MILAN — Everyone wants to tap into the Winter Olympics craze that is about to hit Milan come next month. Nods to life on the slopes and sport references abounded on the catwalks, and found a way to infiltrate at accessories presentations, too, but with surprising results.

Take Ferragamo, which unveiled the first chapter of its “Legends, Reimagined” project during fashion week. Intended as an ongoing series aimed at celebrating the brand’s iconic designs alongside key figures exemplifying excellence through their mastery, the initiative kicked off with a special ambassador: Italian ski legend Alberto Tomba.

The former athlete and national hero was tapped to star in a classy black-and-white campaign wearing shoes of the Tramezza line, the peak of Ferragamo’s footwear offering for men considering that each pair requires over 160 handcrafted steps in its manufacturing process.

Named after the “tramezza” — the layer of leather inserted between the insole and outsole to ensure durability, flexibility and comfort — the styles donned by Tomba are timeless lace-up shoes and sleek loafers in leather. Yet at the presentation staged at The Wilde member club here and attended by Tomba, the core designs were flanked by the made-to-order program, which offers customers to select precious alternatives ranging from alligator to ostrich.

Meanwhile at Palazzo Barozzi, Church’s injected an inventive spin into its high-end offering at its own terms. Along with updates on its signature brogue styles, highlights included summery designs rethought in winter fabrications and mountain-ready footwear lightened up in their look and constructions.

Cue the standout fisherman sandals in wool iterations — including herringbone chevron tweed, tartan and knickerbocker — and rustic hiking boots in combinations of leather and waxed cotton. They both offered unexpected and stylish solutions to seamlessly move between Milan and Cortina, all year round.

The winter landscape of Italy’s Marche region, home to Santoni, inspired the company led by Giuseppe Santoni. The brand not only celebrated its trademark “Velatura” hand-coloring technique with an immersive presentation playing with the different senses, but restated its expertise in footwear via both classic and hybrid styles.

Hero designs included the Carlo Mountain loafer and the Carlo loafer-ankle boot hybrid version, both crafted in Granato calfskin leather and coming with a sole featuring technical tread. They made for new, unconventional options that reprised key elements of the brand’s signature Karl hiking lace-up ankle boots.

While these designs are slated to walk the Santoni flock up to the slopes, the company’s fans will find the brand’s full assortment at warmer climates, too, thanks to its expanding retail network. To be sure, a store just opened in Cairo will be followed by outposts in Monte Carlo and Doha come next spring, revealed Santoni.

At Testoni, recently installed chief executive officer Philip Yau also shared that the brand is opening a new flagship in Taipei, leveraging its strong appeal on Far Eastern consumers, especially Chinese and Japanese. As Yau expects to make a distribution push in the U.S. and the Middle East this year, too, the company geared up to appeal to a wider demographic with a collection zeroing in on the essentials of the footwear closet and hinged on comfort and high-quality materials.

The range included multiple variants on the penny loafer, such as subtly square-toed numbers and those with chunky leather soles or extra-flex rubber. Playing with textures, grainy leather derbies came with a worn-in finish mingled with crocodile loafers.

Yet it was the Norwegian stitching standing out on a tapered and slightly shiny leather derby to take the crown thanks to its clean lines and sleek appeal.