Youthful elegance
Young brands shine
MILAN, June 18, (AP): Youthful designers injected energy into the third day Sunday of Milan Fashion Week menswear previews for next spring and summer.
While the topics of generational and creative change at some of the most-established Milan fashion houses were running in the background, young brands carved out their own space to grow by their own rules.
Some highlights from Sunday’s shows, including Milan mainstay Prada alongside younger brands Palm Angels, MSGM, Sunnei and Korean newcomers BESFXXK.
Prada
Miuccia Prada says she was “trying to do elegant in a new young way” with her latest menswear collection.
At Prada, young does not translate to streetwear, even if there were sneakers. The new plastic square logo on nearly every garment, including the folded turtle neck, was strictly an ironic answer to prevailing trends.
Against previous intentions, elegant at Prada translated into sexy — i.e. short shorts for men — and at times playful — big stuffed aviator hats made for summer despite the decidedly wintery earflaps, mostly in Prada’s trademark black vinyl.
Palm Angels
Francesco Ragazzi’s America-inspired street fashion brand, Palm Angels, had all the codes of the latest trends: neon flashes, thick-soled sneakers, short gym shorts, technical cargo pants.
But the 32-year-old designer underlined the luxury in the brand with details. The gym shorts were suede and had orange trim. Shorts and a baby blue top with puffy sleeves came with draw sting.
MSGM
Massimo Giorgetti’s MSGM collection for next spring and summer recalls his youthful 1980s summers in his native Adriatic coastal city of Rimini, a time, the designer said, when the beach crowds never abandoned their fashion sense.
And Giorgetti paid homage to classic looks of his adopted home in Milan, where he launched his MSGM brand eight years ago.
Giorgetti said he wanted to emphasize his Italian roots while also injecting a dose of 1980s energy. “It’s a show that recharges you,”Giorgetti said backstage.
Sunnei
Designers Simone Rizzo and Loris Messina showed their Sunnei label against the backdrop of the Milan skyline as seen from the 31st floor of Gio Ponti’s famed Pirelli Tower. It was an aspirational location, reflected in the invitation that showed the tower from below in a faux smart-phone snap — the view the designers have from their studio.
But the sophisticated, architectural designs were a natural fit for Gio Ponte’s arched ceilings and geometrically tiled floors, and showed the designers have definitely arrived.
BESFXXK
South Korean newcomers to Milan, Jae Hyuk Lim and Bona Kim, unveiled their BESFXXK brand that mixes Japanese textiles with American street-styling from the 1980s and British tailoring.
The unusual name combines the notion of bespoke designs with a more irreverent street looks.
The 33-year-old designers aggressively deconstruct and recompose everyday garments for their combined menswear and womenswear collection, like sweatshirts and trench coats.