Milan Fashion Week: Salvatore Ferragamo SS 2013

Zesty yellows, corals, spearmint greens and cool blues reflected the colours of the sea at Salvatore Ferragamo’s Spring Summer 2013 show. A marked difference from the more reserved collections of the past, yesterday’s presentation was a candy-coloured feast for the eyes. Ultra-light knitwear, perfect for summer were paired with contrasting coloured oxford shirts and ties creating even more shades of brilliant colour. The rampant explosions of colour gave way to more subtle experimentation as seen in the hand-painted jackets towards the end. The closing look, a white hot double-breasted jacket with matching trousers was a welcome palette cleanser for such a vibrant spectacle. Each look was paired with sneakers in a variety of eye-popping colour combinations, another trend sweeping across the SS 2013 menswear collections. I really admire the expert way in which they injected impeccable Italian tailoring with such youthful vigour to produce a body of work that would make any budding fashionisto jealous, I certainly am!

Images via: HommeModel

Milan Fashion Week - Neil Barrett SS 2013

Neil Barrett’s Spring Summer 2013 collection embodied the athletic, manly man. Baseball jerseys,  slouchy sweatshirts, and baggy shorts gave the show a relaxed youthful feel. Barrett chose a palette of rich shades of indigo and purple, earthy browns and deep blacks.  The degraded pinstripe prints added texture and depth to suits and shirts. Highlights from the show included lush pony hair slip-ons and iridescent leather jackets, echoing the metallic trend that’s swept menswear collections for Summer 2013. Tailored trousers with satin stripes on the front rather than on the side breathed new life into classic tuxedo trousers. Barrett’s collection again proved that he’s got his finger on the pulse of the sports luxe trend.

Milan Fashion Week: Burberry Prorsum SS 2013

If there is one fashion house who truly understand the meaning of re-invention, it would have to be Burberry. Christopher Bailey’s Spring Summer collection, titled, Come Rain or Shine showed a step in a more glitzy direction for the 156 year old global brand. Rather than focussing on the heavy-weight parkas and trench coats they are known for, Bailey explored lightweight cabans in vibrant metallic silks. Suits were cut in dark seersucker fabrics with a silhouette slightly more relaxed than SS12. Micro-ikat and geometric diamond prints in washed-out hues appeared on bomber jackets and long-shirts paired with metallic skinny jeans. The metallic fabrics also found their way into the accessories too as seen in the leather iPad cases and summer carrier bags. Bi-colour bomber jackets in  vibrant satin and metallic leather tones ended the show on a high note. Bailey succeeded in presenting a collection that teetered expertly along the lines of taste without falling head first into vulgarity. 

Images via HommeModel

Milan Fashion Week: Ermenegildo Zegna SS 2013

Sophisticated luxury with a dash of youthful eccentricity was at the heart of Ermenegildo Zegna’s Spring Summer 2013 collection. Known for their classic, traditional approach to Italian tailoring, however next summer sees them experimenting with rich, earthy tones of brown, tan, blue red and grey. Jackets were cut in sumptuous silks with matching trousers The banana tree provided the motif for micro-print suits and also appeared in larger forms on luxe silk shirts. Other highlights included perforated silk tops and leather jackets echoing the more youthful direction of the entire collection. Tasseled loafers and oversized tote bags were the perfect compliments for the runway looks. The Zegna design team put together a collection that truly reflected the modern Italian man and his wardrobe. There’s no doubt that men around the world will be falling over themselves when the collection comes out next year.

The Faces of Menswear Fall/Winter 2012/13

Am I the only one feeling slightly nostalgic now that the fashion week buzz is slowly dying down? Anyway the lovely guys at Luisaviaroma have put together a great round-up of behind the scenes footage featuring the people that made the various fashion weeks so amazing — the models! So whether you were there or like me, were part of the digital fashion audience, I hope you enjoy taking a look at The Faces of Menswear 2012/13.

Watch The Street - #1

With the weather in the UK not exactly warming up yet I thought I’d kick off this week’s new feature, Watch The Street with warmer looks from the recent fashion weeks in Milan and Paris. Here are some of my favourites, seen through the lens of Tommy Ton.

Spotted: Milan

One of my favourite looks has to be Bruce Pask in this luxe Dries Van Noten navy coat with fur on one side of the lapel from the Fall 2012 collection. It’s such a statement piece and I’d love to see this filter down into some of the department stores this winter. I’m tempted to recreate this look myself, DIY style!

Spotted: Florence

Here’s one of the reasons I love winter, you really get to experiment with texture and pattern in a way that you can’t in warmer weather. I just love how well he complemented his pink houndstooth jacket with that sleeveless grey puffer jacket. It’s one of the best examples I’ve seen of mixing sportswear with formal. If anyone can identify this gentleman or that blazer I will be very pleased!

Images via: Tommy Ton