Chic Érotique, Lorenzo Serafini called his Milan Fashion Week show: “a clear image of a self-conscious, feminine woman,” marked by high-slit trailing skirts, plunging necklines, over-the-knee boots, lace, tulle, and leather. “The attitude is tender,” the designer was quoted backstage, “less sexual and more sensual” than his past collections.

Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini’s Fall/Winter 2023 show drew a robust crowd, who gathered around the venue’s winding runway, anticipating a display of truly wearable luxury designs. “In keeping with the summer season, the approach is concise and essential,” reads a statement from the brand, “the focus is on the shapes, gracefully juxtaposing sartorial sharpness and languid fluidity.” The effect was “elevated realism”—a uniform for the modern woman, with a penchant for both uninhibitedness and old-school sophistication.

Here, Document shares a look backstage—shining light on the moments leading up to Serafini’s presentation, as he toes the line between romance and the label’s characteristic elegance.