Live From...Milan Fashion Week, Day 3

Alexander McQueen

Without naming any particular names, Sarah Burton drew inspiration from English rock, channelling the rakish charm of iconic frontmen. It was a natural fit for McQueen's signature tailoring and dark flamboyance, but also tapped into the emerging trend for a rock 'n' roll renaissance seen elsewhere in Milan this week.

The look: Rock gods

Silhouette: A mix of lean tailoring and occasional easy volume

Key items: The opening looks are the leanest and meanest –  a pair of elongated straight-cut suit jackets with sharp shoulderlines is paired with straight-leg pants cropped before the break of the boot, their clashing checks and stripes setting the tone for the looks that follow; there are velvet blazers pinched at the waist with single buttons, softer shaped jackets albeit still in that longer length and wide pyjama-style pants. The sometimes foppish flamboyance of the rock god translates into shirts with flyaway neck ties or a long fluid trench coat worn with dusted plum-coloured pants and a printed silk shirt, while the offbeat sartorialism of the English rock star arrives as mix 'n' match three-piece suits; occasionally there is also a hint of early 60s mod styling, with the snug-fitting bomber jackets and nautical striped sweaters

Colour: Optic black and white with shots of red and yellow, tempered with dusty pinks, chalky neutrals and inky midnight blue

Fabric & knit: All the rock 'n' roll favourites are present – velvet, silk, lustrous patterned jacquards, lurex metallics and chest-baring semi sheer knits

Print & pattern: Bicolour humbug stripes (vertical), gingham checks in clashing scales, photoreal flames, diffused stripes

Details & trims: Lurex stripes, a creeping floral embroidery, shell trims

Footwear: Pointed ankle boots some with spectator toe caps, dusty suede Chelsea boots, slippers

Accessories: Foppish floppy hats, structured fedora with velvet ribbon and upward feather trim, round sunglasses with black-tinted lenses and glossy black frames, shell-studded belts

D&G

Print and pattern were at the top of the agenda for Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana's showing for their D&G label. They ploughed a furrow through their scarf drawer, combining traditional silk foulard patterns in clashing combinations and relaxed summery silhouettes.

The look: Summer resort

Silhouette: Unstructured volume

Key items: The relaxed mood of the show permeates the soft drapey pant shapes worked in silk foulard or washed linen, often sporting a denim waistband – a homespun look, which also impacts on pieced and patched denim shirts with mismatched pockets or silk foulard panels and jersey sleeves. Drapey blousons and bombers in richly patterned silks partner soft silk shorts, distressed denim jeans and marled grey or silk foulard tees. Denim effects and washed linen ground the collection for soft unstructured suits, maybe teamed with semi-sheer knits, while a parade of foulard patterned swimwear adds the final flourish

Colour: A multicoloured extravaganza with a grounding of washed denim blues and warm nutmeg browns

Fabric & knit: Silk foulards, washed linen, leather, denim and denim effects, washed drill, jersey

Print & pattern: Extravagent scrolling scarf prints worked in clashing combinations

Details & trims: Cut-off recycled denim waistbands, elastic welt trims, drawstring waists

Footwear: Hand-stitched moccasins in foulard printed or brightly coloured suede

Accessories: Raffia trilbies, foulard printed hats

Gucci

Frida Giannini drew on the sort of  young bohemian aristos-come-rock stars that inhabited Saville Row and private members clubs like Scotch of St James in the 60s and 70s for her spring/summer inspiration. The result was a beautifully crafted collection that played with traditional values and gave them a modern youthful twist.

The look: Gentlemen’s club

Silhouette: Classic with a modern twist

Key items: This collection was built on classic wardrobe pieces, revamped with modern detailing in the snap hems on skinny pants, the collarless necklines on soft jacquard shirts, piped pockets and covered buttons on neat SB tailored blazers, thermoseal details on lean colour-blocked cabans and safari jackets or the micro check lining on a washed nappa coat. Pant shapes veer from easy rise and pleated to ankle-skimming and skinny, teamed with marled or melanged knits and a raft of luxe leathers from quilted bombers to smooth Harringtons and sinuous shirt jackets. And for evening those dashing young dudes are perfectly suited and booted in graphic checked tuxedos, blazers and silk faille pants or rock-star gold brocades and sexy lurex knits

