April 03, 2023

Fashion Week Trends: Milan Autumn/Winter 2023

Milan Autumn/Winter 2023

As Milan fashion week comes to a close, we’re left reeling with excitement for AW23 style. From Gucci’s effervescent nod to noughties nostalgia to sunny Italian-inspired trench coats courtesy of Andrea Adamo, the most prevalent fashion week trends have definitely made themselves known.

With designers pulling out all the stops to make this their most innovative autumn/winter campaign yet, here’s everything you need to know:

The A/W Colour Wheel

Straying further afield from the usual warm neutral colour palette of autumn, collections across the board favoured varying tones of yellow, red, grey, and shades of metallic this fashion week.

(Left) Grey Fendi pantsuit featuring a floor-length overcoat and white button-down. (Right) Grey Prada trench coat layered over a black scoop neck top and knee-length grey maxi skirt with white embellishments.

Caption: Left: Fendi A/W 23 Milan Fashion Week. Right: Prada A/W 23 Milan Fashion Week. Imagery: Tagwalk.

Classic grey tailoring continued its domination of the runway, with Miu Miu’s previously trending micro suits taking a backseat as structured floor-grazing overcoats and slacks from the likes of Fendi and Prada made their debut. Fendi's lingerie-inspired pieces from their spring 2023 haute couture collection received a more masculine makeover, building delicate, lace-edged tanks into structured white button-downs and layering lacquered styles with pinstriped pleated skirts cut to reveal a slash of leg.

(Left) Jil Sander bright yellow oversized tunic t-shirt with matching a-line maxi skirt. (Right) Dolce sheer red gown with matching gloves and under-bust corse.

Caption: Left: Jil Sander A/W 23 Milan Fashion Week. Right: Dolce and Gabbana A/W 23 Milan Fashion Week. Imagery: Tagwalk

On the opposite end of the spectrum, hues of canary, mustard and muted lemon yellow took centre stage, with Jill Sander’s ready-to-wear featuring an array of futuristic tunics and tees in various shades of yellow.

We first saw yellow taking centre stage at New York Fashion Week, and there is definitely a shade for everyone. (Left) Red Prada oversized leather blazer and midi a-line skirt. (Right) Ferragamo red fitted pantsuit featuring a single breasted blazer and matching strappy heels.

Caption: Left: Prada A/W 23 Milan Fashion Week. Right: Ferragamo A/W 23 Milan Fashion Week. Imagery: Tagwalk

Perhaps our favourite trending colourway of them all, Dolce and Gabana’s stunning collection of ruby red figure-hugging gowns will no doubt become celebrity favourites later this year. And for fans of practicality? Ferragamo and Prada have been making all of our statement red power-suit wishes come true. Striking red hues were seen at Bottega Veneta, Prada, Ferragamo and more, working to solidify red's spot as the colour of the season.

Are these the ‘new’ primary colours for the coming fashion season? Milan seems to think so.

Trending Textiles

If this fashion week taught us anything, it’s that these designers did not come to play. While leather, of course, dominated the scene once again, fine knits, fluffy trims and avant garde layering were heavy hitters amongst AW23’s trending textiles.

(Left) Black Alberta Ferreti fur coat layered over a black maxi dress. (Right) Roberto Cavalli oversized fur jacket in shades of brown, white and black with indigo accents.

Caption: Left: Alberta Ferreti A/W 23 Milan Fashion Week. Right: Roberto Cavalli A/W 23 Milan Fashion Week. Imagery: Tagwalk

This season’s biggest outerwear trends certainly play on the maximalist influences of ‘70s and ‘80s design, as many designers from Cavalli to Ferreti showed bold fur coats in varying retro silhouettes.

(Left) Leather Bottega Veneta trench coat in charcoal grey with tortoiseshell collar. (Right) Tod’s sand-coloured fine knit maxi dress with a funnel neck, full sleeve and fine rib material.

Caption: Left: Bottega Veneta A/W 23 Milan Fashion Week. Right: Tod’s A/W 23 Milan Fashion Week. Imagery: Tagwalk

Meanwhile, Bottega Veneta continued their assertion as the biggest name in leather design right now, with 22 leather looks featured at their Milan AW23 show. From classic leather trench coats to the shaved leather tanks and trousers fast becoming creative director Mattheiu Blazy’s signature. With street style already at the forefront of these designs, we can absolutely see subtle leather detailing as a huge trend later this year.

Leather was undoubtedly the star of the show at Fendi too, among others. At Emporio Armani, thigh-high leather boots were styled with plush velvet to create an interesting contrast, while leather skirt-suit sets in a range of colours were spotted at Prada.

Honourable mention goes to the fine knit category, as the flattering and versatile textile continues to rise in popularity as we continue to seek out the ideal combination of comfort and style. Tod’s played with a tailored hourglass silhouette in a range of fine knit polos, dresses and midi skirts, showcasing just how this minimalist trend is likely to play out in the coming autumn/winter months.

As big fans of fine knit trend ourselves at Gen Woo, we couldn’t be more excited! Look out for our latest fine knit collections here.

2000s Renaissance

(Left) Sheer Gucci fitted long-sleeve tee with red a-line midi skirt and indigo accessories. (Right) Cormio crop orange argyle vest with distressed denim mini skirt and football boots/socks.

Caption: Left: Gucci A/W 23 Milan Fashion Week. Right: Cormio A/W 23 Milan Fashion Week. Imagery: Tagwalk

Moving on from the great Alessandro Michele’s neo-romantic, structured designs, Gucci are one of many fashion houses leaning into the Y2K fashion trend with their most recent collections. Their Milan autumn/winter show featured a myriad of era-defining elements, from sheer mesh crew necks to low-riding midi skirts.

In a similar fashion, Cormio cites their own teenage years and 2000s icons such as Avril Lavigne and Amy Winehouse as influences for their sporty-feminine A/W23 collection. Highlights include acid wash micro skirts, argyle-esque vests - and ballet flats of course, to round off the look.

Our take from it? The noughties trend isn’t going anywhere any time soon!

Maxi(mum) Style

While skirts at Milan fashion week may have been going micro, the pendulum swings to the other end of the spectrum with this season's biggest outerwear trends.

(Left) Roberto Cavalli brown fur coat with slight train and pink leopard print lining. (Right) Moschino sheer black maxi dress with slight train, paired with cropped black leather jacket.

Caption: Left: Roberto Cavalli A/W 23 Milan Fashion Week. Right: Moschino A/W 23 Milan Fashion Week. Imagery: Tagwalk

Much like the previous autumn/winter trends, trench coats, overcoats and generally floor-sweeping outer layers took precedence throughout designer collections in Milan, with Roberto Cavalli and Moschino among some to experiment with sweeping trains as an emerging trend.

(Left) Yellow floor-length GCDS fur coat over black trousers, white shirt and black necktie. (Right) Red ankle-length Ferragamo fur coat with contrasting panelling.

Caption: Left: GCDS A/W 23 Milan Fashion Week. Right: Ferragamo A/W 23 Milan Fashion Week. Imagery: Tagwalk

GCDS and Ferragamo combine the maxi coat style with this seasons biggest ‘it’ shades and textures, hinting that red and yellow fur greatcoats may just be the hottest look of the season.

Do you have a favourite fashion week trend not on our list? Let us know on our socials - we’d love to have you join in the conversation!

Gen Woo x