SIX OF THE BEST
MOOD BOARDS FROM MILAN
PRADA
Miuccia Prada focused on making the simple refined, and that new normal meant that seemingly ordinary items – cycling tops and Seventies frill-fronted prom shirts – were treated to Prada’s skill for elevating the mundane. There was also a high voltage undercurrent of sexiness to the collection, too, in the short-short-shorts that barely grazed the thigh. “Mini skirts for men,” said Mrs Prada, alongside impactful, vivid prints.
ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA
Alessandro Sartori’s mission has been to evolve a new language for tailoring. “It felt right, now, to create a new expression in how we look at suits, so we experimented with lightness and weightlessness,” he said. Unlined jackets came in finely pressed cashmere to create that airiness, leathers were treated to a “waffle” effect with breathable perforations.
GIORGIO ARMANI
Mr Armani’s muted, softly structured aesthetic was married with sportier touches – denims and tracksuits to keep things merrily moving. A quirky Eighties logo was revived, as well as rustic elements shown alongside the Italian elegance, such as heavy duty leathers with love-worn patinas. Wide-leg trousers have become a mainstay with the style literate, but Armani reminded us he owns that territory with flowing Japaneseinspired trousers.
VERSACE
“It’s about different kinds of men, the street style star, the high fashion man, the boardroom executive,” said Donatella Versace. “He is a man who doesn’t care about the rules. He is a man who is looked at, talked about.” You’d be hard pressed to miss him – those multicoloured florals and neon suits don’t exactly scream “wallflower”. The collection veered between streetwear and tailoring, splicing the two together alongside a dose of Nineties festivalgoer with trippy prints.
FENDI
The Italian house looked to darker elements of spring/ summer in its collection, brooding black and reds alongside a playful image of Karl Lagerfeld
– who designs Fendi’s womenswear – in harlequin attire. Alongside mesh and airy blousons was a dose of luxury, plush textiles and liquid leather coats, alongside a tracksuit that looked like cotton but was rendered in paper.
BRUNELLO CUCINELLI
The Italian design titan took the collection from his Solomeo base to America’s preppy east coast and then to the time of the Great Gatsby. That American dandyism infused his exquisitely crafted range of suits and casual wear, with soft cashmere tailoring paired with workwear denim and subtle sage, plum and caramel colours. A highlight was the evening suit, reworked in linen for a more casual, nuanced interpretation of that wardrobe staple.