Colour: Sand neutrals, inky blues, steel greys with pops of brick red, aubergine and sky blue for shirtings. Black and white or old gold for evening

Fabric & knit: A twist on the traditionals with pied-de-poule suitings, micro checks, Prince of Wales checks – new in waterproofed nylon – black-and-white checks, suede, washed nappa, velvet and brocade. Textured marled knits, lurex knits

Print & pattern: Woven checks rather than print and pattern

Details & trims: Contrast top collars, piped flapped pockets and covered buttons, thermoseal details creating graphic contrast on casual jackets and outerwear, back vents, buckled tab details

Footwear: Classic crocodile loafers with horsebit buckles, contrast heavy-sole derby lace-ups

Accessories: Maxi travel bags in crocodile or rawhide and canvas. Leather framed sunglasses

Versace

   

There was an experimentation with volume and proportion that felt new for Versace this season, as Donatella played with shrunken uppers and new fuller bottomweights, which, after winter's severe and strict offer, felt better for it.

Add to that Donatella's bold injection of summer colour and several of the house signatures - such as baroque motifs and Greek key prints - and the show steamrollered into a fresh and successful position.

The look: Italian stallion

Silhouette: A new focus on volume

Key items: Jackets including a plethora of bombers and bikers in a variety of fabrications feature narrow waists drawn taut around the torso to create upper volume, while pants and long shorts feature triple-pleats to bring this same sense of volume to the bottom silhouette. Tailoring also feels fresh, with new proportions seeing broad DB suits with low-breaking buttoning or elongated SB suits drawing the eye downward. Elsewhere key pieces include sleeveless tanks in glazed wet-look knits, a suede-panelled Western shirt and a slimmer trouser shape with bondage style buckles running the length of the leg

Colour: Donatella wreaked havoc with summer's colour card, going all out with shocking brights of azure blue, canary yellow, bold Kelly green, coral red with hot pink, and salmon, worked against steel and slate greys, sandy neutrals and rich tan leather; watch also for crisp resort white and lustrous black as key anchors

Fabric & knit: Light summer suitings including Prince of Wales check and dogstooth, crisp neat cottons, printed silks, perforated suede, slicked leather, mesh, open stitch knits, engineered knits, wet-look glazed knits, sheer patterened knits

Print & pattern: Greek key placements, optical Greek key repeat, signature curlicues and baroque leaves

Details & trims: Gold eyelets in placement formation, medusa-head buttons and medallions, multiple buckles

Footwear: Leather sandals decorated with Medusa-head medallions, multi-strap patent gladiator sandals styled with socks, smart suede loafers

Accessories: Smart leather holdalls, hugely oversized totes, squared sunglasses with metal greek key detail across the flat topline, ribbon key chains

Nicole Farhi

Nicole Farhi returned to the men's runways with a sparsely styled collection of clean minimal silhouettes, with an emphasis on functionality, teamed with innovative fabrications. The result was ineffably modern and clinical with a lightweight fiunctional feel.

The look: Modern minimalism

Silhouette: Clean simple unstructured layers and neat tailoring

Key items: This collection emphasises fabric innovation and functional detailing through strong tee-shaped tops and simple half-sleeved shirts overlaid with clear plastic, teamed with straight-cut basic pant shapes. Bonded Aran effects bring a tailored blazer shape up to date, while casual double-zip jackets and trench coats conceal matching mesh inners. Knitwear veers between simple textured ladder stitch tunics to a V-neck cabled tank layered over a ciré tee. This key silhouette is also worked in Neoprene with a contrasting mesh back, while mesh shorts take on an airy summer feel and functional parkas and double-zip casual jackets provide lightweight outerwear options


Colour: White dominates for a clean clinical feel, teamed with sandy neutrals, pale pebble greys, taupe, ink and black with accents of bright yellow and sage

Fabric & knit: Innovate fabrics have dominated the last few seasons at Nicole Farhi – the sort of fabrics you need to touch and feel before their compexity becomes a reality, with papery cotton, Neoprene and bonded effects, clear plastics, cire nylons, airy mesh, smooth flat jacketweights contrasting with canvas

Details & trims: Detailing takes on a new emphasis, with mesh inners, contrast fabric facing, knitted welts, double-ended zips, binding trims

Footwear: Contrast sole derbys with exaggerated rands

Accessories: Plastcic clip harnesses, sou’wester hoods

Etro

Provence and the Mediterranean coast proved fertile ground for Etro's spring/summer collection, providing a landscape of opportunity for different looks, ranging from nautical to bohemian intelligensia and Riviera playboys.

