Time to Toast
Vogue Italia took over Milan's Cinema Manzoni on Friday night to pay tribute to legendary Italian musician Mina Mazzini, who is the focus of the magazine's October issue. The issue features a range of fashion shoots showing famous models, including Gisele Bündchen, Carla Bruni and Mariacarla Boscono, posing as Mina — she dropped her last name as an artist — in different stages of her life and career and captured by international photographers, such as Luigi & Iango, Giampaolo Sgura and Dario Catellani.
“I don't know Mina, unfortunately. But I'm excited to learn about her, the pictures are fabulous. The pictures are amazing, they did an amazing tribute,” said Jeremy Scott, who was among the guests at the party, which included a live performance by drag queen Violet Chachki and a gospel choir.
Asked about his favorite
Mina song, designer Francesco Scognamiglio mentioned “Ma che m'hai imparato a fa.” “It's a great Neapolitan song she covered and that our Maestro Gianni Versace used for his Atelier runway show in Paris in 1993 and which has been the most emotional moment of my life,” he said.
“Mina's songs were the soundtracks of my family trips to the mountains…she really means mum, dad, my childhood,” said MSGM founder and creative director Massimo Giorgetti.
“Mina is also pure entertainment, a force of nature.”
Saturday was all about celebrating women power at the W magazine event, as editor in chief Stefano Tonchi threw a bash to fete the fifth annual issue of the title, one that was entirely curated by Cate Blanchett, who attended the cocktail party.
Sporting a shimmering leopard-print jumpsuit from Italian designer Sara Battaglia, Blanchett made quite an entrance at the party, which was held at Michelin-starred Carlo Cracco's cafe in Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. Other guests included designers Miuccia Prada, Alberta Ferretti and Marco De Vincenzo, as well as Anna Wintour, artist Francesco Vezzoli and YNAP chief Federico Marchetti.
“I thought it was just a very cynical exercise, a very chic cynical exercise but Stefano said, 'No, you sit in my chair, do what you want to do.' It was a very genuine collaboration,” Blanchett noted about her gig as editor of a magazine. The issue was produced entirely by women and features only women. In addition to Blanchett, Katie Grand, Maria Grazia Chiuri, Agnes Varda and Ava DuVernay gave their contributions.
“It's the first time an issue of W magazine is completely edited, photographed and written by women. I sat in the back seat and left the baton to Cate.… She's capable and also someone I knew would have put much effort into it…She didn't just stop on the surface,” explained Tonchi, noting that Milan has proven to be “energetic” and was the right place to celebrate the issue.
Blanchett who attended both the Giorgio Armani show on Sunday morning, as well as The Green Carpet Fashion Awards the same evening, mused that her brief stay in Milan “is kind of a mash-up of really good things.”
W Magazine alum Edward Enninful — now editor in chief of British Vogue — received amfAR's Award of Courage also on Saturday, during the 10th Milan edition of the gala event.
“Growing up in West London in the Eighties, I saw the hostility, fear and rejection that HIV brought to the gay community. Those were difficult times that will never be forgotten. Many men and women refused to surrender in the face of this global crisis and yet today the greatest battle left to fight against HIV is stigma,” he said during his speech. He was introduced on the stage by Adwoa Aboah, the model who appeared on the cover of British Vogue's first issue under the direction of Enninful.
“In a world that is increasingly divided, we must remember: We're more alike than we are different. This is not the disease of others. We all share the responsibility to promote tolerance and compassion for each other within our communities," Enninful said. "British Vogue is about being inclusive, it's about being brave, it's about representing the underrepresented with a voice. My Courage Award goes to all the brave people that continue to drive us forward and not back.”
During the event, amfAR hosted an auction of several artworks and experiences, including tickets for the 2018 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show and two tickets for the 76th Annual Golden Globes. The auction raised a total of $1.2 million.
BY ALESSANDRA TURRA AND MARTINO CARRERA