Here, we share what’s hot at the fall ’19 presentations during Milan Fashion Week.
Weitzman’s New Chapter
For his first collection for Stuart Weitzman, Edmundo Castillo’s first priority was to keep the focus on the “functionality, comfort and practicality” the brand is known for — and that Stuart Weitzman’s loyal consumers have always gravitated toward. “When I began designing this collection, I was inspired by the idea of creating modern footwear with a futuristic sensibility. I reimagined the timeless designs the brand is known for, incorporating sculptural shapes and innovative design elements,” Castillo said. New fabric motifs and opulent embellishments freshen up core styles throughout the collections. Boots — which have driven huge sales at the brand — are key, with versions in vinyl, suede and stretch metallic.
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Aquazzura Goes to La La Land
For its Milan Fashion Week debut, Aquazzura offered up a plethora of bohemian-inspired tall boots and booties inspired by Los Angeles’ laid-back style. Creative director Edgardo Osorio also explored the other side of Hollywood dressing — the red carpet — with elegant strappy sandals and pumps. Why the focus on La La land this season? “It started with a lot of friends of mine moving from New York to L.A. People are dressing down there, but they still want to keep their style and attitude. I was looking at a lot of images from Kate Moss in the 1990s when she was dating Johnny Depp. I loved the way she dressed.”
Feminine Spirit
Glossy materials, feather embellishments and gem-colored hues characterize AGL’s feminine fall collection, which extends across a wide range of styles from loafers and sneakers to booties and boots in wearable heels and wedges.
Hogan’s Winter Adventure
Inspired by the polar north, Hogan is going on an active journey for fall/winter with boots that are both practical and stylish. Faux fur is combined with technical trims, soft rope laces and intricate textures inspired by ice climbing. A new women’s active sneaker is clean and sleek, with a chunky sole. Bags are maxi — and structured parkas and down jackets complete the look.
Factory Flavor
Sergio Rossi teamed up with artist Gary Card, who transformed the brand’s showroom into a modern and refined shoe factory — complete with 6,000 shoeboxes, real lasts and a soundtrack straight from the factory floor. “When I arrived here, the main focus was to establish the factory as the center of this project,” said CEO Riccardo Sciutto. The creative backdrop was used to launch the new “Sergio” collection, which features modern, graphic styles and a geometric archival logo. “I am proud to introduce a new chapter with Sergio, a collection dedicated to the modern woman of today,” Sciutto said. “It represents another step forward for the brand and its greatest strength — being dynamic and unafraid of evolving, yet always staying true to its DNA.”
The Stirrup Reborn
After it spent 2018 celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Brera loafer, Fratelli Rossetti is now shifting its focus to one of its other key styles, the Magenta. First born in 1975 as a men’s and women’s ankle boot, the shoe is named after a Milanese district and is defined by its signature stirrup. Now refreshed updates of the stirrup accent, including bejeweled and metallic versions, appear on pumps and mules.
Rodo’s Rules
The Italian heritage brand, which is launching at Bergdorf Goodman in April, unveiled sleek boots with striped detailing, an ornamental gold heel and pretty flats that incorporated the brand’s signature woven detailing or sparkling embellishments. Bags were multifunctional to carry women from day to night.
Empire Building
Creative director Sandra Choi was inspired by women who “are on a mission and going places” — from Queen Elizabeth II to Lady Gaga. When the designer thinks of strong silhouettes, boots come to mind, and the style was key for the brand this season. A collection of low-heel booties with removable buckles were a standout. Choo unveiled its first monogram — an interlocking J and C — as part of its handbag push. The logo also adorned pumps and booties. “We are quite grown up now. We have [expanded] from a label into a brand,” Choi said. “People want to wear our designs obviously, but it’s marking them, having ownership. Bags need to evolve with proper branding.”
The Streetwear Effect
Giuseppe Zanotti understands the power of the streetwear revolution — and its huge impact on consumer shopping patterns. That’s why the veteran shoemaker is thinking a little differently these days. “I tried to put a lot of details from streetwear and the sneaker universe on a high heel — some neon color, some new materials. I want to make wedges and stilettos more technological, to do some elegant shoes that are less boring,” he said. For fall ’19, the designer offered up a new sneaker named Blabber. Available as both a low-and high-top, the lightweight, minimalist style was inspired by the skate market. Elsewhere, Zanotti took his jewelry shoes to the next level and debuted an oversized Swarovski rose ornament that takes three days to make. The bejeweled embellishment decorates leopard print, zebra, silver and gold sandals with medium, sturdy heels.
