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Dani Parisi
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Marissa Galante Frank
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Dani Parisi
Hello and welcome back to the Glossy Podcast. I'm senior fashion reporter Dani Parisi and I'm here with our international reporter Zofia Zviglinska. Hello, Zofia. How's it going?
Zofia Zviglinska
Yeah, good. Lovely to be on again.
Dani Parisi
Good to see you. We are continuing our Fashion Month coverage in which we're covering all of the big fashion weeks and looking at it from a buyer's perspective. So Milan Fashion Week just wrapped up and Sophia, I know you talked with a buyer about the recent shows. Who did you speak to?
Zofia Zviglinska
Yeah, so I had Bloomingdale's fashion director Marissa Galante Frank on and we spoke a little bit about the show. Obviously she kind of manages a bit more than just the buying side for Bloomingdale's. Also kind of the displays, the brands, the VIPs. So we spoke a lot about those as well as some of the most incredible shows that happened in Milan, whether that was Prada, the debut from Merrell, Mani Gucci as well from Demna as well, Bottega, Veneta and others as well.
Dani Parisi
Yeah, I know we're gonna get into it in a minute, but can you give us a quick what's the overall takeaway or vibe from Milan compared to London and New York?
Zofia Zviglinska
Yeah, I think that there was a lot of interesting kind of layering in Milan, which I think is quite a unique thing. It doesn't seem like there was a lot of total looks. Everything was kind of made to go together in different ways. With Prada's show, in particular, I think was a great example of that. And we spoke with Marisa about that and kind of the way that they were disrobing throughout the Runway, which I think was really cool. But you have to listen to the conversation to get into the insight there.
Dani Parisi
All right, well, let's end our little intro there and listen to your conversation with Marissa.
Zofia Zviglinska
So, Marissa, thank you for joining me.
Marissa Galante Frank
Thank you for having me. I'm so excited to be here, and
Zofia Zviglinska
it's obviously such a great time to be talking about Milan. You know, Tell me, jumping straight in. What were your favorite shows?
Marissa Galante Frank
Oh, my gosh. There's so much to talk about regarding Milan. I love Milan. Prada was definitely my standout favorite, I would say every season. That's definitely the show that so many of us look forward to. And I think this season in particular, I love that marriage between Miuccia Prada and Raf Simmons, of course. And I feel like this time, it was really how Mucha's touch with the layering and the styling, and, you know, it was just. It's just such a constant source of inspiration, her shows, and it's just such a cool concept. It's shocking, honestly, that it hasn't been done before. You know, like, it almost feels so obvious that because it's the way that so many of us dress. Right. So, you know, the fact that she had, you know, a total of 15 models, they each walked four times. One of them, of course, Bella Hadid, which was her first time walking for Prada. So that was very exciting. But, yeah, it was just such a cool way to view their new collection, because it just feels like she was taking the Runway and truly showing us and eventually the customer and the client how to bring it to reality. So it was super cool. Yeah.
Zofia Zviglinska
And just to give our listeners a little bit more background as to what the Prado show was, just in case they didn't get a chance to watch it, models came out, basically, consequently coming out with a layer, disrobed every time. So first that they would come out with outerwear, and then the next time that they would come out, one of those layers would have been removed. Basically, just undressing on the Runway. Not completely. Just a little bit. Seeing all of those little basics and how they were layered was a really interesting part of the collection. And it's not the only show that was interesting this time around. Did you have any other standouts? Maybe Marnie will be taken.
Marissa Galante Frank
Of course. Yeah. I mean, I think this season was interesting because there was a lot of debuts, Right. So I think I was very. You know, I'm a huge Marnie fan. I just think it's, like, unique and fun. So I love Meryl Rogue, and I think that, you know, I love how approachable she is. You know, I think that sometimes it's. I find that it's really interesting to see, you know, your job is your job. Right. But, like, your life is a bigger thing. And I think what I really like about her is she sort of brings, you know, she mashes the two together, and I think that's just so relatable. So it's like, her kids. She has two young kids. They're actually the same age as my kids, and they were, like, backstage with her, you know, and I think that, like, she just did such a beautiful job with honoring Marty's heritage, but giving it a new spirit. You know, Meryl Rogue, she trained under trees, of course. Marc Jacobs. She speaks about her earliest purchase while she was working at Marc Jacobs, being a wooden clog from Marnie. And I just think that's just such a sweet story. And I also, of course, love a female creative director, so that was definitely one of my favorites, for sure.
