Fashion Week is an opportunity for eccentric designers to stun their audience with whimsical and boundary-pushing designs. But for this year’s Milan Men’s Fashion week autumn/ winter 2013, classical convention and understated style became the main themes to the runways at the fashion shows of Fendi, Canali, Daks and Missoni. Suited and booted, serious and safe, models dressed in the finest luxurious menswear labels were of ultimate sophistication and elegance. This is potentially due to Italy's fashion houses aiming to remain safe this year in order to try and boost flagging sales and target consumer spending as opposed to creating record breaking fashion statements.
With the occasional splash of colour, whether bright orange or muted green from Gucci or Vivienne Westwood who excelled in tartan and alternative head garments, there were moments of innovation and excitement too. However some designers shedded the shades all together, perhaps embracing the slightly more demure look consisting of ties, shirts, fitted trousers. And in Fendi’s case there was no hint of eye-catching colour throughout the entire show, with an array of dark hues, sombre greys and fur, particularly fitting with the current season.
And Canali followed in the same footsteps, showcasing prim and proper heathery toned suits and six button jackets – which he is renowned for – with an added touch of detail that resulted from velvet ensembles and burnished boots. While Armani started off with a classic catwalk of standard suits and ready-to-wear designs, as the show progressed, sure-fire headturners blasted onto the scene – think sheepskins in deep navy and bottle green, jewelled tone heavy knits and furry backpacks.Bolder propositions came from the likes of Etro and Moschino who experimented with bold print. Determined to add a splash of colour and detail to fashion’s capital, they were among the few daring designers to innovate a classic look that retained some of their individuality.
And prize for the season's most impressive set couldn’t be anyone other than Prada who set the scene with a huge high-rise interior tableau designed by Rem Koolhaas, complete with laser cut modernist foam furniture and skyline views.