Streetfashion Milan Menswear SS2011 Day 3

What are you wearing during the coming fashionweeks? Your Givenchy-slippers, your latest Comme des Garcons-bermuda or that vintage Prada? Maybe we’ll spot you in Paris, Milan, New York or Amsterdam. During the fashionweeks we refresh our streetwear posts regularly. We don’t judge, we’re not the fashion-police, we just enjoy fashion and your own personal style. Next stop: menswear fashionweek in Milan.

D&G Catwalk Fashion Show SS2011

It was a hypnotizing soundtrack at D&G’s ss2011-show. N.E.R.D.’s Hot ‘n Fun played in a loop while the models strolled along the field of fresh green grass all dressed up for a country picnic. It felt  like one of those hazy, lazy days.

The vibe reminded of the innocent fifties as seen in movies, with happy people, days full of sunshine and the picnic as the ultimate day-trip. Well, with the D&G-boys keeping you company it will definitely be an unforgettable experience!

Loose fitted khaki’s and Vichy-checks for shirts, polo’s, pants and espadrilles formed the most important part of the collection. Sleeves and legs were rolled up, bare feet were stuck in sandals or vintage sneakers. Some faded flowerprints popped up at jackets and polo’s. Colors looked like they were faded by the sunlight, there was just a hint of green, gray, red, blue and brown. The light colored tuxedo’s were simply striking, never knew yellow, blue and green could be so near white. It matched beautifully with the white shirts and pants.

The season’s T-shirt was decorated with a portrait of Johnny Depp as seen in Cry Baby and a painting by Edouard Manet, Le dejeuner sur l’erbe.

Gucci Catwalk Fashion Show SS2011

Oh, that Gucci playboy! I loved every outfit that he showed this morning. From his deep blue slim fitted suit to his suede shorts with cotton knit sweater. And of course that kerchief around his neck and those bare feet in the houses signature loafers. Frida Giannini sticks to what Gucci stands for: slick menswear with a slightly dangerous touch and shaggy seventies feeling.

It was simply a very commercial collection, but there is nothing wrong with the way Giannini does it. As long as is has that luxury, playboy feeling. The suits in midnight blue were chic and fresh, for those lazy summerdays there are shorts, silk shirts with a classic scarf-print, cotton knit cardigans and sweaters and a laid back tuxedo in chocolate-brown, dark-blue or green.

And all those clothes fit easily in the new big Gucci-bag.

Alexander McQueen Catwalk Fashion Show SS2011

I wasn’t there personally, but I just wanted to show you some pictures of the new menswear-collection of Alexander McQueen. It seemed unthinkable that the label could do without the founder, McQueen – who died four months ago -,  but his righthand Sarah Burton took over. She is the one who knew the best how he thought and worked.

It was a low key presentation of a subtle reworking of the house aestetic. Cut away jackets, a red and gold brocate coat, deconstructed redingotes, cashmere sweaters and striped pants. Burton played a subtle game between high and working class.

Prada Catwalk Fashion Show SS2011

The menswear summer-collection Prada sent out yesterday had a sporty marine-vibe thanks to all the blue & white, the navyblue fishermen-sweaters, the boxy bermudas, wide trousers and lots of keels. It reminded me of the sportsgear sailors wear during a storm or a windy day at the boat. It looked boyish too because of the oversized silhouettes, the multi-colored knitwear and last but not least the shoes with thick soles. You could almost hear them squeeze.

Prada played with proportions too, the slim and tight-fitted 3-buttoned suits contrasted with the boxy outfits and reminded me of early Raf Simons-collections. Not only because of the fit, also the way the models looked with their sharp faces and impeccable haircut and the Bauhaus-music.

This was the second collection that tried to bring bright colors back into menswear, orange, green, yellow, red and blue gave the collection an energetic feel.

In a review at style.com I read Miucca Prada was also inspired by simple uniforms like that of postmen and doctors and that she wanted everything as simple as possible in terms of fabrication, construction and silhouette. That’s why she used cotton (lots of denim too) and that’s why she landed on the idea of working-clothes.