Zofia Zviglinska
I love that. And what did you think of Jill Sanders? I know that you've had some thoughts out on this already.
Marissa Galante Frank
Shake, shake. I mean, I love Jill Sander. I think what Simone is doing is just. It's great. I think what I really appreciated about Jill Sander was, you know, there was a lot of different versions of sexy on the Milan Runway, right. So there was, like, that overt Tom Ford era Gucci sexy. Right. That Demna gave us. And then in sharp contrast, there was, you know, this, like, sort of beautiful. I'm wearing tailoring, but I have, you know, my back is gorgeous and showing from Jill Sander, you know, which I totally appreciate. Yeah, it was great. I mean, even in the re. See, the. Some of the accessories were just so beautiful. Like, I love the color combinations. I mean, it just is a really nice time to see the house evolve, and I loved it.
Zofia Zviglinska
Yeah, there was some beautiful skirts with very High slits up in Jill Sander. And also a lot of shaping. It feels like the tailoring was very kind of specific. You mentioned Gucci, and obviously it wouldn't be Milan Fashion Week without talking about Demna's debut. Tell me, I guess what you think of the many faces of Gucci, and I guess what Demna is presenting this time round. Cause first Runway show, obviously, we got a little bit of a taste of what it was like last season, but is the first time that something is showing up on the Runway, and it was a see now, buy now collection as well.
Marissa Galante Frank
Sure, yeah. So like you said last time, it was, you know, that beautiful film. Right. With Debbie Moore. And then, you know, we saw all of the beautiful. There's, like, touches of Demna, you know, like, there was a really cool leather jacket with, like a, you know, zipper pull, or there was the Jackie bag that was, like, perfectly worn in. You know, that felt a bit Demna. But I would say, in terms of the Runway collection, what I appreciated about it is that, you know, it didn't necessarily feel like the Demna we used to know. Right. Like, the collection was very sexy, very body conscious. I think, historically, you know, before Demna was at Gucci, he was at Balenciaga. And this was oversized. Right. Like, there was everything from, like, the shoes to the coats, like, it just. Everything was oversized. And at Gucci, what he showed us was, I think could be it was the opposite almost of oversizing.
Zofia Zviglinska
Oh, yeah.
Marissa Galante Frank
Down to the thong, you know, down to the Kate Moss G thong. So it's like, you can't get any less oversized than that. So I appreciated that departure because I think Gucci is such an important house, you know, for Milan fashion, but for fashion in general. Right. So I think that I appreciate that he did that. I also. I'm a huge Alessandro Michelley fan. I'll always have a special place in my heart for him. His show, when he did the Twinsburg show years ago, I was sobbing. I was. I was sobbing. I don't know if you were there, but it was. It was.
Zofia Zviglinska
It was incredible. It was incredible.
Marissa Galante Frank
Oh, my gosh. It was crazy. And. And not just because I had twins in my family. Like, it's just. It's just. I don't know. It was. It was everything. Even the show notes at that show. From that moment on, I became an Alessandra McKelly superfan. So I think, you know, when he left Gucci, I was, like, mourning a bit, but I was. But I do love that Demna, you know, sort of honored him a bit as well. Like the shoe, you know, from his era, I think that was important to show. And then, of course, he was front row, you know, with Donatella. So it was nice to see that synergy and kind of, you know, it was nice to see Demna, I think, thinking about the greater purpose of the house and what they represent and the evolution versus it, just feeling like a demna show. So I appreciate that. I also love Tom Ford Eraguchi. I feel like that was one of the best eras. So, I mean, it definitely pulled on the nostalgia heartstrings, I think, of a lot of people, which is a good move, I think, from a business perspective.
