Milan designers concluded a six-day runway event showcasing womenswear with an awards ceremony at Teatro alla Scala honoring sustainability innovations. The awards were initiated in 2017 to acknowledge eco-friendly advancements in an industry known for excess and to promote better communication from brands regarding their efforts to reduce their carbon footprint.
The Black Carpet Awards returned for their second edition, recognizing excellence among people of color in Italy to encourage equity. British designer Ib Kamara and Angolan supermodel Maria Borges presented awards to individuals like shot-putter Danielle Madam, actor Alberto Malachino, educator Cinzia Adanna Ebonine, Black History Month Florence founder Justin Randolph Thompson, and curly haircare brand founder Alice Edun.
Despite an international audience, many awardees delivered their speeches in Italian to signify their complete integration and self-identification as Italian citizens. Adanna Ebonine emphasized the importance of recognizing the competencies of young Italians of foreign descent to combat marginalization.
Fashion icon Anna Wintour met with the honorees before the ceremony, showing her support for the cause. Michelle Francine Ngonmo, founder of Afro Fashion Week and creator of the Black Carpet Awards, expressed her wish for more sponsors to provide prize money for upcoming editions.
Ferrari’s fashion arm showcased luxury apparel collections inspired by automotive designs to cater to brand enthusiasts. Creative director Rocco Iannone featured leather looks influenced by sports car interiors, introducing innovations like treated leather for a rugged appearance and denim with tactile pinstripes. The hard-case clutch in the shape of a sports car remained a popular accessory.
British-Nigerian designer Tokyo James challenged the fashion industry’s pursuit of perfection by including imperfections like wonky seams in his latest collection. With a call to embrace fluidity and nonconformity, James made a statement against the conventional standards of the industry.
Francesca Liberatore celebrated her father, sculptor Bruno Liberatore, by incorporating his pyramidal structures into her collection. From stylized bell skirts with pyramids to embroidered floral patterns symbolizing roots, the designs showcased a blend of playfulness and wearability inspired by personal stories and family ties.
