Amid yet another round of lockdowns and restrictions across Europe, Milan Men's Fashion Week autumn / winter 2021 is once more almost entirely digital, and, as a result, feels less exuberant than we perhaps prefer. In response, the clothes seem to be focused less on razor-sharp style, and more on comfort and solace, offering myriad ways to encase, cocoon and protect ourselves from the extremes of the world outside our front doors.
Here, we take a look at what the big-name designers have brought to the catwalks this year.
Fendi
Now headed by Silvia Fendi, the brand has released designs that have softened from past structure and offer comfort in these trying times. And what could be more comforting than quilting, and its downy layers? Here, Fendi has turned it into trousers, made from silk and cut on the diagonal, and great puffed-up dressing gown coats, tied loosely at the waist.
Elsewhere full-length knitted dungarees hung loosely from shoulder straps, and were worn over knitted jumpers for a look both relaxed and practical. Great high-necked woollen jackets were also worn loosely belted over shorts. There were even argyle sweaters with collars extended to double as a scarf.
In neutral shades of cream, black and grey (save for the closing salvo of jewel colours), the only decoration came in the form of illustrations, courtesy of Noel Fielding of The Great British Bake Off fame. His scribbly drawings in yellow, white and blue, when transposed on to a silken dressing gown coat, felt like rich embroidery.
Ermenegildo Zegna
Ermenegildo Zegna, too, offered more collarless dressing-gown coats, now in dogtooth tweed and in shades of earthy green, worn with loose-fit trousers and slip-on suede loafers. Showing a subtle shift from relaxed Italian tailoring to something even more laidback, the brand offered loosely tied jackets in dove grey-brushed cashmere, and softened, almost-slouchy trousers that pooled at the ankle. Even its suits were of an easier cut, now with pleated fronts and worn with fine-knit polo necks instead of shirts. Outerwear, too, seemed unstructured, with dropped shoulders, huge patch pockets, and barely a button in sight.
Etro
Etro's respite from Covid-19 came not with more relaxed tailoring, but from colours and patterning that spoke of travels around the globe. A light, silky dressing gown in Indian buta (or paisley, as it is widely known) appeared over sweatpants and a technical hoodie, while a delicate Japanese print decorated a bomber jacket worn with a polo neck.
Elsewhere, a Mughal-print jumper was teamed with English Harris tweed trousers, as a tartan mohair cardigan sat over paisley print pants. Technical hooded tops were worn under western piped jackets, and tracksuits arrived under flowing patterned coats.
Lush and decadent, this felt like the ultimate boho wardrobe, with rich velvet tailored jackets thrown in for a touch of luxe. For accessories, bags included the absolutely minute, those worn around the neck, Velcro pouches that fastened around biceps or ankles, and patchworked backpacks.
Prada
The second collection under the joint vision of Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons centred around the traditional knitted long john. Once worn for practicality, warmth and comfort, now the item has made its return presumably for precisely the same reasons. Reaching from neck to ankle, it was delivered both plain and patterned (in Art Deco angles and flowers), it arrived under suits (with sleeves pushed right up), under roomy, collarless pea coats, and under oversized blouson jackets. In so many iterations, it felt like the duo were delivering a real alternative to dressing each day. Why wear two pieces (trousers and top), when you can just wear one? Keeping to that theme of practicality, even the gloves came armed with an integral zipped pocket.
Moschino
Over at Moschino, designer Jeremy Scott covered his looks with paint – quite literally. Against a backdrop of 1920s New York, he delivered outfits with trompe l'oeil folds and shadows painted over them. Jackets and suits came with exaggerated brushed highlights down fronts, arms and legs, and there was even a clever faux tracksuit, entirely hand drawn in the surface of a simple drawstring jacket and pants. With everything worn tucked into high lace-up boots, it carried an air of the home-made about it all, and teamed with shirts with button-down collars, all in all, it made for a very ingenious way forward.
MSGM
MSGM, meanwhile, staged an indoor snowstorm, perhaps to better express the bleakness of yet another European lockdown. The clothes felt like upscale climbing gear, now in vibrant pink, lemony yellow and patterns that could have been autumnal trees. There were overscale mountaineer outercoats, and multi-pocketed duster coats, with plenty of secure fastenings. The overlong webbed belts that came with every look were closed using carabiners and climbing cleats, offering fashion as a safety net for the soul.
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