Zofia Zviglinska
I think from those bits with the suiting and the shoes in particular, it kind of felt very Tom Ford. And I don't know if that's maybe just answering what, you know, consumers and buyers are interested in, but do you feel like it still had enough of a Demna flavor to carry the house, I guess, into its next era?
Marissa Galante Frank
I think we shall see. You know, I think that what had to be done with this show, I think, was really he had to capture everyone's attention. I think he had to honor Gucci, and I think he had to, you know, show his version of Gucci. Do I think that Gucci. Do I personally think that Gucci is more than that? Right. I don't think they're just sexy. You know, I think that they are. They are a house that has a beautiful history. You know, they're very much elevated. You know, it doesn't have to be like, you know, just sexy thong Gucci by any means. So I think that that's one part of it. But I think that, you know, we shall see. I think some of the accessories looked good and, you know, could be some strong business drivers. So, you know, I think the fact that he has the horse bit in there, he has the Jackie, he has things that feel collectible. So I think that that's important.
Zofia Zviglinska
Yeah, of course. And, you know, in these situations series that we've been doing with various different buyers from various different department stores, we're asking, you know, what does it take to work with these brands? And Italy, I think, is such a great example of these absolutely mega brands. You know, what does the buy look like for you guys in terms of your perspective? Is it about those accessories only? Are you looking to get into those ready to wear pieces? Are those popular for you? And I guess how does that differ from someone who might have a smaller. Smaller audience?
Marissa Galante Frank
Absolutely. You know, at bloomingdale's we have clients who love everything from these Italian, you know, iconic design houses. Everything from ready to wear to accessories to even beauty. Right. So, you know, I think that when we're figuring out exactly what our version of that assortment will look like, you know, I think there's a few different things that go into play that come into play there. So I think, you know, of course, partnership, right? Like, we have incredible brand partners and we sort of work with them to say, okay, what is sort of that balance between things that feel, you know, extremely eye catching and exciting from an editorial perspective? And then, of course, things that feel like they can really sell and, you know, things that we know our customer could walk out of the show wearing today. Right? So. And I think that the perfect balance is somewhere in the middle, you know, and I think depending on the brand, it could be even a little bit more on the editorial side, or at least that's what I push for. I think another big piece of working with these designer houses, especially in Milan and in Paris, is, you know, that Vic customer, right? Like that. That concept has really been changing the business. And they're such an important piece for us. We have such incredible clients, and, you know, we like to make sure that they feel like they can make all of their fashion dreams come true. Bloomingdale's. So, you know, we had some great clients with us, you know, abroad at the shows. And, you know, it's so wonderful to hear that real time feedback of, you know, and seeing even the looks on their faces when they're like, wow, I need that coat or I need that dress. Like, that is, you know, it truly shows, you know, from the Runway to reality. And it's exciting, it's fun to see these new pieces and dream about what you. Where you want to wear them. You know, like, fashion is an escape. So I think that especially the European Fashion weeks, they do such a great job of really providing that escape. And then we figure out, you know, if they're not at the show, how can we duplicate that and give all of our customers that feeling of escape?
Zofia Zviglinska
At Bloomingdale's, that's so interesting. So you actually have customers who come with you to the shows. Is there like a minimum spend or something? I don't know if you can tell me.
Marissa Galante Frank
No, no. I think there's a wide range. We do really special things with our customers. Our top customers are extremely. Are extremely important to us. So there's all different things play into it. But it's nice. It's nice to be able to experience that with them.
Zofia Zviglinska
Yeah. And you talked about kind of recreating that experience back, you know, once you're back in the store. Tell me what that's looked like. Maybe something that you've worked on recently with one of these mega brands that has really, like, popped in store.
