From Prince and Lil Nas X to Aphex Twin, these were the sounds of MFW

As brands increasingly ditch the music – consider the most recent Burberry and Balenciaga shows – in favour of the awkward rustle of fabric and the odd clop of a stiletto, we are perhaps reaching a turning point with the conventional fashion show score. An emerging trend for stillness would suggest that certain designers are no longer satisfied with drowning their audience in cavernous house beats, opting to cut through the noise altogether so that their clothing “does the talking”. That being said, as Milan Fashion Week unfurled and blockbuster fashion houses made their IRL runway return, an earthshaking soundtrack soon accompanied. And as much as a moment of silence might demand reverence or memorial – Riccardo Tisci’s SS22 offering was dedicated to his late mother, while Demna Gvasalia paid homage to Cristóbal Balenciaga – some designers have never kept quiet.

Versace, for example, owes much of its ascendancy in the 90s to the way in which Gianni and Donatella cosied up to famous musicians, aligning their designs with all the proponents of sex and celebrity. Like Prince, who in 1995 became the first artist to model for the label, after distributing branded CDs at a Versace Atelier show the year before. It’s only fitting, then, that Donatella’s biggest venture to date – Fendace – should open with Prince, her original ambassador, and close with Lil Nas X, her most recent. Not to mention tapping Dua Lipa for her SS22 runway two days prior. Those heavyweights stood in stark contrast to London, however, where designers seemingly hopped onto GarageBand themselves, otherwise tapping fledgling DJs to create anonymous SoundCloud mixes for their shows. Below, we round up the sounds of Milan Fashion Week, as heard from its behemoth runways.

To see what else went down at the Milan SS22 shows, check out our round-up here.