After acts in New York, London, Paris, and Los Angeles, Vogue World has touched down in Milan. Taking place on the first day of Milan Fashion Week, the event celebrated the past, present, and future of Italian fashion. Iconic catwalk moments came courtesy of Gigi Hadid, Awar Odhiang, and Vittoria Ceretti, alongside a special performance by Alicia Keys who covered Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love.” Amid the star-studded spectacle, it was, of course, the fashion that truly commanded attention.
Set within the historic Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the runway celebrated Italy’s storied labels, showcasing both archival looks and designs from more recent collections. Prada, Armani, Versace, Ferragamo, and Gucci were among the legacy houses “invited to create one-of-a-kind pieces inspired by the event’s creative theme, and worn by generations of models, from Mariacarla Boscono to Gigi Hadid,” Vogue’s Anna Cafolla wrote.
Curated by Lady Amanda Harlech, Peter Aluuan, and Luca Galasso, the fashion unfolded in six key themes that took us on a journey through Italian fashion history. The show opened with the Renaissance’s ornate embellishments (and Gigi Hadid in a Valentino haute couture gown from Alessandro Michele’s spring 2025 collection; she wore look 17 to be exact). Next came the Industrial Revolution, represented by classic tailoring from Giorgio Armani, Gucci, and Brunello Cucinelli.
Cardi B took part in the Patterns section of the show—which paid homage to Italy’s love of bold, colorful prints. The rapper was dressed in a spring 2018 Versace dress featuring pop-art renditions of past Vogue covers. The show wouldn’t be complete without a homage to Italian cinema’s bombshells, embodied by models Ashley Graham, Xiao Wen Ju, and Irina Shayk. MGK and Alex Consani brought sporty-chic to the runway next (both looks are part of the show’s fourth act, “The Age of Intelligence”). A series of ethereal white lace looks, along with a constellation of 6,000 floating paper objects designed by Jony Ive’s LoveForm creative studio, concluded the show.
Ahead, a closer look at the fashion seen on the Vogue World: Milan runway—with ideas on how to work the themes into your own wardrobe this fall.
Rich Fall Florals
Gigi Hadid set the tone for the show in a period-inspired dress from Valentino’s spring haute couture 2025 collection; creative director Alessandro Michele’s first couture collection for the house. The dress—crafted from recycled Venetian quilts and which took about 1,680 hours to make—represented the labor and love of handicraft. Her opening ensemble was followed by lustrous jacquards, rich embellishments and ornate, moody florals—textures and prints you can more easily incorporate in your fall wardrobe.