Marissa Galante Frank
Oh, my goodness. I feel like when I'm in Europe, I'm shopping, you know, looking at Runway shows or even shopping the stores. I'm constantly texting my team, like, oh, my gosh, this is wonderful. There's personalization. We need to bring this into our stores. I'm texting everyone I work with from the brands too, saying, hold on a second. You know, like when Miu Miu first came out with, like, the incredible sneakers that you could personalize, you know, so fun. I'm like, wait, we need this in 59th Street. You know, so it's constantly things like that, you know, things that we could literally replicate. Right. There's versions of that, and then there's also things like we're inspired by. Right. So I was at a shoe presentation this season, and they had a capsule collection that had all of these, like, beautiful, like, Swarovski crystals kind of like draping from the pedestals where the shoes were. So I kind of said to, you know, my brand partner, I'm like, can I take pictures of this? I want to send it to my visual people. Like, how, like, this is so eye catching from across the room. So I think it comes to life in all different ways. And I think that that's a part of our job. Figuring, looking at what's out there and seeing. Okay, I know that this is so bloomingdells. We need to have a version of this because I feel inspired by it in the showroom. So I definitely know that our customer and our clients would feel inspired by it in our stores. So it's fun.
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Zofia Zviglinska
And, you know, I guess with Milan, it does feel like accessories are kind of the main thing. Maybe outwear as well as is kind of another feature. Some of the cashmere I know has been very popular with VC customers. You know, tech. Tell me more about those categories and I guess, like, what you're prioritizing for next winter. In that case, is it going to be these accessories coming off the runways, or is it going to be a bigger focus on the outerwear and cashmere side?
Marissa Galante Frank
I think especially this season, there was a ton of beautiful tailoring. So I think Bottega Veneta being a perfect example. So I think that was a really great show in that many of the looks had outerwear over them, you know, and in person, when I saw the show, I mean, it was very emotional. It was very, you know, exciting. Louise Trotter was inspired by Milan and her time that she spent in Milan, and that was beautiful to hear about. And I think that what was even more interesting, though, was then when we go for the reci the next day and see the pieces up close, there was four layers underneath that huge, fluffy coat. You know, like, what did that look like? Oh, my goodness. That's an incredible blazer. Right. Like, that is an incredible skirt. There was so much beautiful tailoring. I also think that, you know, Fendi is another example of, you know, Maria Graziaturi. That was another debut of the season. Right. This was her first collection for Fendi. She left Dior, and now she's at Fendi. And she. I like that story, too, because she talks about how she, you know, attributes much of what she's learned in her career to when she was at Fendi, and she's been speaking about, you know, coming back to Fendi so highly. So I always love that type of a story, just as being someone in my own career. And, you know, I love hearing about women.
Zofia Zviglinska
Yeah.
Marissa Galante Frank
But I think that she had some beautiful tailoring in that show. And, you know, she is a designer who has a track record of making real clothes that real people want to wear, you know, and I think that she's created some beautiful pieces, dresses, outerwear. I Think that, you know, many of it was black, which everyone loves wearing black.
Zofia Zviglinska
So everyone loves the black, right?
Marissa Galante Frank
Like blue. So. So that was great. And, you know, I just think that there is so much there that I'm sure that I know people will want to wear right away. Not to mention the baguettes. Not to keep talking about accessories, but we can't not talk about the baguettes. The baguettes were wonderful with all the beading and I mean, that's like, truly a collectible item.
Zofia Zviglinska
I think that's. That's the. That's the interesting thing, Sorry, with. With the baguettes, is that they've almost become like, their own little art category. Like, every time I'm seeing them in different finishes, there's more sequins. Do they end up becoming, you know, collectibles in the store as well? Like, is that something that, you know, customers go after? Like, is there a new addition of the baguette, for example?
Marissa Galante Frank
There are certainly. We have some incredible, you know, personal shoppers on stylists, Bloomingdale's. And that is definitely a conversation that we are having constantly, not just with Infendi, you know, but within all of our brands, where our personal shoppers and stylists are texting their clients and saying, oh, this came in, or we're doing this, or you're looking for this. So, yeah, that's definitely important. Have you been to this store? It's been around maybe for a year, maybe a season. Their new flagship in Milan.
