Milan Fashion Week goes on under shadow of Russian attack

Milan Fashion Week continued Thursday under the shadow of the Russian attack on Ukraine and the possible economic repercussions as the West moves toward tighter sanctions

APTOPIX Italy Fashion Prada F/W 22-23 (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Milan Fashion Week continued Thursday under the shadow of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the possible economic repercussions as the West moves toward tighter sanctions.

The head of the Italian fashion council said more than 1 billion euros worth of luxury exports to Russia could be at risk, even as Russian buyers return to Milan for the first time since the pandemic thanks to a deal brokered with the government to recognize the Sputnik V for business travelers.

“If things continue like this, there will be damage,’’ Carlo Capasa, president of the Italian National Fashion Chamber, told The Associated Press. “But it is not even the moment to think about the economic damage, but instead the damage that man does to himself.”

Highlights from Thursday’s shows:

PRADA’S PRAGMATISM

Make way for the Prada tank top as the new staple for next winter as Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons mark the second year of their creative collaboration.

The simple white branded tank grounds a collection that employs the sheers of eveningwear as durable daytime looks layered with practical tanks and panties, enveloped in masculine overcoats made pretty with wispy faux fur and feathers applied like arm bands.

The skirt of the season is made in three tiers, like confections, mixing up leather, knits, velvet and sheers, sometimes adorned with sequins and rhinestones. It all has the air of upcycling and easily personalized looks.

Jackets also had feminine cutouts, and were adorned with thick ornamental chains that drape, without enclosing. They were worn with sturdy pleated wool skirts with a 1950s flair.

Simons said the collection echoes “revolutionary moments in Prada’s history.”

“The collection is about the history of women, the history of people, not the history of fashion,’’ Prada said in notes.