Media 15 April 2021

FALL-WINTER 2022/2023 TRENDS
Press Release

The 33rd edition of Milano Unica presents “Magnificent Passions” for the trends of Fall-Winter 2022/2023.

The theme springs from the desire to identify an ideal aesthetic centred on certain powerful and common emotions that characterise our contemporary world at a global level.

“Magnificent Passions” are nothing more than our desires, hopes, ideals and conscious and unconscious impulses taken from the depths of our inner selves, stored in our heads and hearts, which become a catalyst for growth and understanding of the world.

Of all conceivable passions, Milano Unica has identified six, the best known and most widely recognised.

«We have divided “Magnificent Passions” into Personal, Social and Planetary to give an idea of their universality. The drive for healthy nutrition with the mirage of longevity, the pursuit of an ideal of beauty and physical perfection, achieved through gym sessions and cosmetic surgery or, for example, the common interest in ecology, are some of the emotional drives or passions we have chosen for our Milano Unica trends. After all, trends are nothing more than aesthetic forecasts fuelled by culture, feelings and, precisely, passions, mixed with pragmatism and a dreamy dimension», explained artistic director Stefano Fadda.

“Magnificent Passions” are divided into Personal, Social and Planetary Passions. Within these three macro trends, we have identified a series of “Stories”, to use a term optioned by social media. The first passions include Betrayal and Food, while the second passions include Beauty and Christmas. Lastly, Planetary Passions include Ecology and Technology.

PERSONAL PASSIONS: Betrayal and Food.

Betrayal is a story of passion, seduction, overwhelming love and Eros.

In the background are bourgeois ambiances, discreet elegance and middle class respectability that become intriguing when the seeds of transgression take hold, triumphing with the game of seduction and finally betrayal.

We are in the realm of lingerie and precious silks, of chaste demi -couture fabrics that conceal mischievous transparencies, and weaves that reveal bare skin.

The style is sophisticated and precise using high-quality materials whose workmanship makes them even more precious.

Food is inspired by the passion for healthy nutrition and is linked to the very contemporary theme of longevity. Added to this is another global desire to return to the origins and to nature, not least through the ritual of elemental foods, starting with roots, wild herbs, edible flowers and fermentations. It is the food proposed by a botanical “nouvelle cuisine”, simple and contemplative, almost monastic, respectful of natural rhythms and anti-waste and, in any case extremely aesthetic.

A theme that, starting from the minimalist dishes of Michelin-starred cuisine, becomes the catalyst for a healthy mindset that encourages new priorities and new aesthetics, more innocent but at the same time more mindful.

The style is simple, the materials are natural, and fibres are natural. The minimalism of this “Story” evokes rural simplicity as well as the wisdom of timeless traditions.

SOCIAL PASSIONS: Beauty and Christmas.

Beauty is a cultural trope fuelled by the need to always look our best, pursuing aesthetic ideals often imposed by social media. The focus here is the body with its carefully planned physicality, from workout sessions at the gym and appointments at the surgeon’s, with pampered skin, a rejuvenated face, and smoothed out wrinkles. This is a type of hedonism that art has often desecrated and fashion sublimated. Although, thanks to the latter, something is changing with the introduction of important concepts such as inclusion, and acceptance of curvy shapes and genderlessness.

Somewhat ironic, the style references cosmetic codes by proposing bleaching washes, bandage-like weaves, glossy coatings and bombastic silicone finishes.

Christmas is about the desire for celebration, family and childhood that each of us feels. As soon as Halloween is over, the Christmas shopping frenzy begins, which knows no geographical boundaries and transcends all religious beliefs. It is a million-dollar business that reveals our need for warmth and, more than ever, for lavish and festive rituals.

The style is glittering, sumptuous, made of velvets, brocades, Lurex and gold, perfect for celebrating.

PLANETARY PASSIONS: Ecology and Technology.

Ecology is a very important theme at Milano Unica and is perhaps the most ethically acceptable passion. Zero kilometre, energy saving and recycling, are fundamental actions of industry and individual behaviour. The circular economy points to the durability of high quality fabrics and accessories, upcycling inspires changes of use, manipulation and new combinations of materials in which artisanship and industrial elements interact.

The style is experimental because it reinvents new textures and promotes the reuse of renewed fibres enriched with new natural materials for a sophisticated vintage feel.

Technology. We use it and abuse it. We love it and we distance ourselves from it, but we cannot do without it. Because in the end it has changed our lives, the way we think and above all the way we relate to each other. Technology in this context is seen at the level of representing what is make-believe, that is, the ability to suggest other worlds, to create other realities.

It is a glorification of the fake as a creative and alternate dimension: a rendering of reality in its most plausible and attractive form with eco furs in technical wool, 3D camouflage and chrome, stolen from virtual worlds.