Mano a mono

Among the neutrals, pale shades and restrained palettes that are the bread and butter of menswear, the collections at this week's Milan men's catwalk saw bursts of colour from juicy brights to icy blues.

A model wears a creation by ICEBERG men's Spring-Summer 2011 collection.

There is a little known condition that goes by the name of chromophobia. Just as sufferers of chorophobia fear dancing and catagelophobia fear being ridiculed - both common male complaints - those coping with chromophobia have an altogether more inconvenient issue: they have a terror of colour. And, if this week's Milan men's catwalk shows are anything to go by, they may have to face their fear during next spring and summer.

Among the neutrals, pale shades and restrained palettes that are the bread and butter of menswear, the collections saw bursts of colour from juicy brights to icy blues from DSquared, Moschino and Calvin Klein, among others. Shades that would once have been considered cheap, from turquoise to peach to pale yellow will be bringing sunshine to the male closet, and even the typically sober Jil Sander is at it in pink and orange.

It is, at least, a riposte of sorts to recessionary gloom, yet the catwalks were refreshingly free of the PR-stunt extremes that characterised the good times - even if the likes of Z Zegna and Etro remain convinced that those men friendly to the free weights are ready to wear sheer shirts and see-through t-shirts. There was, in other words, plenty of easy-to-wear monochrome and simple shapes, with designers still aware that Mr. Average feels safer inside more obviously masculine shades.

Even among collections in which colour was a distinctive theme, there were easy-to-wear pieces. There is a little known condition that goes by the name of chromophobia. Just as sufferers of chorophobia fear dancing and catagelophobia fear being ridiculed - both common male complaints - those coping with chromophobia have an altogether more inconvenient issue: they fear colour. And, if this week's Milan catwalk shows are anything to go by, they had better stay inside during spring and summer next year.

Judging by the offerings of DSquared, Moschino and Calvin Klein, among others, all colours bright if not beautiful - especially those that would once have been considered cheap, from turquoise to peach to pale yellow - will be bringing sunshine to the male closet. Even the typically sober Jil Sander is at it in pink and orange. It is, at least, a riposte of sorts to recessionary gloom. Yet while the catwalks were refreshingly free of the usual PR-stunt extremes - even if the likes of Z Zegna and Etro remain convinced that those men friendly to the free weights are ready to wear sheer shirts and see-through T-shirts - it perhaps still asks too much of Mr. Average, safe inside more o bviously masculine shades.

Luckil y for him, these are not ignored, even among collections in which colour is a distinctive theme. Sophisticated berry shades, from the likes of Versace, Bottega Veneta and John Richmond, venture beyond the classic menswear palette without risking the ruffling of feathers, as do the range of warm tobacco browns from the likes of Ermenegildo Zegna and Gucci. But neutrals are bigger news: taupe and sand from Costume National and Emporio Armani, the palest greys from John Varvatos and Pringle, and plenty of all-white ensembles with tailoring from Bottega, Cavalli and Salvatore Ferregamo; be careful with the soup.

But does any hue so calm a fashion-panicked man as blue? It has come to be the default colour for menswear to such a degree it is almost a new neutral. Cavalli, Giorgio Armani and perhaps above all Prada with its boxy uniform look are among those brands that mine the violet end of the spectrum for midnight and cornflower, French, royal and denim blues alike. "The Italian designers do like their colour, because it works for their climate, but generally men do prefer a bit of blue, which buyers have to consider when it comes to keeping things in the shops sellable," says Stacey Smith, menswear buyer for Matchesfashion.com. "It's great to accent more muted shades with brights but a real embrace of bold colours is more for the fashion crowd."

The philosopher Aristotle, not an adventurous dressers as far as we know, argued that colour is a hindrance to seeing the "truth" of the form beneath. His philosophy would have been challenged by the surface effects and patterns that are favourites for next spring/summer. In the former camp is the crumpled effect, with Neil Barrett and D&G among those designers who have put unstructured jackets through a spin cycle and left the iron cold for a look that, in suggesting a devil-may-care attitude to formality, is overtly casual. Then comes slouchy, easy, but heavily textured knitwear from the likes of Burberry, Prada and Gucci, playing on the touchy-feely attraction of texture even if they promise to leave many gasping on a warm day.

Similarly, upping the need for a potent deodorant is all the leather on show - from Burberry's black short-sleeved safari shirt to Barrett's cap-sleeved parka - as well as the marginally more summery suede, with lightweight and super-soft versions from Gianfranco Ferré, Cavalli and DSquared used for not just bomber jackets but tailoring and even T-shirts. Pattern meanwhile is divided between bold monochrome prints - among them florals from D&G and kaleidoscope effects from Versace - and the more classic gingham. This can, done badly, make a man look like he is wearing the table-cloth from a French restaurant but, from D&G, Zegna and Pringle, is actually a subtle alternative to city stripes or tattersall checks. Just maybe our learned Greek friend might actually have approved of this more mature touch of expressiveness. After all, it was he who pointed out that "bashfulness is an ornament in youth but a reproach to old age". Get bolder as you get older, in other words.

But what of that form he was so keen to see? Plenty of zips and pockets is one idea from Milan, especially from Bottega Veneta, John Richmond and Burberry Prorsum, whose combat-max style offers enough storage space to ensure that, once your cellphone is secreted about your person you may never see it again. Others are counter-intuitive for summer perhaps but still work, notably the trends for dressed-down double-breasted tailoring - think Giorgio Armani, Costume National and Vivienne Westwood doing 1930s dapper minus all the stuffing - and for the lightweight, loose-fit mac from the likes of Missoni and Jil Sander, which has that belt-and-braces appeal for the pessimist who expects rain despite a cloudless sky.

Yet, if subtle colour and layering suggest a market making a rest stop amid the comfortable and commercial, after the economic turmoil of late, the flip side is a rebel yell. We're talking rock 'n' roll, baby. Arguably the most distinctive look out of Milan is that of the bad-boy biker - all attitude, big hair and, at its extreme, a catwalk that momentarily suggested the cast of "Grease" had taken a wrong turn en route to the theatre. Summer dreams are not quite ripped at the seams, but with fringed, spiked and studded bike jackets from Versace, Varvatos, Emporio Armani, Gucci and others, the look is clearly rough and tough.

"There were certainly loads of quiffs and shiny trousers on the catwalks," notes Lee Douros, menswear buyer for my-wardrobe.com, "not to mention sharkskin suits. It may be the stand-out aesthetic of the Milan shows, but the contrast that it makes with the general trend for a versatile, relaxed, washed-out kind of luxe could hardly be more distinct." All shook up, indeed. But sometimes accessible collections, for all that they tempt the wallet, fail to quicken the pulse. Even in menswear, on the one hand we want the wearable, but on the other we hark after the radical. There is a phobia for that too: kainotophobia, or the fear of change, a problem that fashion exacerbates rather than salves. But then perhaps "change in all things is sweet", as Aristotle had it.

Bold colour: brights for those able to carry them off Subtle neutrals: whites, greys, muted shades, for those with taste Blues of any hue: they play safe but feel right Ankle-skimming trousers: guaranteed to upset your tailor Tactile textures: for a look that is also a feel Double-breasted casual: Miami Vice without the pastels Gingham: the little check no longer overlooked

Monochrome prints: wearable wallpaper Sheer: not for strangers to the gym Biker Rebel: for the easy rider you forgot to become