MILAN- London designer Feben opened the final day of Milan Fashion Week with a show that was refreshing and diverse in every way, both in terms of size and race.
I think the reason you don’t see that is because you don’t see a lot of black women in creative roles, said the designer, who is originally from Ethiopia and grew up in Sweden.
His latest collection was sponsored by Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana as part of their ongoing program supporting young talents.
Obviously because I want to feel seen, and I think everyone should feel seen, regardless of their body type or skin color. And I think it’s really important to have more people on board who come from different parts of the world. And I think that makes a huge difference, Feben said, adding that the fashion world should not hesitate to discuss such issues. There is nothing wrong with these problems. We just need to find a solution.
Highlights from the final day Sunday of Milan Fashion Week, consisting mainly of womenswear previews for Fall/Winter 2024-25.
Swedish brand Rave Review, founded in 2017 by Livia Schuck and Josephine Bergqvist, picked up where Feben left off on Sunday with a cast of models of all shapes, races and ages for their brand’s latest collection of fully upcycled clothing.
That’s always been important to us, Schuck said backstage. We really wanted to show the real girl wearing the clothes. That’s really essential.
The collection is based on the thrifting of your grandmother’s wardrobe and the new life of clothes. Checkered fabrics sewn at an angle into skirts and tops made from argyle sweaters formed the heart of the collection. Men’s ties became belts or chokers. There was something for every body type, from short skirts to body-hugging dresses and overcoats.
When we started, we didn’t see as many brands getting into upcycling. Now there are more, which is great, Bergqvist said. After launching primarily with home textiles and making a splash with outerwear made from blankets, Rave Review is now adding deadstock to its materials.
In an act of inclusion, Bergqvist brought her baby with her for the final bow.
Francesca Liberatores brought her passion for theater to the Milan Conservatory, presenting her latest collection in three parts with the collaboration of the Alpine Symphony Orchestra.
The show in the conservatory’s packed auditorium opened with models in punk outfits marching around the auditorium to the sound of timpani drums. The orchestra took its seats, wearing individualized-looking violinists in peach and blue skirts, or light blue pants with alpine flower patterns, a cellist in a bright turquoise suit instead of the usual black.
A third group of models dressed in black symphonic garb and tall headdresses adorned with spotlights entered one by one, turning on each musician’s lights, then they picked up their instruments and joined the music.
The fashion and music show ended with Hayden’s Farewell Symphony, written in protest, and each musician put down their instruments, turned off their music stand lights and left the stage after finishing.
Liberatore said she did not have a specific protest in mind.
