Relaxed, indulgent pieces take centerstage at Milan Men’s Fashion Week
MANILA, Philippines — Under the Milanese sun, fashion savants flocked to see the latest in the spring/summer 2023 menswear season as Milan Men’s Fashion Week marked a long-awaited return to the capital.
Despite the heat at 34 degrees, style enthusiasts came out in droves, sporting outfits that reflected the relaxed and optimistic nature of many of the season’s offerings.
With the return of physical shows, Milan Fashion Week’s calendar was filled with must-not-miss sights, including the return of Italian luxury powerhouses like Gucci with a Harry Styles collab called HA HA HA — “H” for Harry, a longtime friend of the house and of Alessandro Michele, who represents the “A” in the onomatopoeia of laughter.
Designers like JW Anderson made their debut in the Italian design mecca. Moschino had its first men’s show in four years and so did Versace (more on that later). From subtle juxtapositions and lavish prints to relaxed silhouettes, here are some of the key collections that have made their mark this season.
Harmonious Lines: Tod’s
Walter Chiapponi’s grounded and relaxed approach is palpable in Tod’s new offerings for SS22/23 in more ways than one. Eschewing the runway for a video shot in Tuscany, Chiapponi’s direction for Tod’s showcases in “Shapes of Italy” a lighter, more organic side; the pieces show casual elegance, with rich and warm neutrals in varying textures that give them an elevated appeal.
Pieces such as unlined peacoats and matching sets of boxy shirts and shorts with illustrations of knotted ropes exude a relaxed and casual vibe with effortless sophistication. Inspired by the laidback nature of the countryside, one can sense the serenity in Tod’s collections, creating an easy, accessible kind of luxury that lends itself nicely to aspirational daywear.
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Tod’s is at Greenbelt 4, Makati, Rustan’s Shangri-La and online at Trunc.ph.
Legendary: Versace
For Versace’s first men’s show in three years, it reinforced its DNA of mythical opulence at Gianni Versace’s home in Via Gesù. Some models walked down the runway with golden hair and fingers, while some — Parker van Noord, Timo Pan, and Cheikh Dia — had their likeness 3D-printed onto statues not unlike Gianni’s god statues. Sons of Versace muses Carla Bruni, Helena Christensen, and Angela Lindvall walked the show as their mothers did.
Need more proof of the brand’s legendary influence? The show soundtrack was a mashup of every song that mentions “Versace.”
Models carried ornately decorated vases contrasting the roomier fits and bold aesthetics reminiscent of the eccentricity of ’70s and ’80s styles. There is an unmistakably sexy quality in its boldness. Versace manages to toe the line between the classical and the eccentric, resulting in indulgent, silky and sultry pieces that artfully create a signature identity for its powerful men’s show comeback.
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Versace is in The Shoppes at Solaire.
Fit to print: Prada
Set completely on paper, Raf Simons and Miuccia Prada created one of the most anticipated shows at Milan Men’s Fashion Week, combining a harmonious blend of tailored pieces and relaxed appeal to the tune of Sonic Youth. Simons’ androgynous, chic-minimalist aesthetic is evident in Prada’s new offerings, which showcase timeless sartorial pieces mixed up with fresh and youthful silhouettes.
Prada’s approach is to take timeless menswear staples such as suits, overcoats, sweaters, shirts, denim, and leather and break the mold of men’s fashion by juxtaposing them against new cuts and prints. This collection also harkens to schoolboy nostalgia, with checkers on blazers and leather shorts completing the ensemble.
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Prada is in Greenbelt 4, Makati.