The look: A year in Provence

Silhouette: Louche, layered and unstructured

Key items: Easy oversized trench coats and soft duster coats are the perfect lightweight throw-on coat shapes to offset softly structured SB and DB tailoring layered over paisley shirts and tunics, or even sporty nylon cagoules in an offbeat sporty/formal mix. Textured knits are a key item for next summer and here they are worked with easy plaid shorts and printed paisley pants. There are nautical connotations too in the piped-edge SB blazers and striped knits, while colourful pattern mixes and relaxed separates speak of a more artistic look at play

Colour: The Provencal landscape colours a palette spanning warm earthy neutrals and sand-toned pales through to an ocean of marine and washed sky blues, with vivid accents of mimosa yellow, poppy red and lavender

Fabric & knit: Linen forms the core to the collection, coming in muted micro checks, windowpane plaids and washed plains, along with two-tone suitings, mohair, Madras plaids, cottons, nylon or ciré, silk, suede and textured cotton-blend knits


Print & pattern: Paisley is a signature of this house, and for spring/summer 2012 it is worked in warm muted colours or in bold bicolour combinations in a dark motif on a white ground, which looks new and fresh. Paisley motifs even scroll in faded tatoo-like patterns across fine-gauge knits. Elsehere, simple coin spots proliferate across shirts and even suiting, while multicoloured checks clash in mismatched combinations 


Details & trims: Nautical piping or contrast-bound edges

Footwear: Tasselled or kiltie-fringed loafers, classic loafers


Accessories: Wide-brimmed unstructured straw hats, flowing scarves, woven or plaited leather belts, striped knitted ties, Paisley printed leather totes, leather bags

Iceberg

Achieving the ultimate smart-casual mix was the aim at Iceberg, where cardigan-jackets replaced tailored blazers and traditional wool suitings such herringbone and dogstooth arrived crumpled in thin summer weights.

The look: Smart-casual

Silhouette: Comfortably lean, unstructured

Key items: The knitted 2B blazer is undeniably the star piece, as snug and comfortable as a cardigan but with definite tailored constructions. These are teamed with casual pants – either flat-front or with a double-pleat creating roomy volume at the crotch - both options rolled or cropped above the ankle. Summer styling relies on layering contrast-coloured tees with cutaway or irregular necklines, while a few sporty outerwear options including yacht jackets and flyweight nylon parkas are typical of the brand. Suits are deconstructed to achieve that smart-casual tone – a pair of Prince of Wales checked trousers exited with a snug-fitting Western shirt, its matching DB jacket arriving in the next look

Colour: The palette is built on tonal ranges of blue – from sky and ultramarine through to navy, and grey – from ash to slate – that are punctuated with flashes of bright pillarbox red and sunshine yellow

Fabric & knit: Cotton, silk, marled jersey, fine-weight suitings, pique knits, silky nylon, Prince of Wales check, herringbone and dogstooth wool suitings, thick double-faced wool, knitted Breton stripes, chunky knits, cable stitches, smooth leather

Print & pattern: Overdyed denim-effect treatments in black or blue, dip-dyed jacket edges

Details & trims: Untrimmed edges, cutaway T-shirt necklines, coloured waistbands, coloured knit strips on the inside of jacket and cardigan closures, contrast colour drawcords

Footwear: Casual blue or grey suede lace-ups with rubbed/stained toes, chunky crepe-soled kiltie-fringed suede loafers

Accessories: Bookish optical, faded leather holdall, tricolour leather satchel, a coloured nylon utility bag

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Live From... Paris Fashion Week, Day 8

Chanel

Over the past few seasons there have been icy glaciers and ornamental gardens complete with gushing fountains, as Karl Lagerfeld strives to put on ever more theatrical shows at Chanel. This time round it was a charred and smouldering forest, the models picking their way across it dressed in signature tweed layers, their wide-legged pants rolled up to avoid disturbing the swirling fog. 

