Menswear fashion editor Helen Seamons rounds up the key collections and looks from Milan menswear autumn/winter 2016/17 fashion week – from astro outerwear at Calvin Klein to retro stripe at Iceberg – and explains why an MA1 jacket and a embellishment are key wardrobe updates for next winter
PRADA
What news from Prada about what we need for AW16? A 50s bowling shirt, a cape, cropped trousers and knapsacks all topped the list. Of course, Prada’s are all next level: the shirt featuring a print of Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra kissing Elvis will be next season’s rocket jumper. Put your name down now.
ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA COUTURE
The helpful inclusion of the word ‘couture’ tells you all you need to know about price points in this collection. But for sheer elegance, fabrication and cut, it leads the pack. Takeaway styling tips for your wardrobe are subtle embellishment and sticking to a head-to-toe tonal colour palette.
NEIL BARRETT
Littered with personal references from his childhood, hence the 70s aesethic, Neil Barrett’s collection was kept current by his skill in wardrobe building for the modern man. The zip-up track top was the hero piece (buy this now, it’s the carry through piece from SS16).
MARNI
A pared back collection at Marni relied on details such as double-layered shirt smocks worn open at the back. Signature print was limited to a tulip design on shirting. There was plenty of ‘real-life’ relaxed tailoring in navy and pinstripe.
GUCCI
Alessandro Michele is well and truly into his Gucci groove – as the hoards of show-goers clad head-to-toe in his maximilist designs are testament to. However, for AW16 he mixed in some distinctly tamer looks that while still trading on geek chic were free of the embroideries and embellishment he has become known for. They made for a good contrast. Decoration is still key, though, as his Bowie embroidered jacket proved.
ICEBERG
British designer James Long made his debut at Iceberg with a collection that married his skill in knitwear with the heritage of the house. Long reworked the triangle stripe logo from Jean-Charles de Castelbajac’s tenure at the house in the 70s and applied to everthing from bomber jackets to belts.
VERSACE
Donatella looked to space and the zodiac for her AW16 inspiration, among the more literal silver and white looks were suiting, roomy overcoats and covetable MA1 jackets. The MA1 shape is big news for AW16 and was seen in many collections. It’s sure to be big news on the high street come the end of the year.
BOTTEGA VENETA
It’s always an exercise in stylish restraint at Bottega Veneta, designer Tomas Maier presented a chic double- breasted collection with leather highlights. (Yes to the outerwear and no thanks to the zip-front trousers.)
ROBERTO CAVALLI
This was Peter Dundas’s first menswear show at the Cavalli helm. He showed a collection true to the ageing rocker DNA of the house, think snakeskin and leopard print. This embellished red chiffon top worn with flared jeans and Converse stood out for its youthful potential.
CALVIN KLEIN
Crowds of teenage girls screamed outside for internet celebrity Cameron Dallas (seated front row) and stole the thunder (and the Instagram posts) from the collection. Turns from models Gemma Ward and Mariacarla Boscono went all but unnoticed. The foil highlights ticked editorial boxes, and the MA1 trend was given more weight.
via theguardian