Milan Fashion Week Favourites: AW17

This season marks my first post on Milan Fashion Week, though I always follow the shows I usually end up becoming too busy to have time to blog about them. However, I was determined to write about my favourites collections from each major city for AW17 and I'm impressed by my own time management which has allowed me to do so alongside researching for my final major project. Designers who show at Milan know how to stage amazingly extravagant runway shows, making it that much harder to select favourites, but these are the collections that stood out for me this season:

F E N D I

I couldn't not include Fendi in my favourites this season purely because of those statement-making red over-the-knee boots which won me over upon first look. Paired with crisp tailoring and sheer flowing skirts and dresses, the footwear becomes less Pretty Woman-esque and more chic with a side of sass. My favourite look was the shirt dress and blazer worn by Bella Hadid but there's definitely something to be said for the check-print suiting that opened the show too, which seems set to be a huge trend for AW17. 

M A X  M A R A

The Max Mara AW17 collection is so ideal that it's probably one of my favourites from the entire season, incorporating everything I love about Autumn/Winter dressing. Similarly to Michael Kors, the looks sent down the runway provide the perfect examples of how to master tonal dressing (something I would love to achieve), whether your choice of colour be red, camel or black. The relaxed tailoring looks effortless but sophisticated, paired with sheer turtleneck jumpers, and the outerwear is actual perfection. Best of all, however, is the endless amount of the most sumptuous-looking velvet I've ever seen.

D I E S E L  B L A C K  G O L D

The Diesel Black Gold AW17 collection has a very urban and slightly grungy feel to it, contemporary while giving a nod to the 90s, featuring ribbed knits, dark-wash denim and leather. Longline and oversized silhouettes make looks appear effortless, while pinstripes and waist-cinching belts smarten things up a bit. My favourite piece is a patent leather and shearling jacket, which would be perfect for the transitional period between Autumn/Winter and Spring/Summer.

V E R S A C E

When I think of power dressing, Versace is always a brand that spring to mind and this season didn't let me down on that front. Blazers with strong shoulders, bold prints and garments emblazoned with words like "courage" and "unity", this collection is made for women seeking to visualise their empowerment through their wardrobe. Versace collections always make me want to inject more bright colours into my wardrobe and red is one that has be recurring throughout MFW; the postbox red sweater layered over a blue pinstripe shirt and paired with leather trousers is a look that particularly calls out to me. 

E R M A N N O  S C E R V I N O

This collection is another of my favourites across all of the AW17 shows. I was at first taken by the ultra-feminine lace dresses as anything supremely pretty always manages to entice me, but what I actually love is how they were styled. Paired with black leather over-the-knee boots, longline coats, exquisitely cut blazers and glamorous fur collars, each dress took on a different vibe that would be unachievable when simply worn alone with heels. Always a lover of subtle contrasts, my preference has to be the partnering of paler coloured dresses with dark leather boots, glimpsed through the sheer lace, assisting at toughening the looks up.

P H I L O S O P H Y  D I  L O R E N Z O  S E R A F I N I

You know it's going to be a good show when you are obsessed after just seeing the opening look - that's how I felt about the AW17 collection from Philosophy, with that amazing black and white spotted animal-print coat. The collection achieves a perfect balance of pretty and sassy, with an equal amount of patent leather, lace and ruffles included (all winners in my book). Between the numerous prom-like dresses, the tailoring and sheer lace blouses stand out as my favourite pieces.

Milan may have overtaken New York as favourite fashion city for me this season, with so many collections that I absolutely adore, but I now look forward to seeing the rest of what Paris has to offer. All I can say is, so far, the trends for AW17 look very promising meaning my bank balance is sure to suffer.