The look: Protective winter dressing

Silhouette: Sturdy and masculine

Key items: Lagerfeld’s leitmotif was for jackets faux-layered over other jackets – short, boxy Chanel styles over tailored blazers or a four-pocket wool bush jacket, a tweed bolero over a slim-fit crombie, or a short sequinned jacket over a tux. These were paired with either triple pleat-front wide-legged pants with ankle-swinging turn-ups, or super-skinny black jeans. Skirt suits comprised collarless jackets with dropped sleeveheads and asymmetrical closures, and short A-line skirts, while cocktail dress were short and fluted with puff sleeves. There were tweed capes including a couple of floor-sweeping maxi options, and shirts with high pie-crust frilled collars that tapped into the season’s Victoriana looks, while evening gowns and dresses were replaced with no fewer than 15 jumpsuits - in lace, quilted leather, bulky tweed or Chantilly lace over satin, many with oversized cloverleaf lapels, large patch pockets and asymmetrical biker-style zips

Colour: Charred black and a host of smoky greys, with hits of red and teal

Fabric & knit: Slubby tweeds, bouclé, dense wools, basket weaves, houndstooth, glitter knits and Lurex-shot tweeds, tinselly fil coupé, looped wools, shearling, shredded chiffon, black organza, Chantilly lace, crinkled and scratched black denim

Print & pattern: Heraldic flowers and shadowy leaf patterns

Details & trims: Looped wool, tufted and shredded tweed, diamond quilting, chiffon appliqués, laser-cut fabric leaves sprouting from necklines, high pie-crust frilled shirt collars, dropped sleeveheads, jewelled buttons, patch pockets with fold-down corners

Footwear: Lace-up bovver boots with chelsea gusset and slouchy contrast material cuffs, short biker boots, low-heeled satin courts (US: pumps), metallic shoes and boots with popper studs and spectator toes

Accessories: Multi-strand chain chokers in blackened silver metals, gold cuffs; fingerless gloves in either thick ribbed knits or fine lace, tweed corsages, quilted leather waspie belts; chain-handled bags

Alexander McQueen

After rumours emerged Kate Middleton may wear a McQueen wedding dress for her forthcoming nuptials, all eyes were on Sarah Burton’s latest collection, picking it over for clues as to what the royal wedding ensemble will hold. And she didn’t disappoint, basing her couture-like collection on “an ice queen and her court”, including several white gowns sure to get the royal seal of approval from any fashion-conscious princess. 

The look: Royal couture

Silhouette: Hourglass-shaped bodies and fit-and-flare skirts

Key items: This was about as far from a commercial collection as you could get. There were no retail-ready key items as such - each piece a made-to-order work of haute couture. There were nipped-waist coats with fur skirts, skirt suits with body-con jackets and skirts with zipped splits and godets, zip-through dresses with cutaway halternecks and leather harnesses, or others with chiffon bishop sleeves. There were body-con sheaths with corset-laced details binding skirt splits and plunging necklines, and a fit-and-flare coat with reinforced shoulder plates and a dropped-waist flare, that shape following through to a high-necked and corseted fit-and-flare drop-waist dress, with a tutu-like skirt made up of bands of millefeuille shredded chiffon and diamond lattice pleating. But what will get everyone talking were the white wedding-worthy gowns, the details of which will be picked over by anyone speculating on Kate Middleton’s rumoured McQueen wedding dress. There was one with a leather halterneck harness and fluted skirt with a frothy band of marabou feather, another with a high neck and split bishop sleeves, the columnar dress made of frayed-edge chiffon strips, and two halterneck options with frothy dropped-waist skirts - surely the frontrunners for royal favour

Colour: Black, white, lilac and pale grey

Fabric & knit: Tweed, knitted fur, feathered fox, silver fox, marabou, kidassia goat hair, chiffon, satin, leather, waffle-like embossed textures

Details & trims: Signature peaked shoulders, moulded waists/hips, high necklines and cuffed sleeves; zips as seams or godets, string corset-lacing, cutaway shoulders, bishop sleeves, funnel necks, leather harnesses, sheer inserts, ruff-like diamond lattice pleating, regimented stripes of crystal studs, millefeuille layers of frayed chiffon strips, shaved diamonds of fur, basket-woven leather, embroidered heraldic breastplate motif, jewelled studs

Footwear: Ghillie-laced boots in over-the-knee or calf lengths, exaggerated-platform peep toes or strappy sandals decorated with white beads or jewelled tufts of chiffon

Accessories: Waist-cinching belts and triple-buckle girdles, leather harnesses; chokers, either sheepskin-lined or studded leather; short fingerless gloves or over-the-elbow fetish leather gloves

Valentino

Possibly one of the finest collections presented in Paris this week, designers Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli injected the girlish sexiness they have perfected for after-six into elegant yet youthful daywear full of short lengths, pretty lace and unashamed feminine charm. 

