Milan Fashion Week: menswear

Gucci, Spring/Summer '09 (scroll down to read the review)
Gucci
Gucci Creative Director Frida Giannini took us on what she called 'a heat-seeking tropical adventure' with a 'cocktail of bright colours' including plenty of blue, amethyst and fluorescents (which popped up at many a show).

Decoration, not really seen anywhere else in Milan, was here in abundance. Prints, sometimes overlaid on top of striped jacquards or applied over perforated leathers, were lush, featuring hibiscus flowers or flamingos or more edgy with graffiti prints.

Hand embroideries covered crocodile healed lace-up shoes, and leathers like python and alligator were hand-painted or even airbrushed. For the less flamboyant, Giannini also showed degrade shading (a major trend) and some simple colour blocking (another Milan trend).

For the evening, she toned things down a little (the fabrics were still richly textured although all black) and added just a touch of colour and funk with oversized belt buckles made of agate, malachite and amethyst.