There was a lot going on from the waist down at the Marques’ Almeida spring show on Sunday, marking a major milestone for the brand as it held its first-ever presentation in Milan. For design duo Marta Marques and Paulo Almeida—longtime darlings of the London fashion scene who have previously experimented with a variety of different cities and presentation formats—this Italian debut signals a fresh chapter in their evolving creative journey.
The focus on lower-body silhouette was immediately apparent through a clever and dramatic interplay of volume, texture, and tailoring. Peplums sharply emphasized the waistlines of lean taffeta tops paired with exaggerated barrel-leg pants, creating a striking contrast between structured waist definition and voluminous legs. Elsewhere, architectural panels jutted out boldly from both sides of asymmetric handkerchief dresses, adding kinetic movement to the garments. Cargo cotton miniskirts were dramatically reinterpreted when paired with billowing trains crafted from velvety silk, merging utilitarian ruggedness with luxurious evening flair. Maxi ruffles provided an ornate, undulating edge to shantung sundresses, while both maxi and mini silver sequins decked out snazzy evening pants that caught the light with every step.
“We’re exploring this kind of occasion wear and this more dressy approach, always with that grungy undertone,” Marta Marques told a clutch of reporters who gathered ahead of the runway presentation to preview the collection.
The shift toward formal dressing has forced the designers to re-examine the very nature of their creations and how they fit into the modern consumer’s lifestyle. It is a design evolution driven by practicality and shifting consumer habits, even if the designers approach the transition with a degree of reluctance.
“What’s [occasion wear] for, what [customers] need it for, and that definitely changes the way we’re approaching design maybe in a more grown-up way,” Marques said, reflecting on the pragmatic realities of contemporary fashion demands.
Although the design duo playfully refutes the idea that Marques’ Almeida has simply grown up, Marques readily acknowledged that the Milan display—characterized as a test and trial for now—faithfully reflects the brand’s natural evolution over more than a decade in the industry. “I think it suits where we are,” she offered, capturing the sentiment of a label willing to step outside its traditional comfort zone while maintaining its core identity.
In this dressier space that the designers have been experimenting with lately, they are also working hard to find a delicate balance with their underground past. That history dates back to 2011, when Marques and Almeida first launched the brand out of a gritty East London studio, quickly building a reputation for raw edges, denim innovation, and unpolished cool.
This latest collection felt unmistakably like a wardrobe tailored for a DIY-minded, club-savvy individual who has since matured, yet still retains a fondness for their rebellious spirit. Rather than entirely abandoning the aesthetic codes that put them on the map, the designers ingeniously recontextualized them for a more refined arena.
Evidence of this ongoing dialogue between past and present was scattered throughout the collection. There were offbeat plaid checks incorporated into the asymmetric dresses, evoking the classic grunge uniform of the nineties. A handsome black silk bias frock carried a distinct goth undertone, while a military green bustier paired with baggy pants brought back the utilitarian grunge spirit that first defined the label’s early years.
Even when the designers were ostensibly playing by the rulebook of composure and polite dressing, subtle, subversive elements lingered beneath the surface, suggesting a tougher, more complex story. This tension was vividly demonstrated through unexpected styling choices: a base layer-like Lycra bodysuit was paired with a voluminous balloon skirt, creating an intriguing juxtaposition of tight and loose proportions. Elsewhere, club-ready, high-platform chunky sneakers anchored floor-sweeping slipdresses, grounding the formal silhouettes with urban practicality. In another look, a scarf-like top was artfully wrapped around the torso, worn directly over a flowing silk frock to add an extra layer of texture and unstructured ease.
“It is not so put together,” Marques noted, summing up the effortless, anti-establishment ethos that continues to anchor the brand, even as it takes its first confident steps onto the Milanese stage.
