Every year, the last weeks of June and the first of July are a special occasion for Menswear due to the Fashion Weeks held in Milan and Paris. In my opinion, Milan is always a runway filled with classic elegance and sharp Italian sartorial collections; collections which blend past fashions with modern trends. On the other hand Paris is more avant garde and revolutionary, while showcasing some elegant pieces as well.
This year Milan Fashion Week and its top designers gave the world a glimpse of what is expected on Spring/Summer 2013. A season where most designers opted for dark colors such as midnight blue, navy blue, black, gray, brown, and purple. Yet, there were exceptions where a bright and summery color palette was used; my personal favorite. Summer is all about color, although it's okay to drop some hints of dark colors for formal night events.
Metallic fabrics and detailing were all over the place: jackets, pants, belts etc. Scarves were also a common trend in many collections. There was a perfect balance between miniamlism and simplicity, barroque detailing, and classic effortless elegance. During the last 2 years Milan's Spring/Summer fashion shows had collections that were very inspired in the 60s; this year it was an interesting mix: 60s mod/ethnic/Italy, 80s neon color block, 70s rock/disco, and 90s minimalism.
Below some highlights from the Spring/Summer 2013 collections.
Bottega Veneta added a modern/futuristic touch to the bohemian Baja hood with interesting patterns as the one above. The monocromatic brown/sand/beige look was common throughout their collectionn. Trussardi showed a classic ensemble made up of white pants and black jacket with a greyish scarf as the finishing touch.
This year Canali decided to focus more on formal wear than on an ethnic look inspired on India like last year with pieces such as the ones above and below. An Italian pinstripe suit, Miami Vice, East Coast preppy, British Gentlemen, Man about Town, and metallic/print jackets were some highlights from Canali.
If you have a party at the club next Summer, Cavalli is your best option with its 70s rocker/disco/futuristic/night/space inspired collection. Although most of the color palette featured dark colors, the hues were somehow bright, creating a good contrast with a dark setting. Metallic jackets, eyecatching print jackets, and scarves were widely used by Cavalli. Ensembles with lots of attitude.
Dolce and Gabbana paid a brilliant tribute to Italian fashion in the 50s and 60s. An original runway that featured non-models showcasing bold print shirts and lots of stripes. Stripes definitely evoke a Mediterranean summer.
To the beat of Electronic's (research about them) "Getting Away With It", Ferragamo delivered one of the most eyecatching and vivid collections in Milan. It was all about color blocking and 80s neon, Summer was in the air. A fun, youthful, and modern way to reinterpret classic pieces. To be worn like on the runway or separately, this pieces will definitely reflect your personality.
To wrap up these highlights, let's look at Gucci. This season it featured a warm hue collection with monocromatic double breasted, double/single buttonedsuits. Its floral prints and "electric" pinstripe suit were worth noticing as well.
Photos: GQ
