You only need one word to describe Milan Fashion Week Spring 2016: Fun

by Bernadette Morra September 25, 2015

Fun.

It’s the word of the week here at Milan Fashion Week Spring 2016.

Without it, this town is dreadfully dreary. No reason to wake up here except The Last Supper, fashion week and the furniture fair, all of which have limited audiences. The streets are a maze of grey low rises, with the odd ochre one here and there. Landmarks are scarce. You could drive for hours and think you were going in circles. It’s block after block of grey.

But not on the runways where we’ve seen colour! Whimsy! Fun!

Models squeezed through spinning car wash brushes at Moschino in Stop sign graphics that read “Shop” and stripes ripped off of construction cones.

Fendi had sandals with mink flowers and spangles swung from ears and dripped from shoulders at Prada.

The florals at Ports 1961 started from potato prints, like a kid’s craft project and Pucci layered dresses like a little girl playing in her mother’s closet might.

Even MaxMara, a collection that leans to the conservative side, featured whimsical stars and line drawings of ships and doves.

Anything that feels like it takes itself too seriously right now just doesn’t feel right.

And that goes for the people in the audience too.