Milan Fashion Week: Twins transform from grunge to glam at twin-designed Dsquared2

 Milan Fashion Week took a peek into the next cold weather season with transforming twins at Dsquared2, the introduction of womenswear at Billionaire and the runway debut of luxury streetwear brand Stone Island.

The four days of preview shows include 22 runway shows and 39 presentations.

Some scenes from Milan Fashion Week mostly menswear preview shows for Fall-Winter 2024-25 on Friday.

TWIN TRANSFORMATION AT DSQUARED2

It was a grunge-to-glam twin switcheroo at Dsquared2, the Milan brand founded by Canadian twins Dean and Dan Caten.

Models traversed a gleaming white runway straight from a sci-fi set, one grimy, grungy jean-knit-and-flannel-clad backwoods twin at a time, only to be zapped into a spiffed-up version while passing through a “magic” capsule on the “fashion science laboratory.”

“It’s a transformation from day to night: the day version of twins and the night version of twins,’’ Dan Caten said backstage.

In pops a grimy twin with a tattered T-shirt and snow-splattered jeans under a furry parka, out pops a glammed-up twin in a peek-a-boo ribbon dress and heels. In goes a tussled twin in an open-V teddy bear coat with a cow print, out comes a groomed version in an unbuttoned sheer black blouson with shiny pants.

Twin shows have been done on the Milan runway before — memorably Alessandro Michele’s “Twinsburg’’ show, his last as Gucci's creative director.

But the Catens said they brought their own perspective as identical twins. “This is our point, being two different individuals, with the same face,’’ Dean Caten said.

For the finale, Dan Caten, dressed for the evening in a sheer black top and trousers, zapped into Dean Caten, who emerged after some short-circuiting in drag, to the delight of the fashion crowd.

BILLIONAIRE DEBUTS WOMENSWEAR

German designer Philipp Plein unveiled his latest collection for his luxury Billionaire menswear line with a twist: he added women’s looks for the first time.

As a lounge singer crooned, the Billionaire man strode in the Principe Savoia hotel bar in a warm parka or puffer coat with leather and corduroy detailing over a turtleneck and loose-fitting trousers. He was joined by the Billionaire woman, in long elegant coats matching day wear.

“I wanted to be where everything is going on,’’ Plein said backstage.

CURTAIN FALLS ON STONE ISLAND

Stone Island’s Milan runway debut was a sensorial experience, featuring flashing strobe lights and pulsating music. Models dressed in Stone Island luxury streetwear stood motionless on metal risers, the sound and light making it difficult to discern the looks.

The 41-year-old Italian brand founded with a focus on textile research is following its parent Moncler from luxury activewear onto the runway. But a planned finale to better reveal the looks with a big curtain drop suffered a glitch, and the fashion crowd walked away wondering if they had missed something.