Zofia Zviglinska
Oh, yes. Yes, I have. Yeah, it looks amazing. I love the space.
Marissa Galante Frank
Oh, my gosh, it's so beautiful. Speaking about limited edition baguettes, they are aplenty.
Zofia Zviglinska
They've really kind of put them front and center. I think that's kind of what's interesting is that for a lot of brands now, that kind of cross between the retail and these hero pieces is becoming more evident. I know there's been showcases at various different stores as well, of these brand segments. But you mentioned Mario Grazia, and I know that with creative directors moving around, it can also make customers interested in propositions from these new brands that they're entering in with Bloomingdale's customers. Is there any way that you're maybe focusing on the designer as someone who's been really popular at Dior and has probably built up a massive fan base there? And then moving to Fendi, Are there customers who are now interested in Fendi because she's moved over there as well?
Marissa Galante Frank
Our customers are interested in fashion, I would say, in general. Right So I think, like, they are fashion obsessed. And I certainly think that if you are a Maria Grazia fan, which there are so many, and for good reason. Right. She's extremely talented. I certainly think that they will. You will follow her, too. Fendi, so.
Zofia Zviglinska
Oh, I love that.
Marissa Galante Frank
Yeah. I was just going to say the one thing I wanted to talk to you about, too, about her is, I don't know if you read the interview in Dior that she had backstage where she said that everyone remembers me because I did big numbers in Dior about the business side. I was obsessed with that quote. Like, I think it's wonderful. She. She said everyone remembers me because I did the big numbers in Dior. When a male designer does a big number, it's because he has a sense of business. But if a women designer does a big number, it's because she's commercial. Like, I think that is so spot on. You know, like, she makes wonderful things.
Zofia Zviglinska
That's the thing. I think she's received a lot of criticism for, you know, maybe the collections being a little bit obvious or kind of not. Not quite as artistic as perhaps some of the other creative directors out there. But at the same time, the. The way that she's sold Dior, you know, everything from. From the bags to even the ready to wear has been all down to her and kind of her consistency as well. She's really built up a very consistent image of what Dior looked like during her time there. And I think customers were very loyal to that.
Marissa Galante Frank
Absolutely.
Zofia Zviglinska
I guess, like, going into some of the other designers that you've been seeing from Milan and, you know, maybe also because we're kind of pushing into Paris now. Is there any other, like, bigger takeaways that you have from the week? I know that it's a very interesting time for luxury, but such a great season from, you know, emerging debuts to more seasoned designers showcasing in Milan this season.
Marissa Galante Frank
Yeah, I mean, Milan is. It's just such a layered city. Right. You do have those big, big designers and then you have up and comers. And what I love about meeting new designers is hearing their story because, you know, living in New York, I hear about where we all work over here, but less so there. So it's so interesting and cool to kind of hear about, you know, those who've crossed paths or that have worked together at all of these big European houses. One of my favorite up and comers right now that we are working with is, I don't know if you know the brand. Defem Salvo Reza. I love Salvo, he's wonderful. So talented. And he was at Gabatista Valley, I believe that's where he, like, trained, you know, and he's taking some of those, like, fun feathers and excitement and embellishment and bringing them to his line with a new sort of edge. And I really appreciate that about him. But I think Milan is so great because of the heritage. Like, even Todd's, you know, like, that's always such a beautiful show. Where were you at? Like, it was so beautiful. And what I love are just like the little touches of new, you know, like the personalization, you know, how there were initial charms, you know, on belts, or even after I ran into one of the models, like, while I was grabbing a coffee and she had the scarf on, which looked so chic, and she had, like her little initials on it. Like, it's. It's just great. It's great.
