The Menswear Memo: 8 Things To Know Now
Maison Margiela
THE LOOK: Textured Monochrome
Monochrome outfits dominated Milan and Paris fashion weeks (except for Prada who went off-piste). Among the many brands experimenting with textures and layering to bring life to the concept, classic fashion houses like Hermès, Dunhill, Dolce & Gabbana, Zegna and Armani sent down full outfits of earthy or neutral browns, beiges, greens, blacks and purples. This is going to be a key trend next winter.
Dunhill; Willy Chavarria
THE COLOUR: Blue
A vibrant splash of red was a recurring motif that mimicked womenswear trends, but we also saw sharp blue being used liberally and effectively. Giorgio Armani deployed an ice blue light to highlight his new Neve ski collection, but it was the use of an iris-piercing blue on one of the jackets and knits that arrested attention.
Giorgio Armani
THE FINISHING TOUCH: Collar Play
Designers displayed clever collar designs, played with layering, and used interesting materials like nubuck brown leather. The brand that could set off a trend beyond fashion week is Dunhill. The way it styled collars by forcing them up through a thick turtleneck was refreshing, stylish and easily taken up.
Dunhill; Lemaire; Our Legacy
THE FABRIC: Velvet
Consider us velvet sceptics no longer. An emphatic velvet display helped Paris debutant Willy Chavarria make waves, and there was a heavy dose of stylish pieces from Giorgio and Emporio Armani, so we’re now fans.
THE ACCESSORY: Hidden Ties
Ties are back (as our man at Pitti noted) and there’s now a microtrend within the trend to note. In Milan and Paris, brands like Paul Smith and Emporio Armani used ties and shirts made from the same pattern or tone to merge into one another.
Emporio Armani; Selected Homme
Willy Chavarria
THE COLLABORATION: Paul Smith x Barbour
A pair of British institutions teased something exciting in Paris. The latest in Barbour’s series of smart collabs has got menswear aficionados buzzing. Expect its traditional waxed jackets to gain zany linings and some multi-colour stripe detailing as it teams up with Paul Smith in autumn.
Paul Smith x Barbour
THE STANDOUT SHOW – PARIS: Amiri
Amiri paid sensuous homage to its hometown of LA. Steeped in 70s nostalgia, its collection featured velvet tailoring, vintage leather jackets and a colour palette of burgundies, browns and yellows. This all hit at just the right frequency – insouciant, sexy and in the driving seat.
Amiri
Emporio Armani
THE STANDOUT SHOW – MILAN: Emporio Armani
The theme of the show was ‘seduction’. But there was no pick-up artist-style behaviour, just a masterclass in atmosphere and visual gluttony. The huge variety of looks included a muted, multi-colour hiking collection, an almost Victorian velvet tailoring section (with pocket watch chains), luxuriously lax Armani tailoring, animal prints, furs, extra belts, and some suave vintage leather jackets. Truly a feast for the senses.
Emporio Armani
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