These 5 Striking Trends From Milan Made Me Do a Double-Take

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(Image credit: Marni )

Milan Fashion Week went digital this season, following in the footsteps of Copenhagen, New York, and London. To state the obvious, the event looked different this time around, but the wondrous looks more than made up for the lack of stylish spectators. We didn't get street style or front row photos, but designers gave us plenty of pizazz on the runway. 

It was tough to narrow down some of my favorite highlights from the Milan collections this season because there were so many: fantastical iridescent dresses, hyperbolic accessories, bright colors, somber suits, badass leather pants, and much more. As expected, Italian blue-chip brands like Valentino, Prada, Fendi, and Tod's all played to win. Scroll down to see 5 top trends from the week. 

XXL Bags

The Milan collections just put your trusty tote bag to shame. You can fit pretty much anything in these behemoth bags, and especially in the almost-comically-large one at Marni. 

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Fendi
(Image credit: Fendi)

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Marni
(Image credit: Marni)

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Tod's
(Image credit: Tod's)

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Prada
(Image credit: Prada)

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Alberta Ferretti
(Image credit: Alberta Ferretti )

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Iridescence 

Prismatic fabrics made a major statement in Milan this season. I loved how Giorgio Armani made it wearable with an adorable iridescent vest. 

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Marni
(Image credit: Marni)

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Giorgio Armani
(Image credit: Giorgio Armani)

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Dolce & Gabbana
(Image credit: Dolce & Gabbana)

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Dolce & Gabbana
(Image credit: Dolce & Gabbana)

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Gloves

MM6 Maison Margiela, Prada, and Fendi all showed gloves for a range of outfits, proving just how versatile the often-overlooked accessories are. 

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MM6 Maison Margiela
(Image credit: MM6 Maison Margiela)

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Prada
(Image credit: Prada)

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Fendi
(Image credit: Fendi)

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Capes

Capes have been bubbling for a couple of seasons, but MFW F/W 21 just took them to the next level. I particularly enjoyed the monochrome looks at Fendi and Valentino. 

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Fendi
(Image credit: Fendi)

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Valentino
(Image credit: Valentino )

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Prada
(Image credit: Prada)

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Marni
(Image credit: Marni)

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Valentino
(Image credit: Valentino)

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Max Mara
(Image credit: Max Mara)

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Cascading Ruffled Necklines

After the dominance of statement collars in recent months, perhaps we'll soon see the return of vintage-inspired jabots, which are decorative ruffles that cascade down from the neck. 

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Max Mara
(Image credit: Max Mara)

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Valentino
(Image credit: Valentino)

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Giorgio Armani
(Image credit: Giorgio Armani)

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Next, I picked 26 spring buys based on sensational vintage items I can't afford

Associate Director, Fashion News

Erin got her start as a Who What Wear intern over 13 years ago—back when the site only published a single story per day. (Who What Wear has since increased that number twentyfold.) She graduated magna cum laude from USC, which is how she ended up moving to Los Angeles from her hometown of San Diego. In college, she also interned at Refinery29, where she was promoted to editorial assistant and then assistant editor. After nearly three years at R29, she came back to WWW in 2016, where she currently holds the title of Associate Director of Fashion News (as well as the unofficial title of resident royal expert—in case you haven't noticed her numerous Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton stories). She spends her days trying to incorporate her idols, Anna Wintour and Roger Federer, into as many stories as possible. Outside of work, she loves tennis, classic rock, traveling, and smothering her dog with affection.