Could it be a deep-seated trend? In the spring of 2023, the "discreet luxury" movement made its appearance following Gwyneth Paltrow's trial for a skiing accident. The actress made her mark by wearing timelessly chic outfits to court every day, devoid of any ostentatious signs of wealth, but all from luxury labels. After several seasons marked by the predominance of logos, exaggerated volumes, and a sexy but trashy aesthetic that has been brought back from the 2000s, quiet luxury, in its original version, seems to be carving a serious place for itself on the catwalks of Milan Fashion Week, held from September 19 to 25.
Fendi still played a little with its "F" logo, which remains present on the bags, but the overall tone is sober. Designer Kim Jones was inspired by the timeless beauty of Rome, in particular the Colosseum, daily inspiration along the route of his office commute. For the show, there was no amphitheater in sight, but there were monumental white statues of Fendi bags in front of which posed graceful women dressed for every occasion. Some wore a simple monochrome turtleneck knit dress (that subtly uncovered one shoulder), while others played with color like aniseed-toned pinstripe pants under an ochre trench coat and vermilion gloves.
Eveningwear took the form of a long, sky-blue dress, like a satin sheet layed nonchalantly over the body. The audience, made up of an array of 50-something stars (Kate Moss, Demi Moore, Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell...), embodied the ideal customers for this tasteful wardrobe, whose straight lines and precision are sometimes a little cold.
For its part, Max Mara offered a sunnier version of quiet luxury, inspired by a theme that is anything but lavish: the daily life of the British Women's Land Army, the 80,000 rural and urban women who, during the Second World War, took on farm work to feed the nation while the men were off fighting.
To give character to his workwear pieces, designer Ian Griffiths cut them from thick white cotton canvas, dyed them separately, then machine-dyed them to shade their color and "give each piece a unique character." The result was very convincing, from the big, collarless, indigo, trench coats, to the royal blue apron dresses, to the magenta playsuit, to the buttercup yellow shirts, to the pants with emerald patch pockets, to the ochre jackets.
At Ferragamo, too, the source of inspiration was far from opulence: Maximilian Davis took an interest in arte povera – the avant-garde art movement that emerged in Italy in the 1960s – which favors the use of natural or reclaimed materials. The designer transposed the idea of elevating elemental materials through creation, by working with simple cotton and linen canvases that he embroidered onto satin capes or treated to blend with leather. "I wanted things to be light, both in terms of fabric and construction, but also in terms of the lines. I wanted this collection to be pure and honest, yet interesting to the touch," explained the designer. In any case, the collection is bursting with ideas, from body-wrapping togas with abstract patterns to suits with sleeves slit to the shoulders, to form-fitting dresses in stiff leather, illuminated by large, jewel-like silver clasps.
While they're not highlighting their logos, discreet luxury brands do tend to promote the quality of their craftsmanship. And it is exactly what Tod's is doing: celebrating "made in Italy." The company invited its guests into the workshops where the sets for Milan's La Scala are made: models make their way between the columns and plaster sculptures that will be used for the next production of Verdi's Don Carlos opera, which is premiering in December.
For his latest collection at Tod's, designer Walter Chiapponi drew inspiration from the 1990s –the decade dominated by the minimalism of Prada and Helmut Lang – to design a tastefully perfect wardrobe in which women look comfortable. Suits are formal yet supple (because they have no lining), pleated skirts are worn with skin-tight jackets and a sienna shirt-dress is enough to make a statement. Deceptively simple and skillfully cut, this collection also has the merit of not projecting a vision of an imaginary woman.
This is also the strength of Jil Sander, who is capable of creating a collection that looks good without seeming to think about it. Designers Luke and Lucie Meier didn't bother with concepts; They played on contrasts, between feminine and masculine, the every day and the glamorous, all supported by highly advanced technical research and exquisite materials. The show opened with an almond-green dress, whose fine-knit top contrasted with the opulence of the gathered, thick-wool skirt; the model was also wearing a light cap and a necklace of large, sparkling stones. From a pale pink coat that was a little too wide, to a large black trench coat, to a white poplin dress embroidered with openwork, to an XXL shirt that hid the wearer's hands, to a long ivory dress simply decorated with two metallic circles at the shirt collar, sometimes it doesn't take much to look elegant.
Translation of an original article published in French on lemonde.fr; the publisher may only be liable for the French version.