Mens' Trends

The Mens' Trends from Milano

Static Wool

Examples seen here at Burberry Prorsum and Jil Sander.





Astrakhan

Examples seen here at Gianfranco Ferre and Salvatore Ferragamo.




Short Jackets

Examples seen here at Marni and Gucci

Milan Menswear A/W 09-10

Okay, Note: This is the first ever menswear season that I have ever actually bothered to follow.
I had this notion that all menswear would look exactly the same, and believe me, some of it does.
But I got over that notion and there are pieces for Winter that I just crave (note: word de jour).


THREE

Ermenegildo Zegna

Oh Ermenegildo. Ohh Airmenehjilldoh.
Did you see the fabrics? The fabrics just spoke to me like Jonathan Saunder's black, blue and gold dress from his Spring 2009 collection, or Donna Karan's Winter 2008 collection - it's just such utter luxury I don't think I can stand to live without it for much longer.
With a style like mine you can wear these pieces day and night.
And the riding boots! The trousers tucked into the riding boots! I've been looking for riding boots for the past seventeen centuries, I swear. If I didn't know this collection was made for me when I first caught a glimpse, I certainly did when along came strolling those chocolatey knee-highs.




TWO

Prada

Now, here is where I can say I am proud of myself - I have successfully trained myself to view a collection, no matter if it is by my favourite designer or my least favourite and to judge it on it's content, and not by the sub-conscious voice saying "uh, but I thought you said you liked him.."
I'm not a usual fan of Ms Miucca, but I just loved what she did for winter.
Some of the materials looked like leather, some looked like nylon, the nylon pieces being the worst. The suits and matching overcoats were wonderful and matched with studded brogues they just make that contrast that I personally love.




ONE

Jil Sander

I adore minimalism and androgony and Raf Simons has genourously given them both to me with the cuts of his jackets for Jil Sander. Though I can't say I like the more colourful pieces (sort of reminds me of dear Akris S/S 09) I seriously want this collection, and I would wear it all.

Giambattista Valli Pre-Fall 2009

"Giambattista Valli." is my answer when someone asks me who my favourite designer is.
Valli's Autumn/Winter 2008-2009 collection sealed my love for his designs when it's shocking shapes and frightening excess of fur came tottering down a long, plain runway on five inch platform heels. Some people at the show described it as "beautiful" or maybe "romantic", but the reason I loved it was because it shocked and, I confess, frightened me a little and to this day several of the pieces give me a shiver of excitement when watching them in motion. So after going over Valli's few previous collections and craving each one, I was desperate for his new Spring/Summer 2009 to be shown. I anticipated strange and powerful, unwearable but wonderful shapes. After being disappointed with most of the 2009 shows, I wanted Valli to shine through. Alas! A lot of the shapes were the same as the lesser shapes in the winter collection (and past collections) and I wasn't struck on the new pieces. It seems the Spring trend of disappointment affected Valli's collection also. Over the past fews days I'd been reading about Valli and how he was to be showing his Winter 2009 collection in Florence instead of Paris. Then coincidentally I came over his brand new pre-fall 2009 collection on style.com. What can I say? Giambattista Valli excels when it comes to winter. The way he mixes materials just makes me lust. The black fur jacket and the orange silk skirt and the bell sleeves on the low cut orange coat. The 'appearing arms' first black coat and the mixture of matte and patent. The olive green silk skirt matched with black fur, belt, gloves and tights, the full black outfit with the olive green shoes. I'm not at all a fan of leopard print but he's created this coat with black fur sleeves worn with black tights and shoes which I think works well. But I'm bored of his silhouettes - he keeps doing this frilled middle on a knee-length dress and big coats and Dior-esque two-pieces. I want him to do what I would do - keep the base shapes but change what is around it completely as so they are recogniseably Valli but completely different at the same time. I think the low cut orange coat is a breakthrough on that sort of idea. I hope his winter collection is stunning and different - I hope he gains inspiration from being back home in Italy.