MILAN (AP) — The independent Italian fashion label Simon Cracker criticized the luxury fashion industry with an upcycled collection showcased during Milan Fashion Week on Sunday, reflecting on what they perceive as lost eras of quality and creativity.
The coed designs, crafted from reclaimed and deadstock fabrics, materials, and accessories, included a playful jab at Hermes’ coveted Birkin bag, with the creators illustrating the distinctive hardware on leather bags or screen-printing images of the sought-after bag onto sweaters.
Co-creative directors Simone Botte and Filippo Biraghi expressed their delight over Walmart’s recent release of what many considered a Birkin imitation while they were developing this collection.
“People have become disenchanted with fashion,” Biraghi remarked. “For 20 years, they have been misled. With 50 wars raging globally and climate change impacting us, we are all becoming less affluent. The correlation between price and value has severed. At some point, it becomes unsustainable.”
Hallmarks of the Collection
A model showcases a piece from the men’s and Women’s Simon Cracker Fall-Winter 2025-2026 collection, presented in Milan, Italy, on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Luca Bruno
The collection humorously critiques the archetypal Milanese signora, or sciura, with quirky tweed ensembles, a foulard, and even a tiny dog. Each silhouette is distinct, crafted from garments the duo salvages from dry cleaners and other sources, as models embody their personas with relaxed postures and exaggerated runway strides.
The brand has also extended its partnership with Doc Martens, featuring designs embellished with trompe l’oeil ballerina shoes. Occasionally, skirts, collars, and decorative fringe were made from shiny tinsel packaging, and ribbons adorned the footwear.
The show concluded with an ensemble completely draped in luxury tags from Biraghi’s own wardrobe amassed over time. “We are poking fun at affluence,” he stated.
Luxury Sector in Decline
The Simon Cracker runway commentary occurs at a time when the luxury sector is struggling — analysts suggest it is in urgent need of reform.
A recent report from McKinsey consultancy and The Business of Fashion found that leading brands are encountering a considerable deceleration this year, following four years of remarkable growth from 2019 to 2023, during which the sector saw a compounded annual growth rate of 5% despite the pandemic.
Most of this growth — around 80% — stemmed from price hikes rather than genuine innovation, according to the McKinsey-Business of Fashion report.
The Bain consultancy similarly anticipates a 2% contraction for 2025, marking the first decline since the Great Recession, excluding the pandemic year of 2020. The report cited a crisis in creativity alongside global unrest.
This outcome does not come as a shock to Botte and Biraghi.
“If a garment lacks intrigue, if it fails to narrate a story, if there is no creativity present, who really cares?” Biraghi remarked. “We already possess an abundance of clothing. We don’t need additional pieces.”
Fostering Community
Italian singer Chiara Galiazzo attended the show in a pinstripe and plaid jacket accentuated with sky blue hues, paired with royal blue Bermuda shorts and matching painted boots. She expressed her attraction to the brand’s authenticity.
“I feel like I belong to a community,’’ she shared post-show. “This is something significant, and it’s incredibly enjoyable.”
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