The look: Sweet femininity

Silhouette: Short daywear lengths, softly waisted fit-and-flare

Key items: There was a new concentration on daywear, which included above-the-knee dresses with wool skirts and ribbed knit tops, cardigan jackets with ribbed sleeves, sheer blouses or crewnecked sweaters paired with delicate pleated skirts and a couple of great shirtwaisters - one a particular highlight in cream laser-cut leather with sheer sleeves. There were perfectly tailored trousers, while a couple of neat longline DB jackets, a slicked leather trench, banded fox-fur coats and a wrap coat with wide portrait collar comprised the sensible outerwear offer. The demure/sexy interplay that Chiuri and Piccioli have made their own at the house arrived in the form of flirty cocktail dresses, including one with a fine Chantilly lace halterneck bodice and dropped-waist pleated leather skirt, a couple of fit-and-flare dresses with lingerie-inspired straps and bra cups, and a leather bandeau traced with a lace grid inlay. For evening, lengths hit the floor, with delicately wafting maxis in printed silk chiffon

Colour: A palette of cosmetique nudes and blush pinks dominated, tempered with black, inky navy and chocolate brown, and a single hit of mallard green. For evening there were highlights of turquoise and washed chartreuse

Fabric & knit: Ribbed knits, cashmere wools, chiffon, dotted point d’esprit, several types of fine lace, short tiered feathers, banded fox, glossy calfskin

Print & pattern: Printed tweedy trompe l’oeil plaid, trompe l’oeil all-over feather print, speckled and dotted patterns

Details & trims: Leather edge trims, pyramid studs, sequinned zigzags, lace inserts forming grid patterns, placement lace florals, pieced and patchworked lace, signature rosettes in quilled fabric or new in feathers, covered buttons, self belts

Footwear: Tall boots in plain leather, snakeskin or lace overlay, elegant thick-strapped Mary Janes 

Accessories: Small leather bags with long shoulder straps, studded fold-over clutches, skinny snakeskin tubular belts with metal clasp, feathered chokers

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Live From... Milan Menswear, Day 3

Gucci

There is an undisputed sex appeal in the winning combination of youthful rock-styled models and the timeless appeal of tactile luxury - and Frida Giannini nailed it in her autumn/winter menswear collection.

"The year 2011 marks our 90th anniversary and I have explored Gucci’s codes from many perspectives, reintroducing elements from the DNA with the 70s and the spirit of dressing iconic men as a reference." Frida Giannini

The look: New dandy
Silhouette: Unadulterated 70s with razor-sharp tailoring and cocooning luxe outerwear 
Key items: The sharp-shouldered exaggerated-lapel suit was at the heart of the collection, with slim waisted jackets teamed with flared pants and layered over neat-fit knits and toning shirts and ties. Outerwear was stamped with all the luxurious appeal of an ostrich trench, Mongolian lamb, rabbit and beaver fur coats or ¾ jackets, while fit-and-flare reefer coats and a crocodile DB kept the mood a little more grounded. And for evening, the all-out-glamour of the velvet tux worn with an insouciant youthful elegance
Colours: A muted palette of soft cappuccino and griege-tinted neutrals teamed with soft shell or blush pink morphing into rich burgundy, espresso, tan, camel and black, with accents of cornflower, sapphire blue and violet
Fabric & knit: The ultimate luxe touch of velvet and flannel, cashmere, mohair and angora offset with ostrich, crocodile, beaver and rabbit, astrakhan, ponyskin and shearling
Details & trims: Sharp peaked lapels, fur collars
Footwear: Ankle boots in shaded leather, tasselled moccasins
Accessories: Long knitted scarves, canvas belts, leather belts, foulard breast-pocket handkerchiefs, the bamboo bag worked with blackened handles in washed leather, pigskin or buffalo

Alexander McQueen 

A slick and confident collection from Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, who drew on historical military references mixed with modern sportswear pieces for a look that had a sharp but eclectic appeal.