Streetfashion Milan Menswear ss2011 Day 2

What are you wearing during the coming fashionweeks? Your Givenchy-slippers, your latest Comme des Garcons-bermuda or that vintage Prada? Maybe we’ll spot you in Paris, Milan, New York or Amsterdam. During the fashionweeks we refresh our streetwear posts regularly. We don’t judge, we’re not the fashion-police, we just enjoy fashion and your own personal style. Next stop: menswear fashionweek in Milan.

Emporio Armani Catwalk Fashion Show SS2011

You’ll never know what to expect with Armani. But one thing you know for sure: he does his own thing being it off trend or not. Well all the tough leather he sent out today was on trend, we’ve seen it in more collections this week, but the erotic edge was new and daring for a label like Emporio Armani. The designer  probably got caught by Lady Gaga’s videoclip Alejandro, in which he dressed the police-like posse.

But if you leave all the styling behind, what is left are some good, black leather pieces. Like a skinny pant, a (sleeveless) jacket and a shirt. Perfect items to mix with a pair of jeans, a short or  loose, linen pants. And please, shall we ban the mix of shiny leggings with bermuda’s? That’s something for soccer-players who are afraid of the cold, but not for normal human beings.

Gianfranco Ferré Catwalk Fashion Show SS2011

Like at Versace, the soundtrack used for Gianfranco Ferre’s fashion show was a song by Talking Heads. Their hit from 1977  ‘Psycho Killer’ was on the speakers and surely had a good rhythm for the models to walk on.

For summer 2011 Tommaso Aquilano and Roberto Rimondi used a soft color palette with hues of beige, light blue and gray. Light stripes and graphic zigzag prints were added to several looks.

According to the show notes Gianfranco Ferré was going oriental with this collection. This was visible through the sober sweaters with standing colors and the tops that closed diagonally. Perhaps the weird hats (that matched with not one of the outfits) belonged to that theme as well.

Most of the blouses, jackets and pants looked comfy. Yet they also resembled men’s pyjama’s and therefore won’t become a huge hit. On the contrary, some of the double breasted jackets, a few trench coats and the final look (a black & white tuxedo) were perfection.

Unfortunately the collection didn’t breath summer. There were precisely three shorts, no tees, all looks had long sleeves and the models wore too much layers for spring/summer.

Bottega Veneta Catwalk Fashion Show SS2011

The Bottega Veneta show was a parade of sexy, well-dressed men from the beginning till the end. Apart from making beautiful garments Tomas Maier had fun with it too. There were all sorts of playful details on the clothes he designed.

One detail that kept coming back was a thin loose-hanging collar/piece of fabric. It had absolutely no function, it was just a funny accent.

Other playful details Maier added were lots of zippers, drawstrings, pockets and rolled up sleeves and legs. Those gave the outfits a more technical and sporty look, while the double breasted suit jackets with the pointy collars appeared more formal.

Maier chose to use a few colors (blue, red, green), but managed to keep the looks very manly. The leather bags, that bring in an important part of the fashion house’s sales, matched with the hues of the clothes.

Altogether the suits, the belted trousers, the leather shorts, the parkas and the torso-revealing tops made a steady menswear collection from which any modern man would love to have one or two items…

..together with the bearded models and their hot bodies it all resulted in a wonderful fashion show.

Jil Sander Catwalk Fashion Show SS2011

Set in an old park in the hills of Florence, Raf Simons sent out an energetic menswear-collection for Jil Sander thanks to the beautiful bright colors and vibrating stripes. I watched the Web stream – but even without being there the clothes looked crispy and clean and very upbeat. Color was the message, without trying too hard. They worked best when mixed together, like orange pants with a turquoise sweater or a purple coat mixed with pink, turquoise and nightblue. The patterns were surprising too, especially the multi-colored stripes that made a psychedelic effect and will definitely be adapted in the fast fashion-collections. Softer were the flowerprints, that gave a particular touch to the vibrant color-blocking.

The collection consisted of shorts (as seen in many other collections), casual jackets, shirts, trenchcoats and belts which gave  it all a sporty touch. Nice details: the reflecting spots at the back of jackets and the colored soles of the shoes.

Let’s hope men will catch up with it, at least with a  colorful shirt or coat – it will definitely make the sun come out.

« Previous Page — Next Page »