How retro futurism is shaping the new season of menswear

The recently concluded Milan and Paris menswear fashion weeks saw designers revisiting their childhood memories and early influences that shaped up their core aesthetics.

At Louis Vuitton, artistic director Pharrell Williams imagined the future dandy by revisiting the enduring codes of menswear and circling back to the decade that shaped his own teenage visions of the future.

He proposed a timeless wardrobe for the future dandy, one defined by a faintly retro-futuristic elegance. Classic sharpness was offset with nonchalant volume, as softly tailored, sport-leaning suits appeared in reversible nylon or silk, alongside vintage-feel cotton-poly parkas finished with contrast linings.

Moreover, the colours of heritage menswear were amped up by bursts of reds, oranges and blues with a retro-futuristic flair echoed in garments with a 1980s charm.

At Dior, Jonathan Anderson had the iconic French couturier Paul Poiret on his moodboard. Staying aligned to his youthquake vision, the designer sent an array of characters and personalities. Were they aristo-punks? Or, dorkish dandies? Sequinned tops thrown over skinny jeans, bar jackets rendered in shrunken proportion and playful tailcoats were offset with spiky yellow hair and embroidered epaulettes.

The designer clearly transitioned from being preppy and polished to unapologetically punk this season while respecting the hallowed codes of the house. At the Paul Smith runway too, nostalgia was in the air. Sam Cotton, the the recently appointed head of men’s design, revisited some of Paul’s most recognisable fashion shows and campaigns from the late 1980s and early 1990s. The collection underscored deconstructed and inside-out details that reflected Paul’s signature methodology of disrupting the classics. All in all, the season has been about embracing the classics but with disruptive elements.

Here are some key trends which emerged:

Craft-led innovation

Louis Vuitton atelier's material innovation came to the forefront this season with garments and accessories being presented with a bit of wink. There were technically-innovative overdyed double-face vicuña masquerades in an everyday mid-blue work trouser, a burgundy coat and hoodie and little scarves. A pure silk windbreaker, car coat and tuxedo posed as casual nylon twill. A crocodile blouson mimicked VVN natural cowhide leather, and trompe l'oeil lumberjack shirts were laser-cut from flannel that was printed and laser-cut on a mesh base.

The classic monogram fabric was twill-woven with 51% silk and 49% recycled nylon, creating a water-repellent textile with a unique anti-wrinkle shine and colour, which resembled leather from afar.

At Dior, the fringe-edged, double-breasted houndstooth jackets with full shoulders and bar hips recalled the 1940s, while the single-breasted black jackets evoked the early 1960s. Also worth mentioning are the tailcoats which surprisingly transformed into cable knits.

Sartorial finesse

This season, Tod’s focused on the Winter Gommino. The proportions and sole marked a return to the origins, proving how this product transcends fashion and trends while preserving its identity and contemporary relevance. Suede versions were enhanced with cashmere or shearling linings, making the Winter Gommino an ideal companion for cold winter days in the mountains.

The highpoints of the Canali showcase were the cashmere and vicuña jackets, pure cashmere coats, and the trench coats in more generous volumes.

Clothing with a lived-in feel

Drawing inspiration from artists like Jean Cocteau, the Paul Smith collection felt lived-in. United by a shared love of everyday uniforms, Cocteau was rarely seen in anything other than his signature shirt and tie while Paul is known for wearing a suit daily.

The collection showcased fresh sartorial motifs, layered cuffs, sheer fabrics, and even button covers, all contributing to the overarching theme of magpie dressing.

At Prada, two brown leather jackets gave an impression they had been crumpled, folded, and subjected to an earlier life. At MSGM too, pajamas, coats, and tailoring were softened and relaxed, with a lived-in ease that felt reassuring rather than resigned.

Vintage core

Zegna's heavy checks and deep russet and brown tones in cardigan coats and sweaters evoked the 1970s. DSquared2, too, reignited the vintage ski aesthetics, especially from the 70s, seen across intarsia jumpers and zipped cardigans, maxi fur coats and shearlings thus exploring après-ski vibes in a glamorous way.

Williams offered a new take on Louis Vuitton's historical patent leather finish. Employed in bags and ready-to-wear, the Monogram Vintage Vernis replaced leather with supple suede, coating it with the same high-gloss lacquer used in patent leather. Beyond the traditional mirror-effect achieved through the treatment, the supple suede gave the material a unique, slightly holographic depth in colour as well as a heightened softness and flexibility.

Wearing personal moments

From sharply tailored suits to après-ski knits, designer Umit Benan experimented with tweedy herringbone, mélange cashmere and silk-wool for a crafted-for-mountains collection. The designer said his work was inspired by a photograph of his father in St. Moritz in 1988.

Zegna's Alessandro Sartori was a teenager when he inherited 20-odd suits, plus other garments, from his late father, Giuseppe Sartori, a textile machinery designer in Biella. This act of inheritance created the framework for Sartori’s vision: a timeless wardrobe comprising pieces, which take the shape of a wearable heirloom over a period of time.