Sandal Season
Pedro Garcia, who hosted his presentation in a chic Milan gallery, showed a range of designs including a new satin comfort sandal that was decked out with colored Swarovski crystals. “With this style, we wanted to create a timeless modernity by using the brand’s artisanal and experimental techniques, playing on color, material and proportion, and incorporating luxury elements,” the designer said. The brand also introduced a disco-ball mirrored heel on boots and flats.
Swiss Peaks
Bally took Fashion Week-goers on an imaginary train expedition through the mountains of Switzerland for its fall ’19 presentation. Hiking boots were inspired by archival styles from the 1930s and 1940s, while an evening pump with an eye-catching tongue detail was reminiscent of a Bally shoe in 1937.
Cool Classics
Church’s has reworked its classic brogues by giving them a slightly more tapered upper. The new styles, inspired by country living, include both ankle boots and laced varieties, and are made from black or burgundy polish calf leather. There is a wingtip design on the upper, and each model has a light sole.
Gianvito Rossi
Most of the designer’s fall ‘19 collection was inspired by Helene de Rothschild’s 1972 Surrealist Ball, with statement styles like black and gold mirror sandals with a transparent rubber platform.”It’s about the idea of a platform without actually having one [in a traditional sense],” the designer said of the style. “The rubber is a little soft, so it’s perfect for dancing.” There were also some stunning jewelry shoes. They featured brown diamond briolettes, African rubies and round brilliant diamonds. All were on chains that wrapped around the ankle and can be converted to necklaces. (The looks will only be available for custom order at select Gianvito Rossi boutiques.) And Rossi still had plenty of luxe basics, including a suite of python whose pièce de résistance was neutral knee-high with a slender foot, slightly pointed toe and midheight heel.
The Geox Formula
The brand ups the fashion ante this season with bright colors like fuchsia pink and plum purple paired with metallic detailing in key boot styles. A patchwork of autumnal hues is incorporated on ankle boots, pumps and ballet flats in soft suede leather. Combat boots get an update with a new rubber sole.
Crystal Balls
Paula Cademartori staged her presentation in the Milanese antique shop where she bought her first lamp, and the Swarovski crystals embellishing her shoes glittered alongside the boutique’s chandeliers. Drawing on the mystic properties of precious stones, she also laid on clairvoyants for her guests.
Casadei’s 36 Carat Shoe
The Blade heel on Casadei’s new made-to-order engagement sandal is covered in actual diamond dust, with each pair adding up to a total of 36 carats. At 1,500 euros ($1,701) it’s a steal in comparison with the more traditional token, but prospective grooms, take note. This is not a substitute for a ring; rather an add-on.
Glitter for Days
Nicolo Beretta is a busy man these days. The youngest recipient of FN’s Emerging Designer award in 2016 for his Giannico brand is now creative director at L’autre Chose, for both footwear and ready-to-wear, but he’s making it work by merging the shoe studios of the two labels. We love this all-glitter fall take on his signature Daphne mule.
These Boots Are Made for Driving
Who knew the Attico woman was an avid collector of (white) vintage cars? For fall, she put her foot to the floor in some seriously banging boots. The Western-inflected Attico signature came in rainbow striped lamé (there was also a frock to match), in leopard print pony and with Swarovski-encrusted chevrons. A new addition to the party featured an overblown bow in padded leather — an ultrafeminine take on the motocross boot — in striking black and white colorways.
Genius Alert
The fall ’19 culmination of Moncler’s three-season Genius Project bumped up the numbers to include red-hot emerging designers Richard Quinn (whose fall ’18 show was attended by HM the Queen — you couldn’t make it up) and Matthew Williams’ ALYX line (Williams is a former creative director for Kanye West and Lady Gaga). Quinn reimagined the classic Moncler quilting as thigh-high puffa boots, among other things, in technicolor stripes, polka dots, ’60s florals and animal prints. The designer creates his own prints in his southeast London studio.
And so to bed …
The Margiela MM6 duvet day theme continues apace with knee-high boots reimagined as sumptuous pillowcases just waiting to be snuggled and cowboy mules in padded nylon. The presentation in the brand’s Via della Spiga store was also open to the public with a limited-edition capsule see-now-buy-now capsule available afterward.
Rene Caovilla Blings It On
Heels inset with diamonds and pearls, Swarovski encrusted slouch booties, pearl-fastened combats and new Caovilla logo sneakers complete with frosted toe caps were just some of the label’s fall ’19 delights.
Argentina Calling
Santoni’s fall presentation was staged as an art exhibition with shoes displayed alongside both traditional illustrations and interactive installations — all by female creatives. What better way to show off an exquisite new line in gaucho boots than pairing each with an old-school telephone in Santoni orange? Guests dialing a random digit were instantly connected with a sultry voice telling a tale of Argentina.
Want more?
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Fendi’s Fall 2019 Show Had Bright Boots and a Tribute to Karl Lagerfeld
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