Following flying drones at the Fendi show a couple of seasons ago and moving décor created by different digital video effects, designers continue to pursue technology in full force this season, and it’s all the rage on the Milan catwalk.  

It’s a race to see who will have the most original idea during the show to create all the hype live on social media or who will showcase the latest trendy technology. Still, the final result isn’t always what’s anticipated…

For Dolce & Gabbanna’s Fall/winter 2016-17 menswear show, which took place Saturday, January 17, they armed certain models with Ipads in order to live film themselves and the audience while walking the runway.

The problem: Models had to play cameraman all while following the fast tempo of the show. On the spot, the images, live streamed on the big screen, were mostly blurry and gave off a feeling of general chaos. Especially when the view was obstructed by a missed placed finger… 

At Versace, the designers opted for a more stable and performant GoPro camera which was well attached to the models chest. Models could then live stream new runway images from inside the show and enrich the online broadcast. 

Still, social media efforts are multiplying. Following in Burberry’s foot steps, Ermenegildo Zegna embarked on his own special online project. He invited five personalities to react online in real time during the show by posting photos and comments with the event hashtag.




 

A couple of days before the show, Prada released on their website images and prints in order to share the inspiration and spirit behind the collection.

Naturally, technical elements are also present in this season’s menswear collections. Sweaters and blazers are now adorned by all sorts of pockets to store phones and other tablets or computers, while accessories like belts and bags are also adapting to this new need.