Zofia Zviglinska
And it's really great. Great for retailers as well to have these little moments that, you know, you can have personalization with these items. You mentioned, obviously, heritage. And so many of the brands in Milan are doing that, kind of having consistent collections for over, you know, 70 years, I guess. Like, how do you come up with something new? And when you've got such a storied history, like, is it actually better to lean on? And do you think that customers respond to heritage now when they're facing a lot of trust issues? I would say with luxury brands, I
Marissa Galante Frank
think that's the genius of a good creative director. Right. Like, you're doing both. How they do it, I can't exactly tell you because I'm not creative. I wish I was to be Maximilian Davis. I am not. But I certainly appreciate what they do. I think that that is the balance, you know, that is taking, you know, this. I would love to walk through the archive, you know, going through the archive and seeing these pieces. So cool. Marnie, that the leopard coat look.
Zofia Zviglinska
Oh, yes, I love that one. So good.
Marissa Galante Frank
I've also been. I know it's wrong to say I've been over leopard because, like, we're gonna be back. Like, we love leopard. Right? Leopard's a mainstay. I get it. But I was kind of feeling a little fatigued from seeing the leopard coats. But then here comes Meryl Rogue with an all over knit leopard coat in a new color. In. The color was. Had a little bit of like yellow and actually the leopard spots were blue instead of black on it. It's like a deep, you know, and
Zofia Zviglinska
that's like a deep navy.
Marissa Galante Frank
Yeah, yeah, it was A deep navy. And she. That was inspired by a piece she found in their archive.
Zofia Zviglinska
Oh, I love that. Yeah. That's the other thing. All of these designers who are entering these houses, whether that's Demna or Meryl, have a huge archive to lean on, and a lot of the times, they have to kind of keep that vision consistent. So they do end up borrowing some of these inspirations from these collections. I think that's kind of all of my questions here. Thank you so much, Marisa. It's been such a pleasure having you on.
Marissa Galante Frank
This was so fun. I want to talk to you for the next 30 minutes. We didn't even talk about Ferragamo yet. We didn't talk about feathers. I mean, there's so much to talk about.
Zofia Zviglinska
The feathers. Oh, maybe we could do one question on the feathers. Yeah, I think that that's quite interesting, too. I think Ferragamo. We. We kind of skipped Ferragamo.
Marissa Galante Frank
Yeah. Which I feel bad about, because I love. I love Ferragamo. I feel like that's consistent every season. I'm like, I need so much of this.
Zofia Zviglinska
Yeah. And is that one that, you know, is popular as well in the States? Because obviously, like, with Ferragamo being in Italy, and I feel like some of the results have been a bit shakier. Like, is that still an interesting buy for you?
Marissa Galante Frank
Extremely. I would say that they're a perfect example of a brand that has both, like, a commercial aspect to it. Right. So, like, think about in. In New York, the men who are wearing those dress shoes to work every day. Right. Like, that's a huge business. And then there's also, you know, the reinvent, like, the handbag of it all. Like, the hug bag has totally set off, you know, a really interesting piece of their business. And now I think they're. It's just continuing. You know, they're really great at iterating things that work in new, exciting ways, like eel or with feathers or shrinking it or making it extra large. I also loved the concept of Maximilian show, and I loved the gold and the sailor references. So I don't know. It was just an emotional. It was. It was fun. It was layered.
Zofia Zviglinska
Yeah. It does feel like there's a lot of kind of younger design references there, while still maintaining a lot of that. That kind. Classic kind of clientele, especially around the shoes and the accessories. I was actually just in Vista, I think, two weeks ago, looking at some of the pieces that he had in the collection, and they had a couple of discounts and I did everything I could to try and stop myself from buying it, but it was a brilliant collection. And, yeah, I think that with his take on Ferragamo is one that I'm hoping will keep going for another couple of seasons at least. And, you know, tell me about the feathers that you saw and kind of what was interesting with the approach to feathers this time? Because it does feel like maybe the feather ring is more interesting because obviously, like, what you had at Jill Sander and others was the most kind of interesting part of it.
