It was at full throttle for the menswear industry as Milan Men’s Fashion Week teed off the season on 13-17 January, 2023.
It was a new year, indeed a new advent for some: Gucci showed its first collection without ex-creative director Alessandro Michele, who exited the luxury brand house in November 2022. It’s pared-back AW23 menswear collection was designed by the creative team, as Gucci has yet to name a new creative director.
Another top luxury house Prada’s statement oversized bomber jackets stood out, as did quilted vests and bare midriffs designed and styled by co-creative directors Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons.
At Dolce & Gabbana, waists were cinched with corsets or shown off in asymmetric crop tops, while models were kept under wraps in chunky coats and billowing scarves at Fendi.
Here are the top five trends from Milan Men’s Fashion Week –
Purple Patch
The pale purple pastel shade was a triumph on the menswear catwalks. Gucci showed pale lilac and sharp tailored blazers. While at Fendi, tones of purple and lilac were mixed and matched. Sweatshirts and scarves were finished with tassel trims. Etro, too, had a nostalgic take on the lavender trend, with a psychedelic, ombre knit that merged from pastel to deep purple. Prada showed prim and proper cardigans in pale lilac styles.
Towering Tailoring
Northern Irish designer, Jonathan Anderson, showed ankle-skimming, double-breasted outerwear at his eponymous JW Anderson label, a trend that was resounded by Italian designer Federico Cina. At Cina, outerwear was embellished with scarf detail. Designer Luca Magliano displayed shirts and trousers in ballooning silhouettes at his label’s AW23 collection, while homegrown label Zegna showed wide leg pleated trousers paired with coordinating blazers.
Skirts and Kilts
Skirts and kilts were a frequent theme on Milan’s AW23 menswear. Scottish designer Charles Jeffrey held his Milan debut this season, and his label Charles Jeffrey Loverboy showed a medley of styles – including steel grey skirts paired on top of matching trousers, checked mini-skirts and leather styles. JW Anderson also bought into menswear mini-skirts, presenting black and brown, frilled hem designs. Family First and Etro opted for a demure look, layering longer skirts over matching trousers. Family First displayed check below-the-knee styles in checked patterns and block colours in a pleated silhouette. While Etro also looked to traditional checks, showing ankle-grazing skirts finished with splits.
Bomber Jackets
Initially known as “flight jackets” when first worn by World War I US Air Force pilots, the bomber jacket is often thought of as a 1980s subculture staple, which was then adopted by early-2010s streetwear. The bomber jacket is encountering a resurgence on the AW23 catwalks, spotted over the weekend at the heavyweight Italian fashion houses including Prada, Dolce & Gabbana and Emporio Armani, as well as at 1017 Alyx 9SM, Slowear and Brioni. Although a recurring element in Milan this season, no two bomber jackets were cut from the same cloth: Emporio Armani favoured sleek, velvet greys, contrasting with Dolce & Gabbana’s leather design, while the distressed denim style by 1017 Alyx 9SM seemed like the direct antithesis to Prada’s angelic white puffer. One rule, however, resonated: volume.
Relaxed Trousers
Fans of the ’90s should be overwhelmed at the last of this year’s men’s trends: relaxed trousers. Oversized and grunge-inspired, the pants can be seen in the latest collections from MSGM, Vetements, Gucci and more.
