In mid-June, when Japan is still in the throes of its rainy season and summer has yet to begin in earnest, next year's early summer collection is being announced in Italy. First is Pitti Uomo, held from June 18 - 20 in Florence, and following that, the Milan Men's Spring and Summer collection is put on from June 21 - 25 in Milan. Pitti Uomo is primarily an exhibition of classic-style makers, while the Milan Collection is, as you may know, out on with fashion trends on display. This arrangement allows one to see all the trends of the coming season by seeing both shows.
The Pitti Uomo show, perhaps because it is a spring and summer show, not only featured staid classic styles, but also mixed in some casual tastes and vintage finishes; indeed, the overall feel was one of making small changes to give a lighter feeling. The colors used were quite colorful as well. For example, a surprising number of brands had jackets with pre-washed looks, and many brands were working hard on items with a resort feel, such as bermudas and polos.
Other collection names included Luigi Borrelli's "Luxury Vintage," as well as a line adorned with Old English-style emblems, Boglioli, which is a new collection of well-known piece-dyed jackets, among others. Further demonstrating the vintage feel of the exhibition was Marina Yachting, which announced a sport-style archive collection, and North Sails, too.
In the Milan Collection, too, there seemed to be an overall softness and natural sense. Many of the colors were also soft, as in ice gray, light blue and sand beige, or they were high-sensitivity, as with white or navy. Dolce & Gabbana brought out pajama-style pants, Versace gave a completely casual feel by not releasing any ties at all, and Burberry Prorsum's wrinkled material jacket was impressive.
Other points of interest included Armani's use of a scarf from the first look, as well as India-inspired multiple varieties of wide pants cinched on the lower back. Also, Ferragamo showed shirts and knits that looked to have great breathability, while Missoni brought out many safari jackets and knits; there were also numerous other notable items. On the other hand, while there were some standout featured accessories such as mega-bags, bow ties, and scarves, one hint for the coming season may be to wear clothes softly, catching eyes by combining them with standout accessories.
*(photo at the upper right) The Pitti Uomo venue. Every year, a colorful display is set up in front of the venue, and this year's theme was bicycles. / (photo at the upper left) From Luigi Borelli's new collection "Luxury Vintage." / (photo at the lower right) From the Giorgio Armani show. / (photo at the lower left) From the Ermenegildo Zegna show. Mega-bags were one of the most noticed items in the show.
We are scheduled to feature the Ladies' Collection sometime in autumn.