Marissa Galante Frank
I mean, I just think the movement that those feathers can provide is wonderful. You know, I think we're coming off of a time where, you know, clients love and customers love texture. Right. So, like, how do you create? Sometimes I say to my team, like, a non solid solid. So, like, if it's an all black dress and you're adding, like, a black feather trim, how wonderful. You know, you're giving the customer something a little bit more exciting, but something that they already feel comfortable wearing. Right. So, I mean, I don't know. That Etro scarf, that long Etro.
Zofia Zviglinska
Oh, yes. I love that one.
Marissa Galante Frank
Oh, my God. That was like a star. I would love to try that on. I wish I was wearing it right now.
Zofia Zviglinska
The texture play, I think, is really interesting. Sorry, I realized that I said Jill Sander, but I meant Bottega. It was the massive coats and obviously the kind of presence that they had, I think, really kind of shook up the Runway. It does feel like fur's shearlings and kind of those bigger textures. Textures are also really popular. Is that something that you've been kind of pushing into or you're going to keep pushing into for next season in terms of the store presence for those kind of textures?
Marissa Galante Frank
Certainly, I think shearling is extremely popular. We don't buy fur, but we have a ton of faux fur, which is wonderful quality. We will have feathers, we will have eel, we will have crochet, mock croc. Sorry. And yeah, I mean, I think all of that just plays into, I think, the client's desire to have personal style and to mix things together. You know, like, even think going back to Prada, you know, that. That yellow anorak with the. With the faux fur, you know, trim.
Zofia Zviglinska
Yes. The one which is going right up the neck. Oh, I love.
Marissa Galante Frank
So fun. I mean, who doesn't want to wear that?
Zofia Zviglinska
Right?
Marissa Galante Frank
Like, that's the point. Like, let's escape. Like, it's functional, right? Like, it's keeping me warm. But I look fabulous. Isn't that the dream? You know, so.
Zofia Zviglinska
And it's all, all about layering. It did feel like Milan in particular, you had so many pieces that were covered up and then you had an unveiling either Bottega or Prada or some of the other runways as well. Well, Marissa, it was lovely to to have you. Thank you so much for coming onto the Glossy podcast. It was great to talk Milan.
Marissa Galante Frank
This was so much fun. Thank you for having me.
Zofia Zviglinska
And that's all the time that we have this week. Don't forget to give us a rating and a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, wherever you're listening to this. It really helps us out a lot. Thanks for listening.
Marissa Galante Frank
Sa.
Episode: A Buyer’s Take on Milan Fashion Week, with Bloomingdale’s Marissa Galante Frank
Date: March 6, 2026
Host: Zofia Zviglinska (International Reporter, Glossy)
Guest: Marissa Galante Frank (Fashion Director, Bloomingdale’s)
This episode continues Glossy’s Fashion Month coverage with a deep dive into Milan Fashion Week, viewed through the lens of a major luxury buyer. Zofia Zviglinska sits down with Bloomingdale’s Fashion Director, Marissa Galante Frank, for an insider conversation on standout runway moments, the evolving role of buyers, and how the trends spotted in Milan translate to retail and the American customer. The two cover everything from big-name debuts (Demna at Gucci, Maria Grazia Chiuri at Fendi) to the enduring importance of heritage, and explore what it really takes to make a collection not just covetable, but commercial.
Prada’s Innovative Layering & Styling
Marnie’s Debut by Meryl Rogge
Jil Sander’s Take on Sexy
Demna’s Debut at Gucci
Bloomingdale’s Approach to Buying
Replicating the Milan Experience Stateside
Importance of Accessories, Especially in Milan
Impact of Designer Moves on Customer Interest
Spotlighting Talent and Personalization
Balancing Tradition and Innovation
Ferragamo’s Position in the US Market
The Power of Texture
On Prada’s show format:
On creative director debuts:
On Demna’s Gucci:
On Bloomingdale's buying:
On gender bias in fashion business:
On the excitement of Milan:
On shopping the runway for the store:
This summary preserves the original tone and insights of Zofia Zviglinska and Marissa Galante Frank, organizing their expertise into an accessible, engaging recap for anyone looking to understand Milan Fashion Week through the discerning eye of an expert retail buyer.