Milan Fashion Week officially kicked off its concise but action-packed week of runway shows, presentations and events on Wednesday, Feb. 22 for the fall winter ’23 season.

All eyes are once again on Gucci as it holds its transitional show, after the November departure of former creative director Alessandro Michele, before incoming creative director Sabato De Sarno makes his debut in September for the spring summer ’24 collection.

The week also sees more Y2K-influenced buzz from the likes of Diesel and GCDS, the ever-inventive accessories of Moschino, another riff on kitten heels from Prada and more.

Diesel counts condoms and whale tails

Arguably MFW’s buzziest show of the post-pandemic era, Diesel continued its newfound notoriety on Wednesday when models strutted around a giant mountain of condoms (a nod to an upcoming collaboration with the brand Durex), wearing more of the Y2K-tinged denim, low rises and shredded frocks that creative director Glenn Martens has become known for since joining the brand. This time around, the denim was sans-waistbands and a few pairs featured see-through mesh panels and/or trompe-l’œil low-rise thong whale tales — the real indicator that the 2000s are back.

Prada ups the ante on its bestselling kitten heels

The Prada kitten heel, with its minty or bubblegum colors (paired with the ever-sought-after triangular logo) has become something of a status symbol for those still wearing kitten heels (and for those who might want to try them out for the first time). For fall winter ’23, the brand put forth another round, this time decorating them with origami-like folds and flowers, all  made of soft leather and done in white, black, pink and orange. The shoe also came in a flat style — the now-signature pointy toe stayed the same. All were paired with simple Saffiano leather trapezoid bags destined to continue the brand’s logo-mania dominance.

Etro goes granny-chic with embroideries, shawls and more vintage totems

Always skirting the edge of hippie-chic, Etro went a few decades further back for its fall winter ’23 women’s runway colletion

Max Mara stays true to the camel hue — boots included

Everyone in fashion knowns that camel and Max Mara go hand in hand. So it was no surprise to see the neutral tone dominate the brand’s fall winter ’23 runway show from head to toe — and even lips, as the accompanying beauty looks revealed. In addition to dramatic teddy hoods, chunky knit headbands and thick black leather obi belts, boots were done in a glossy caramel or espresso leather, which matched the brand’s equally shiny duffels.