was ready to write off the season as a bust, but Miu Miu saved it at the buzzer on Tuesday, the last day of Paris Fashion Week. The brand has been on fire lately, so much so that Vogue put Miuccia Prada on its March cover instead of a bona-fide celebrity, something it hasn’t done in I don’t even know how long. So it wasn’t a surprise that it was my favorite.

Below, I've broken down why Miu Miu was so great and rounded up a few of my other favorite looks from the FW24 shows in Europe. There are a lot of images in this email so I hope it loads!

1. Miu Miu

Watching the Miu Miu livestream from my bed yesterday morning, I jolted upright at the sight of the first look. Me! It me! The model wore white pajamas and pearls under a vintage-looking coat, as though they’d just run out the door to get an espresso before taking a shower. It’s a look that’s deeply relatable, especially if you work from home, and also deeply Milanese. Everyone in the city — one of the best on earth — is always put together, even when they’re off-duty. Mrs. Prada was clearly inspired by her surroundings and memories of growing up there. It’s a personal collection, which makes it all the more enticing.

Gigi Hadid came out midway through the show wearing what looked like a sexy maid uniform underneath a faux fur coat. Fur coats are also a Milanese thing — not just a “mob wife” thing. (Are Milanese women the OG mob wives?) As the girl who went viral for coining the aesthetic told me, she’s also inspired by sciura, or what you’d call a chic, elderly Milanese woman, because they remind her of her nonna. If you follow @sciuraglam you’ll see what I’m talking about.

The show ended with a series of perfect little black dresses, some of which were styled with leather house slippers. “I think they are classics,” Mrs. Prada told reporters backstage of the offering. “Everyone can choose from them to be a child or a lady.” She then repeated something she told Vogue, which I now think about often: “Every single morning, I decide if I’m going to be 15 years old or a lady near death.” What a fun little game to play while getting dressed! Turns out, women can be more than one thing… Phew!

That morning, I decided to be a Lady Who Really Needed to Get Out of Bed Because It Was Almost Noon. I was inspired to put on some pearls, styled messily over one collar, plus a faux fur coat, as instructed.

2. Prada

Not my favorite Prada collection, but still a step above the rest. This season, Mrs. Prada and Raf chose to focus on rethinking historically feminine garments rather than creating an overarching narrative. Each piece was characteristically thoughtful, showing everyone how the bow trend is done and that there are other, perhaps more interesting ways to carry a handbag.

My favorite looks were the jackets, some of which had an unexpected silk lining in the back, and the skirts with iron folds permanently pressed into them. This is a collection you want to see up close and in person. Who’s going to fly me to Milan??

Of course, the person with the best look was Mrs. Prada herself, who wore two vintage jade clips on her green skirt suit and matching earrings when she took a bow. Like Town & Country EIC Stellene Volandes, I am now also inspired to go jewelry shopping.

3. Loewe

Jonathan Anderson brings the *fun* to fashion week. In addition to balloon pants with vegetables on them and a caviar-beaded handbag modeled after an asparagus tureen, he also gave us serious pieces like a sleek morning coat.

4. Dries Van Noten

This look gives me hope that “quiet luxury” is ancient history. Give me rich colors and textures, instead. (Shoutout to Rick Owens for a delectable color palate this season as well.)

5. Undercover

Last season, Jun Takahashi showed me something I’d never seen before, which is rare, and also made me want to weep. This season, he brought the same sense of wonder and emotion to “everyday” clothes and women’s everyday lives. Many looks were trompe l'oeil, including knit jumpsuits with jeans and suit pants bonded onto them. Every garment had a secret to tell, or a surprise to show you.

6. Schiaparelli

Normally, I find Schiaparelli sort of gimmick-y, but I thought this collection was a good balance of wearable and freaky. A human hair tie! A hat shaped like a shoe! (Inspired by one from the 1930s!)

7. The Row

Real Row heads can let out a sigh of relief: the Olsens are back to being weird again!!!

HONORABLE MENTIONS: As I said, I liked a lot of Bottega looks, especially the menswear. Bally is making clothes I want to buy, and actually feel like I maybe can. (In the meantime, I’m digging through TRR.) I get the appeal of Louis Vuitton and Chloé, they’re just not my style. The coats at Sacai seemed cool. Salute to an all-black collection at Valentino. I think the new McQueen designer has spunk but I’m going to give him a second before I really judge his work. Simone Rocha, forever. And Balenciaga? To me, it seemed like Demna was up to his same old tricks and is maybe disenchanted after the whole scandal thing. I found Hodakova to be way more impressive.

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NEXT TIME: Should I cover the Oscars red carpet?