After fashion shows, brands often send out a list of celebrity guests (or “VIPs”) who will watch from the front row. The attendees are friends and ambassadors of the brand, often in line with the brand’s aesthetic or values. Although brands today have very different interpretations of “very important”, it seems all the brands in Milan have reached a consensus on one guest: Marina Abramovic.
While Milan Fashion Week attendees saw some truly stunning garments in the Spring 2025 collections, they likely also saw the Serbian artist. Abramovic’s fashion week circuit rivals that of the pros: Her shows include Fendi, Jil Sander, MM6, Prada, Versace, Ferrari, Ferragamo and Dolce & Gabbana. She stuck to her own dressing style: long coats, big sunglasses and neutral tones with pops of red.
Abramovic is no stranger to fashion. In 2015, she served as the artistic director of Riccardo Tisci’s Spring 2016 collection. Tisci customized a white peace sign dress for Abramovic’s 2024 Glastonbury performance. However, the artist doesn’t let her front-row status stop her from delivering unbridled criticisms of the fashion industry. “The fashion industry is in a state of crisis,” she told José Criales-Unzueta of Esquem Runway ahead of the Glastonbury Festival. She added, “It’s recycling different designers for different brands; it’s all about the material. I discovered that and I don’t feel guilty about fashion anymore.”
Hopefully, between Prada’s evening coats and Ferragamo’s growing ballet influence, Marina Abramovi can order the fashion world to stop living in a state of crisis.
