Something tells me that Glenn Martens either just lived through a marathon of nightlife or is mourning the parties he’s missing. Hard to tell, given the guy’s busy juggling Diesel and Maison Margiela. Either way, Milan Fashion Week kicked off with a lineup of models that looked like hungover ghosts had raided their closets after surviving every Milanese minibar.
I don’t think anyone who spent their Tuesday afternoon navigating CNMI’s Fashion Hub on Milan’s Via Moncucco 35 expected to walk into what looked like a very funky ragpicker’s yard. In reality, it was a massive immersive installation of repurposed items. Picture a motorcycle next to a nutcracker statue, in front of a Renaissance dress, a colorful umbrella behind it with a unicorn underneath, a giant wedding cake nearby, and an actual car just a few steps ahead, surrounded by clowns, rocking horses, and martini glasses. I felt mildly threatened by an alarmingly huge chicken, though little pink flamingos sprinkled around somehow made it all okay. The entire spectacle was Diesel memorabilia dating back to 1978, which fits perfectly with the brand’s love affair with upcycling, Successful Living, and Glenn Martens’ idea of a collection about waking up in a stranger’s living room.
Tank tops and cardigans looked like they’d been wrestled from closets in a panic, layered over creased denim paired with unexpected patterns, and cozy blankets turned into outerwear. Florals peeked out of collars and cuffs as if the wearer had grabbed whatever was lying closest, while skirts and dresses were shaped in playful disorder, like they’d been grabbed mid-hustle from a bedroom floor. Deconstruction, mix-and-match, volumes, florals, faux fur, and splashes of bright color turned the runway into a sort of stylish scrapyard. By the end, you weren’t sure whether you’d seen fashion or a very good-looking, post-party fever dream, and honestly, you didn’t want to know the difference.
