Prada! Armani! Versace! Those were just some of the many archive looks that appeared, like Easter eggs, both on the runway and in the front row, at yesterday’s Vogue World: Milano.
“This is the most archive we’ve ever had in any Vogue World,” said Fashion Market Director Naomi Elizée Blue in a pre-show run-through. “It’s pretty incredible what we’ve been able to get.” That’s something of an understatement. To wit: actor Sam Claflin appeared in the Giorgio Armani suit Richard Gere wore in American Gigolo in 1980; Irina Shayk wore a piece from Versace’s 1992 Miss S&M collection, and Jessica Miller stepped out in the lacy slip that Eve Salvail modeled for the designer’s spring 1994 show. There were luxuriously embroidered Romeo Gigli pieces from the ’80s, and a stunner from the archive of Italy’s most sculptural designer, Roberto Capucci. And so much more.
We dug into the archives to track down where each of these pieces first originated on the runways, and to show you how they stack up today. While yesterday’s show was an ode to Italian craftsmanship through the years, it could also be considered something of a meditation on how the country’s fashion is so utterly timeless, no matter what the aesthetic approach. Miuccia Prada’s techno-minimalism or sporty subversions feel as modern today as when they first debuted on the catwalk, whether it be from the 90s or 2010s. The same could be said of Armani’s sensually tailored suiting or Versace’s amped-up, campy drama. Come along with us as we compare and contrast last night’s fabulous Vogue World: Milano outfits with their first appearances on the Italian runway. We think you’ll enjoy what we found.