The look: Menswear on parade 
Silhouette: Sharp tailoring worked with relaxed outerwear silhouettes and casual sportswear bottomweightsKey items: The military-inspired coat in several guises, from fur-trimmed to tailored regimental style and cocooning poncho, layered over sharply tailored SB and DB suits or sporty cuffed jog pants and slim-legged leather jeans. Polo-neck knits and boxy gilets added a layered feel and there were further military influences in the trompe l’oeil military regalia printed jacket or in the Prussian-style forging trims on a casual blousonColours: Military red, black and grey, navy and airforce blue with accents of bone, cerulean, chrome yellow and ochre
Fabric & knit: Luxe flannels and boiled or felted wools teamed with classic checked suitings, pinstripes and velvet. A more rugged look featured coated plaids, Donegal tweeds, ponyskin, canvas, leather and shearling Print & pattern: Military regalia motifs worked in trompe l’oeil effects. A splashy black and white graffiti print
Details & trims: Contrast trims and edging, frogging, leather trims, suede knee pads on leather jeans, contrast piping on bottomweights
Footwear: Zip-front military boots, patent slip-ons, tan and navy patent oxfords, patent sneakers with matt rubber toecaps
Accessories: Military caps, ombréd gloves

Iceberg 

The mood was one of relaxed fit and easy layering for Iceberg’s autumn/winter showing as outerwear and tailoring got a subtle deconstructed look. 

The look: Weathered and worn classics
Silhouette: Layered deconstructed and unstructured tailoring and outerwear
Key items: SB and DB tailoring came with an aged appeal, with unstructured shapes and raw edges worked on classic fabrications. Pant shapes were cropped and unpressed, teamed with unstructured throw-on coats, poncho wraps and mismatched waistcoats (US: vests), casual suede or felted wool blouson jackets and reefer coats or shrug-on shearlings. Knits were elongated and layered with simple V-necks, fine-gauge cardigans, heavy-gauge striped cables or chunky knitted cardigan jackets
Colours: A muted palette of greys and griege-toned neutrals accented with sharp highlights of tan, cerulean and burgundy, camel and pale saxe blue
Fabric & knit: Classic herringbones, Prince of Wales plaids and dogstooth checks, cashmere, boiled or felted wools, rough suede, shearling, leather, fine-gauge and mohair
knitsPrint & pattern: No pattern apart from woven stripes worked as a border on wool coats and jacketsDetails & trims: Raw edging, blanket-stitch edging
Footwear: Tan or grey antiqued oxfords
Accessories: Long knitted scarves

John Richmond

With his signature rock ‘n’ roll vibe rooted in the 80s this season, John Richmond sent out a collection of tough-luxe looks with plenty of fur and leather and edgy attitude. 

The look: Luxe rocker
Silhouette: Narrow under cocooning outerwear shapes
Key items: Slick reefer coats and jackets, layered with high-button 1SB and DB tailoring. Leather biker jackets and shearling aviators, puffas, fur-trimmed hooded parkas, Barbour-style jackets, fur gilets and a quilted duffel coat ensured a broad outerwear offer, teamed with distressed jeans, cropped pants and hooded knits. Signature printed shirts and signature beadedknits added to the rock vibe
Colours: A medley of rich browns, camel and grey offset with black
Fabric & knit: Waxed cottons, leather, shearling, fur, flannel, pinstripe suiting, sheened tonic or mohair suiting, denim, cashmere, astrakhan as a trim
Print & pattern: Collaged-effect prints featuring skulls, gothic-inspired typography and scrolling foliage, skin prints and jacquards
Details & trims: Fur collars, beading, quilting
Footwear: Tan and grey oxfords
Accessories: Structured totes, checked ties
 
Etro

The humble cow gave rise to a wealth of inspiration for Kean Etro this season, the animal itself providing him with colours and fabrics, while its natural habitat - namely mountains and wild pastures - brought forth the embellishments and decorative motifs that are so instrinsic to an Etro collection.

