The Impact Of Black Glam Leads At Milan Fashion Week – Essence
The AW25 Ready-to-Wear season in Milan has come to a close. The city is synonymous with luxury, high fashion, and, unfortunately, a long-standing reputation for exclusivity in the fashion and beauty industry. While the fashion is keenly focused on runway moments, it’s easy to overlook the creative forces behind them. It takes an entire village of artists, stylists, and technicians to work in tandem to bring a designer’s vision to life. Without the right beauty direction, even the most beautifully crafted garments can fall flat.
Imagine sitting front row at a highly anticipated show. The lights dim, the music crescendos, and the first model steps onto the runway. But something is off—their face is unintentionally bare, their hair mistakenly untouched. Instantly, the magic is lost. In other words, beauty is an essential storytelling element, shaping how collections are perceived and remembered. And yet, despite Milan Fashion Week hosting 23 major runway shows this season, only two Black beauty leads we know of helmed key teams: the legendary Pat McGrath, who orchestrated the makeup for Versace, and Virginie Pinto Moreira, who led the hair direction for Ferragamo.
Their work wasn’t just about creating looks—it was about setting a tone, elevating collections, and proving, yet again, why diversity in beauty leadership is vital. Milan’s resistance to inclusivity behind the scenes is nothing new. Their presence on the Milan runway was a triumph, but it also served as a stark reminder of the work that still needs to be done. Two Black beauty leads in the spotlight out of 23 major shows is not enough. Their talent deserves to be celebrated, but their rarity in these roles highlights an industry still resistant to true inclusivity.
Below, a deeper look at the two glam experts’ work during Milan Fashion Week’s AW25 season.
AW25 Versace & Pat McGrath
The makeup for Versace’s AW25 show was a masterclass in balance and contrast, with Pat McGrath leading the charge. The focus? A bold, vampy lip that exuded power, seduction, and rebellion. McGrath understood the assignment, ensuring that the statement lip didn’t overwhelm but instead harmonized effortlessly with the rest of the beauty look.
To counterbalance the deep, dramatic plummy gloss hues on the lips, she created an ethereal, luminous complexion—skin that looked almost moonlit. The radiance wasn’t just about glow; it added a softness and an air of effortless confidence. Sculpted cheekbones, eyes defined by a subtle iridescent lavender eyeshadow, and soft brows allowed the lips to take center stage while maintaining an overall elegance that felt modern and sophisticated.
The result was the perfect complement to Donatella Versace’s AW25 collection, which celebrated the old and new–bold with a mix of nostalgic structured tailoring, sensual silhouettes, and punk accents. Just as the clothes walked the line between strength and sensuality, McGrath’s makeup did the same—bringing an undeniable aura of confidence to the runway with a touch of rebellious spirit embodying the theme “Versace’s Superhereos.”
AW25 Ferragamo & Virginie Pinto Moreira
“A bloom in motion. A statement in red.” Ferragamo’s Creative Director Maximilian Davis drew inspiration from the early 20th-century German expressionist dance movement Tanztheater, known for its emotive storytelling and fluidity of movement. The collection, with its emphasis on grace, discipline, and raw expression, demanded a hair look that felt just as intentional—understated yet powerful.
Pinto Moreira ensured that the hair direction struck the perfect balance: minimal, yet impactful. Every model’s hair was meticulously slicked back and kept off the face, allowing their natural beauty to take center stage–drawing all eyes to the garments. It was the equivalent of a no-makeup makeup look, but for hair—effortlessly polished with an air of refined simplicity.
The variations in styling added depth to the overall aesthetic while staying true to the theme. Some models wore sharp middle parts with their hair cascading down in soft yet blunt, fluid lines, subtly nodding to the controlled yet expressive nature of Tanztheater. Others sported sleek braids, reinforcing a sense of structure and elegance. Meanwhile, models with natural 4C textures were given the space to proudly showcase every strand of their beautiful kinks and coils, a quiet yet powerful statement in an industry that has historically sidelined natural Black hair.
Together, these choices created a cohesive yet diverse hair narrative—one that mirrored the spirit of movement, identity, and artistry embedded in Davis’s vision for Ferragamo’s AW25 collection.
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