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A basic walk isn't enough to cut it on the runway these days, and the shows in Milan Fashion Week 2025 stepped up to the plate. With rollerskate performances and new creative measures explored, these shows proved how fun the runway can be if brands take the time to incorporate theatrics and dare to step out of their comfort zone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While New York's fashion week was impressive, it didn't just end there. Looks are still being cultivated in other major fashion cities. Take Milan and Paris for example. It seems that the creativity in Europe was non-stop. Not only did these big fashion houses showcase fabulous new looks, but they mastered the art of reflecting that for their grandeur runways that showcased their new collection.

 

A prime example is the way DSquared2 has taken social media by storm. The Italian brand, cultivated by twin brothers Dean and Dan Caten, celebrates its 30th birthday this year and has fully embraced the celebratory aspect. The 2025 show opened with new hit sensation Doechii and ended with a bang, as the brothers performed a skit of them getting arrested and eventually walking the runway.

In the same show, the models were brought out to the warehouse set via porsche and cop cars, and chose more stylized walks than a regular catwalk. As much as the runway world is known for only using models as canvases, the audience appreciated seeing models interact with each other, especially as the show was designed to have models stay on stage the whole time. The direction of the show was a refreshing concept that reignited possibilities on the runway. That excitement alone is causing more people to tune back into the art medium. Runway is known to have a strict and uptight nature surrounding it and designers are taking the initiative to disrupt that paradigm.

 

Other shows in the Fall/Winter collection had theatrical elements that captivated the crowd. To honor Fendi’s 100th year, a sentimental approach was taken for their show by having Fendi’s twin grandchildren open the doors. This is not only reflected in the collection of the year, but pays homage to the history of the show by shedding a new sense of appreciation for the brand’s longevity in the fashion scene.

Even Rick Owens, who has been a staple muse to fashion lovers, had pulled creative looks and had models wear fully black contact lenses during his show in Paris earlier in January. Diesel did the same in Milan this week, with his model’s main makeup looks having bold spray paint strokes on their faces. This was all intentionally crafted, as Diesel’s show wanted to bring attention to the bounds of which fashion and designs can go. With designs that go against conventional bodice silhouettes or cuts, Diesel encourages artists to be free in their work. The spray painted set reflected the body of work as well with the intent of his show to “break the bounds within luxury and avant garde.” Creativity isn't radical, it is a necessity for all things art related and fashion should not be excluded from that.

 

Dolce and Gabbana also hopped on the train by beating the stigma that all designs of menswear are lackluster. With the show incorporating a paparazzi concept, it seems that they definitely captured the attention of attendees. It may not be revolutionary but it fit with the idea of “Paparazzi” they were aiming to achieve and conceptually made the experience worth watching. People in the fashion world don’t like boring things. Runway is a dying piece of performance art because we have conformed to such mundane ways of portraying it. 

 

A special celebration shouldn't be the only occasion or reason that propels designers to elevate the artistic levels of their shows. Shouldn’t a new collection be celebrated enough? With critiques on the runway world, it has become apparent that people are straying away from the medium. But with artists communicating the artistic vision behind their design, it humanizes the art form to engage and excite the audience.