“The cow is central to this collection. I was thinking about all the places a cow lives, from outside my window at college in Cambridge to places like Tyrol, between Italy and Austria.” Kean Etro

The look: Tyrolean mountain men come to Milan
Silhouette: Tailored with a gently sloping shoulder and straight leg
Key items: Tailored straight-leg pants ran throughout the collection while top halves were layered with embroidered T-shirts, mid-gauge polo-neck sweaters, a plethora of cardigan styles and short-length jackets including boxy bikers and a felted wool baseball jacket; outerwear highlights included a wide-cut DB trench in long-haired cowhide, a fluffy ladder-stitch SB coat and a lightweight parka with fur hood; tailored suits were also important, with slightly slimmer trouser legs and neat jackets with a gently sloping shoulderline; jersey knit waistcoats and patterened shirtings completed the look while for evening the velvet tux jacket and dress coat dominated
Colour: A range of earthy browns form the core palette: sandy tan, rich cigarillo, dark espresso, chestnut and chocolate, complemented by olive moss greens and warm milky white; royal blue, burgundy and shots of copper and old gold act as highlights
Fabric & knit: Hairy cowhide, lustrous silk wool suiting, paisley jacquards, micro check wools, teased wools, curly lamb’s fur, jumbo corduroy, velvet, double-stripe cotton shirting, crackle glazed blue leather, ladder-stitch knits, jersey
knitsPrint & pattern: Contrast checks spliced on single items such as coat bodies/sleeves, central-placement paisley T-shirt graphics, pastoral florals, stylised paisleys
Details & trims: Tyrolean and Himalayan embroideries, patches and overstitching resembling timeworn mends, embroidered and beaded motifs depicting a dinosaur eating paisley leaves, leather-trimmed jeans, peaked lapels, coin-button cufflinks, curly lamb’s fur collars, diamond quilting
Footwear: Cowhide shoes – lace-ups, tasselled loafers, slippers
Accessories: Rough-hewn amber pendants on leather thongs, horn/tooth pendants, tall curly lamb’s fur hats with cap peaks, blunt-ended ties, silk pocket squares, patterned socks, knitted scarves coiled around the neck, fingerless gloves, holdalls in spliced exotic leathers

Versace 

A fiercely tailored collection and muted palette of industrial black and grey allowed Versace menswear designer Martyn Bal to focus attention on texture this season. Knitwear played a central role and the monochromatic optical patterns that were touched upon last season manifested themselves in technical and engineered knits in blistered and three-dimensional effects.

"This season's Versace collection for men presents an optical game of shapes, proportions and graphics, conducted with a knowing and contemporary nod." Donatella Versace

The look: Germanic austerity coupled with New Wave Berlin optics
Silhouette: Strictly tailored
Key items: Double-breasted overcoats, formal shirts and ties, long-line quilted leather biker jackets, tailored gilets worn over coats and suit jackets, turtle-neck sweaters layered beneath patterned crew-neck jumpers, an asymmetrically zipped blouson with notched collar, knitted jumpers in three-dimensional textured knits, skinny leather pantsColour: Tough black, steely industrial greys and camel punctuated with electric blue, brick red and a flash of hot pink
Fabric & knit: Optical jacquards, lustrous wool mohair suitings, waffle-embossed and quilted leathers, windowpane-pressed suede, smooth wool blends, cashmere, engineered textured knits, three-dimensional blistered knits
Print & pattern: Pixellated knit intarsias, black-and-white optical patterns, Mondrian-style geometric square panelled knits

Moschino 

It was sporting geeks on the touchline at Moschino, with a preppy-meets-sports-coach collection of vividly coloured basics, Collegiate stripes and a smattering of tailoring. 

The look: Collegiate sports heroes
Silhouette: Big cocooning outerwear layered over sportswear basics and neat tailoring
Key items: The down-filled puffa coat and boldly striped puffa jacket were key pieces along with a Collegiate striped blazer and geeky DB tailoring, sports pants and soft knee-length shorts teamed with striped rugbys; for a smarter option there were crombie-style coats and a velvet tuxedo, albeit it in brilliant cobalt blue. Sportswear details trimmed classic tailoring – think ribbed welt trims and go-faster stripes
Colour: Sportswear brights – vermillion and cobalt blue – with navy, grey, black, ivory and pine greenFabric & knit: Traditional suitings like pinstripes, velvet, leather, nylon and satin, collegiate stripes
Print & pattern: A newsprint all-over, sporty graphic slogans and numerals
Details & trims: Ribbed welt top collars on tailoring, go-faster stripes on suit sleevesFootwear: Brightly laced sneakers, hi-tops and oxfords
Accessories: Knitted scarves, bow ties, collegiate striped ties, bright runkled socks, flat caps

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