MEN’S FASHION ON FIRE
The Milan shows are diversely mesmerizing
The recent mens’ Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter 2020 shows seem to be both furthering existing trends (streetwear isn’t going anywhere, interestingly enough) and setting new ones. Big trends we saw include stripes, paint splatter, LOTS of denim, red everywhere, face prints, pockets galore, shearlings, and oversized tailoring. Here are four brands whose 2020 shows really caught our eye.
PRADA
Set on a color-blocked runway against a bright red wall (Red. Everywhere.), Prada’s Fall/Winter 2020 show took us on a tour of different male-professional aesthetics. We were first introduced to the young executive in a three-piece suit and mismatched separates, then the rural professional in mid-calf boots and corduroy jackets, and finally a sort of hipster-ish combination of the first two. Prada definitely continued to make its outerwear presence known, with killer shearling coats and Macintosh-esque rubberized pieces that veered a little too far towards hazmat suit territory. But hey – that’s Prada. Playful, rich with narrative, and unafraid to try new things.
MOSCHINO
We’ve already dedicated an entire story to Moschino’s epic subway-themed Fall/Winter 2020 collection, but the Spring/Summer 2020 collection made its own mark as well. Running the gamut from a Halloween theme to zippers galore, Moschino led the pack in its use of face prints and the color red (remember Lizzo’s amazing red-sequined “SIREN” dress from the MTV VMA’s? It’s from this collection). The paint splatter-esque denim jackets (available for women as well) have already proved to be coveted pieces, and the show also introduced us to the men’s “yellow pages” print – a play on old phone books of years past, covered in black face-print doodles. A decidedly aggressive print for everyday wear, but that’s also decidedly Moschino.
GUCCI
Gucci’s Fall/Winter 2020 menswear collection was an experiment in the notion of time (especially fashion’s clock) being non-linear, and took its man back to his adolescence. Knickerbockers, knee-high socks, and grass-stained jeans all served to reexamine the characteristics of masculinity, paired with a massive pendulum that tick-tocked back and forth on the runway. Doubling down on the denim trend, Gucci also showed David Bowie-esque metallic flares and 90s grunge-inspired jeans. And it wouldn’t be an Alessandro Michele Gucci show without a parade of oversized knits, outerwear, and suiting. It was quite an interesting time travel study and a welcome deconstruction of traditional masculinity. Michele has always been a champion of the alternative and strange (even if this show veered in the more classic direction of his predecessor Frida Giannini), and the world could definitely use a little more of that right now.
ARMANI
Armani’s latest collection seemed to be something of a parade of house classics seen under a magnifying glass. Blown-up checks, plaids, and herringbones appeared on pieces that fused old-fashioned tailoring with sporty staples. Classic parkas received a sophisticated spin, covered in red & black check (Again…Red. Everywhere). Younger men were the clear targets of this show, a demographic that wouldn’t think twice about wearing a ski jacket in the city. The only slight slip-up came with the beaded, silvery evening jackets and suits, which were just a little too flashy (and that’s saying a lot). If the targets here are younger men, especially young men in Hollywood, one should know that subtle always tends to trump sparkle.
Be sure to check out these and other standout shows from Fendi, Dolce & Gabbana, Alexander McQueen, and Marni, just to name a few. Each designer has put their own stamp on popular trends, and (just when you thought it wasn’t possible) in completely new ways.
Oh, and we hope you like the color red.
