Elegant, yet relaxed. With the tie, but under the cardigan. Double-breasted, but with a polo shirt. In denim, but with lace-ups. Here is the man of next autumn/winter: self-confident, centered and willing to also appear romantic and fragile. The origins as a point of reference for all the brands on the catwalk at Pitti Florence and Milan Fashion Week Men, and more than ever from Giorgio Armani, who leaves the stylistic baton to Leo Dell’Orco, partner and heir of the Milanese designer, who passed away last September: one of the greats, like Valentino, who marked an era, and whose death shook the world of fashion.
And it is Leo who received the thunderous applause of the audience, together with his nephew Gianluca, who has been in the company for 35 years and now heads the Giorgio Armani style office. Excited, but happy, the two were able to give continuity to 50 years of King George’s style, reinterpreting his style and codes with respect, albeit with an inevitable and necessary personal touch.
Color for example. In addition to the traditional grey, greige and blue, here are the bright greens, the aubergines, the copy blues enhanced by velvets and chenille also for shirts and polo shirts, as well as jackets. The trousers are soft with deep pleats, the blousons are knitted, the coats are long and enveloping, often without lapels. Even the mountain wardrobe is sober and elegant, declined in copy blue, while in the evening it lights up with shiny details and those iridescent and iridescent fabrics, which characterize the collection and its transitional “role”: same focus, modified by vision.
Excellent, in the same direction but with a new pace. What fashion needs is in fact a lack of hypocrisy, comments Miuccia Prada. Enough talking about sustainability that doesn’t exist, enough empirical innovations, better a good boost of concreteness. This is why his boys flaunt huge “dirty” wrists under jackets and coats, a symbol of a difficult and complex world, where nothing is completely limpid, clean, clear. To defend yourself, a short cape over the trench coat, a flat hat attached to the back, a large scarf, a colored sweater, solid boots with contrasting laces, a brown down jacket, a belted jacket can be useful. All expressed in elongated silhouettes, thin and almost fragile…
The Dolce & Gabbana man, however, seems well aware of himself. Or rather: men. Enough with stereotypes, Domenico and Stefano declare: everyone be what they are. The collection is a “manifesto” that reads: «The Portrait of Man», or the portrait of a man, of every man. Dandy in his spotted silk dressing gown or flowing pajamas, manager in double-breasted grisaille, sportsman in shorts and tank top, country in his brown velvet suit, womanizer in his intriguing pinstripe suit or tie and scarf tucked into the lapels of his coat. And then super chic in the evening tuxedos: black, illuminated by white shirts, silk flowers, sparkling brooches, silvery like the “sacred heart”. A triumph of Hollywood look that intrigues and fascinates especially young people who want authentic elegance.
«This very reassuring fashion seems very in line with the times to me – Federico Giglio, one of the most important buyers from Palermo in the world, tells us -. This man who knows what he wants makes our lives easier and makes us calm in our purchases. Because we understood that he wants comfortable, comfortable and quality garments, that is what brands and designers have proposed. That is, absolute comfort, sealed by details that make dressing pleasant, which also becomes a cuddle.”
Always aware of all this, beyond temporary trends, is Brunello Cucinelli, who pushes the accelerator on an extremely refined country chic style. Solid but soft colors such as cream, grey, burgundy and stainless navy blue, for formal suits, but above all outerwear, sweaters, blousons, and accessories perfect for free time, the true luxury of life: today more than ever. Luxury interpreted in the sophisticated style of Brioni who wants his evening jacket in an infinite number of sequins of the Solaro fabric, in aubergine colour, in a tribute to the eternal city, Rome, home of the brand.
Luxury Elevetnthy coat cardigan in a Scandinavian version, worn over the formal suit. Luxury check suits, of very refined British inspiration, by Kiton, made with the extreme sartorial care typical of the Neapolitan brand. The luxury of timeless suits by Tombolini, a company included in the register of Historic Brands of national interest by the Ministry of Business. Luxury footwear by Church, an English brand that still produces everything strictly by hand. The luxury and pride of the Milan/Cortina Olympics uniforms, created by Emporio Armani EA 7, and presented with a mega in-store event.
And finally the luxury of the re-edition of Etro’s 1996 collection, which relaunches the fabrics and patterns typical of Kean Etro, in a fantastic bestiary, where his “Soulmen” wear sumptuous and luminous Pasley velvet dressing gowns, brocade shirts, voluptuous alpaca coats, all in warm colours, dear to the Maison and re-edited by the designer Marco de Vincenzo (from Messina).
«It’s the truth of doing», underlines Raffaello Napoleone, CEO of Pitti Immagine Uomo, the most important men’s fashion event in the world, which preceded the Milanese fashion shows in Florence. «In complicated moments, dressing well is important, since it is also a sign of authority and seriousness».