Before the AW17 show today in Milan, Missoni had posted teasers of the upcoming collection citing the Monte Rosa as the inspiration behind the season. The Monte Rosa is a beautiful mountain that makes up the view from Missoni headquarters; so this was to be a collection close to home and to Angela Missoni’s heart.
Sure enough, the scene for the show had the Monte Rosa itself as the backdrop to the runway. Gigi Hadid was the first model to take the spotlight in a blue and red checked coat cut close to the body. What followed were patterned knits with a hint of the tribal about them, in non-geometric shapes while rhythmic drumming sounds accompanied. Later in the show, more uniform stripe and square patterns emerged as a more mod and synthesized track played in the background.
Layers were a key feature of the show; long jumper dresses were layered over knitted trousers, long v-neck jumpers were layered over turtlenecks. One white fur coat had a multi-coloured print that mimicked the layers of sedimentary rock; a reference maybe directly taken from the mountain itself.
A lot of the models had a knitted scarf wrapped around their neck. They were great for adding to the layered effect and perfect for those who like the brand’s aesthetic but aren’t brave enough to take on the head to toe look; a smart commercial move.
For the evening looks, there were lurex knitted dresses with flattering patterned panels, and a couple of beautiful strapless dresses that were knitted but also structured around the chest to give them support and great shape.
To finish the show there were cosy looking chunky cream knit jumpers and jumper dresses styled with red tights and shoes. The pieces had multi-coloured front panels, some with red hearts, some with the symbol of Venus injecting a little girl power to the collection.
For the finale walk, each model had acquired a pink knitted beanie hat with two pointed peaks giving a subtle cat ear effect. After they had finished their final loop, the models lined up in front of the Monte Rosa backdrop and in a surprise twist, Angela Missoni stood up and made an announcement. She invited everyone to join her on the catwalk and said, ‘let’s show the world that the fashion community is united and fearless.’ The runway filled with bodies as the band sung out ‘people have the power’ in a positive and uniting end to the show.
