Arushi Sakhuja
The onset of the men's fashion season is marked by the menswear Milan Fashion Week Fall/Winter '24. This event features a showcase of the latest trends in menswear, which provides valuable insight into the upcoming year's fashion trends. Notable highlights of the event include Creative Director Sabato De Sarno's new vision for Gucci, Dsquared2's transformation from streetwear to a more sophisticated look, Prada's incorporation of the businessman look into its office set-up and runway offering, Dhruv Kapoor's Co-ed collection featuring modern, quirky, and fun clothing, and Fendi's colourful presentation.
Trends
From modern tailoring to sustainable elegance, the runways were alive with innovation, blending tradition with avant-garde elements, some key trends were spotted on the catwalk. We take a closer look.
Tailoring Takes Center Stage
Tailoring was a prominent trend this season, with designers embracing structured silhouettes, oversized coats, and boxy blazers. This trend redefined classic tailoring by infusing a sense of modernity and boldness into men's fashion. Sharp lines and strong shapes were emphasized, offering a fresh take on traditional menswear. The trend was seen in collections from Armani to Prada.
Rich Jewel Tones and Moody Neutrals Dominate
The colour palette for FW 24 leaned towards rich jewel tones and moody neutrals, bringing a sense of opulence and sophistication to the forefront. Deep burgundy, forest green, and navy blue became staple hues, offering a departure from the conventional fall colour spectrum. Designers embraced these bold colour choices, creating a visually captivating and luxurious ambience.
Retro Revival with Contemporary Twists
Nostalgia permeated the runways as designers drew inspiration from past decades. Vintage patterns, throwback accessories, and nods to the '70s and '80s made a strong presence. However, the retro revival trend was reinterpreted with contemporary twists, ensuring that the looks remained fresh, relevant, and in tune with the modern man's style sensibilities.
Layered Textures and Fabrics
Designers also embraced the art of layering, experimenting with textures and fabrics to create visually dynamic ensembles. Plush velvets, faux fur, and metallics were skillfully combined to add depth and interest to the collections. The layering trend not only provided practical warmth but also elevated the overall aesthetic of the garments.
Gucci
The Milan FW'24 fashion week presented Gucci's latest collection of men's formalwear, designed by Creative Director Sabato De Sarno, which exuded a unique sense of irreverent elegance. The collection was presented using a mirroring approach, reflecting the emotions and elements of De Sarno's debut Gucci Ancora fashion show in September. He intended to portray his vision for the Gucci wardrobe, which included new silhouettes that reflect contemporaneity with refinement. The Fall Winter 2024 collection is highly curated, and the designs include a reinterpretation of Gucci's signature crescent-shaped bag from the 1950s, as well as a new GG monogram with a drop shadow that adds a sense of dimension. The intricate detailing, rich textures, and fabrics redefine menswear, pushing boundaries and challenging norms. De Sarno's curated palette is a visual delight, blending earthy tones with pops of vibrant hues to create a harmonious juxtaposition. Each ensemble tells a unique story of eclectic luxury and unapologetic style, celebrating individuality.
Prada
The focus of Prada's Fall/Winter 2024 Menswear collection was the emotional instinct that drives us to remain attached to the natural world. Rather than an artificial reality, the collection celebrated the cycles of nature, including changing seasons and weather patterns. The runway presentation and office setup demonstrated the dichotomy between the business world and nature, highlighting the collection's name, Human Nature. The collection featured colourful headgear, statement-making leather belts, turtle necks, and form-fitting trousers to provide warmth on colder days. However, the collection's mainstay was boxy suits, button-up shirts, tonal ties, neutral-coloured cardigans, woollen peacoats, trenches, and overcoats. Although bright lime and red accents added a pop of colour, they were not the primary focus.
Dhruv Kapoor
Dhruv Kapoor made a comeback to the Milan Fashion Week with his Co-ed collection, which featured a brilliant mix of prints, textures, fabrics, and fun. The collection showcased a range of flowy silhouettes, sharp tailoring, and an impressive colour palette. The Indian designer skillfully incorporated sportswear accents into tailoring and loud workwear. The military green short jacket with matching pants, a pleated shirt peaking from underneath, the boxy cropped suit with Bermuda pants, and the female peacoat turned into a vest, were some of the highlights of the collection.
Fendi
For the FW'24 menswear fashion week showcase, Fendi's Silvia Venturini Fendi presented a collection that blended classic masculine silhouettes with modern metropolitan designs. The iconic FF motif was also incorporated into the collection. The colour palette of the collection included wintery tones such as peat, granite, burnt umber, and forest green, with splashes of cherry, grass green, and canary yellow. The collection featured a variety of garments such as corduroy trousers, dresses, skirts, skorts, and kilts. The outerwear was adorned with Selleria leather collars and jackets in FF canvas were waxed, while the peacoats featured trompe l’oeil detailing.
MSGM
Meanwhile, MSGM's FW24 fashion show, held in Milan, showcased a collection inspired by the fast-paced life of today's world. The designer, Massimo Giorgetti, collaborated with the Franco Albini Foundation to transform the iconic handrails from Milan's subway into brooches and decorations for the season's coats. The prints featured exclusive images captured using the AI-based camera of the Google Pixel 8, marking the first-ever collaboration between Google and a fashion brand. MSGM's partnership with Google will continue with various events over the next few months, concluding at the Salone del Mobile. Additionally, the brand collaborated with Portuguese artist Tiago Alexandre to showcase helmets as the main prints and details, focusing on the theme of speed, particularly in motorcycles.
Emporio Armani
Emporio Armani, on the other hand, draws inspiration from the winter sea for its Men's Fall Winter 2024-25 Collection, featuring a range of new uniforms in solid colours. The collection includes long coats, short jackets, generously sized trousers, and greatcoats designed for sea journeys. The colour palette presents a bold and monochromatic look with navy blue, steel grey, and midnight black. The collection also features garments adapted for women, maintaining the Armani-style radicalism while exploring new fashion horizons. The collection aims to seamlessly blend into women's wardrobes while maintaining its natural and unique style.