Milan fashion week: Designers make formalwear more casual

From Tod's collection
From Tod's collection

Summary

From Dolce and Gabbana to Canali and Tod's, fashion brands offer more comfort, practicality and fun in menswear

Designers at the recently concluded Milan menswear fashion week offered more comfort, practicality and fun in menswear, using heritage fabrics, classic tailoring and luxe knitwear.

One of the key highlights was Tod's collection, the core of which was the brand's “Pashmy project"—distinguished by the use of soft, silky and lightweight leathers that evoke the refinement of pashmina. 

Also read: 'Younger Indians want fine jewellery for everyday wear'

For this collection, creative director Matteo Tamburini reinterpreted men’s wardrobe classics, such as the bomber and the shirt jacket, in Pashmy leather. 

Other brands like Zegna, Canali, Brunello Cucinelli, Boglioli, Ralph Lauren, Emporio and Giorgio Armani stayed true to their core essence of fine tailoring and masterful extrapolation of luxurious textiles like tartan, houndstooth and plaid. 

Here are some of the highlights from the Milan fashion week:

From the Canali collection
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From the Canali collection

Ugly chic 

Trust Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons to always throw a surprise. Presenting ensembles that mixed high with low, sublime with ridiculous, the collection embodied Prada's core design philosophy of duality and disruptive contrasts. From an asymmetrical shearling and vintage tablecloth florals on shrunken T-shirt, to a pair of narrow dress pants and pyjamas worn with cowboy boots, every element felt chaotic yet charming. 

MSGM's collection, too, was all about grunge energy, from teddy coats to velvet and washed denims to shirts which one's likely to spot at thrift stores.

Faux fur, shearling & brooches

From the Prada show
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From the Prada show (AFP)

Faux fur and shearling clearly had a moment, though brands styled and designed them with a specific vibe. 

While Dolce & Gabbana's fur pieces had a #mobhusband energy, Prada and MSGM's take was punkish steeped in rebellion. Dolce's immaculate tuxedos, on the other hand, came with jewel accents. There was plenty of sheen at both Giorgio and Emporio Armani. While the former's velvet layers over suiting felt luxe, the latter's floral and fauna embroidery stood out.

Layering it right

It's been a season of shawl collared cardigans and evening jackets. They have seen across heritage brands, from Canali to Brunello Cucinelli and Brioni. At Brioni, a shawl collar silk tuxedo in pale lavender with matching shirt and pocket square stood out. 

One of the highlights of the Ralph Lauren showcase was a waist-low shawl collar jacket in black suede lambskin tailored together via hand-applied whipstitched leather cord, a process that took 60 hours. 

Another knitwear piece that was seen in various avatars, at Tod's, Armani, Boglioli, Canali and Brioni, was the turtleneck. 

From the Dolce & Gabbana collection
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From the Dolce & Gabbana collection (AFP)

Keeping it classic

Dolce & Gabbana, Brunelllo Cucinelli, Brioni, Ralph Lauren and Giorgio Armani celebrated the old-school tailoring, keeping it relaxed and roomy. However, Dolce's styling with fur accents on the coats and blazers, along with the shearling trimmed denim jackets, stood out for its chicness. 

This season, lightweight chore jackets have emerged as the new day-to-evening transition separate, as seen at Zegna, Giorgio Armani and Tod's. They were crafted in leather, suede and denim, and as multi-pocketed, utilitarian jackets.

Animal prints roar

Since last year leopard prints have been visible, both on and off the runway. And it seems they are not going out of fashion anytime soon. They were widely visible during the presentations of Dolce, No 21 and MSGM, reminding the viewer to have fun with prints as well. 

Manish Mishra is a Delhi-based writer and content creator.

 

Also read: French brand Sandro brings Parisian chic to India

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