Utilitarian men’s fashion that will elevate your everyday

From Prada to Margaret Howell, utilitarian and workwear-inspired men’s fashion gets an upgrade for S/S 2024

Utilitarian and Workwear-inspired S/S 2024 Men’s Fashion photographed against white wall
Zackaria wears jacket, £1,150, by Moncler. Shirt, price on request, by Per Gotesson x Armand Basi. Trousers, £695, by Lemaire. ‘64 Counter’ stool, £589, by Alvar Aalto, for Artek, from Aram
(Image credit: Photography by Luca Strano, fashion by Nicola Neri)

Workwear has long been the bedrock of men’s fashion, endlessly riffed upon, honed and upgraded – from the classic denim shirt and jeans, adopted by cowboys and miners in the American West, to chore jackets, cargo pants, and hi-vis jackets. This sense of utility was seen throughout the S/S 2024 collections – from Prada’s danger-red pocket-covered gilet, a play on the uniforms of security details, to Givenchy’s khaki bombers, Celine’s camo-adorned pants and hardy suede jackets at Miu Miu.

Utilitarian men’s fashion gets an upgrade for S/S 2024

Utilitarian and Workwear-inspired S/S 2024 Men’s Fashion photographed against white wall

Tom wears jumpsuit, £3,490, by Zegna. Tank top, £305; shirt, £415; tie, £110, all by Margaret Howell. ‘Roquebrune’ chair in Cognac, from £1,416, by Eileen Gray, from Aram

(Image credit: Photography by Luca Strano, fashion by Nicola Neri)

The season’s functional mood is captured in a series of carefree combinations by Italy-born, London-based stylist Nicola Neri and photographer Luca Strano, who is based between London and Milan. As seen in the May 2024 Milan Preview Issue of Wallpaper* (on international newsstands now), this series of portraits puts the utilitarian aesthetic in the hot seat – leaving you with a blueprint of how to upgrade the everyday this spring and summer.

Utilitarian and Workwear-inspired S/S 2024 Men’s Fashion photographed against white wall

Mason wears jacket, £2,350, jumper, £1,250; shirt, £520; shorts, £850, all by Givenchy. Belt, price on request, by Magliano. Socks, £16, by Pantherella

(Image credit: Photography by Luca Strano, fashion by Nicola Neri)

Utilitarian and Workwear-inspired S/S 2024 Men’s Fashion photographed against white wall

Oscar wears vest, price on request, by Our Legacy. Jacket, £2,000. Shirt, £165, by Theory. Trousers, £389, by Ten C ‘CH23’ chair, £906, by Hans J Wegner, for Carl Hansen & Søn, from Aram

(Image credit: Photography by Luca Strano, fashion by Nicola Neri)

Utilitarian and Workwear-inspired S/S 2024 Men’s Fashion photographed against white wall

Yertai wears shirt, £380; jeans, £325, both by Jacob Cohën. Belt, £460, by Celine Homme ‘64 Counter’ stool, £589, by Alvar Aalto, for Artek, from Aram

(Image credit: Photography by Luca Strano, fashion by Nicola Neri)

Utilitarian and Workwear-inspired S/S 2024 Men’s Fashion photographed against white wall

Rea wears jacket, £4,150; shoes, £1,060, both by Miu Miu. Shirt, £470, by Kiko Kostadinov. Trousers, £335, by CP Company. Belt, £475; buckle, £390, both by Hermès. Necklace, £550, by Matilda Little. Socks, £16, by Pantherella. ‘CH23’ chair, £906, by Hans J Wegner, for Carl Hansen & Søn, from Aram

(Image credit: Photography by Luca Strano, fashion by Nicola Neri)

Utilitarian and Workwear-inspired S/S 2024 Men’s Fashion photographed against white wall

Mason wears vest, £2,050; shirt, £750; jeans, £845, all by Prada

(Image credit: Photography by Luca Strano, fashion by Nicola Neri)

Utilitarian and Workwear-inspired S/S 2024 Men’s Fashion photographed against white wall

Oscar wears jacket, £2,250; shirt, £740; trousers, £1,150, all by Celine Homme. Tank top, £305; tie, £110, both by Margaret Howell. ‘64 Counter’ stool, £589, by Alvar Aalto, for Artek, from Aram

(Image credit: Photography by Luca Strano, fashion by Nicola Neri)

Utilitarian and Workwear-inspired S/S 2024 Men’s Fashion photographed against white wall

Zakaria wears jumper, £1,650; trousers, price on request, both by Loewe. ‘Roquebrune’ chair in Cognac, from £1,416, by Eileen Gray, from Aram

(Image credit: Photography by Luca Strano, fashion by Nicola Neri)

Utilitarian and Workwear-inspired S/S 2024 Men’s Fashion photographed against white wall

Rea wears jacket, £895, by Loewe. Polo shirt, £40, by Fila. Shirt (underneath), £870, by Miu Miu. Trousers, £770, by Magliano. Sandals, £635, by JW Anderson

(Image credit: Photography by Luca Strano, fashion by Nicola Neri)

Utilitarian and Workwear-inspired S/S 2024 Men’s Fashion photographed against white wall

Zakaria wears jacket, £415; trousers, £315, both by Stone Island. Shirt, £795; vest, £145, both by Lemaire. Belt, price on request, by Magliano. ‘CH23’ chair, £906, by Hans J Wegner, for Carl Hansen & Søn, from Aram

(Image credit: Photography by Luca Strano, fashion by Nicola Neri)

Utilitarian and Workwear-inspired S/S 2024 Men’s Fashion photographed against white wall

Yertai wears jacket, £5,000, by Dior. Trousers, price on request, by Jordanluca

(Image credit: Photography by Luca Strano, fashion by Nicola Neri)

Utilitarian and Workwear-inspired S/S 2024 Men’s Fashion photographed against white wall

Tom wears jacket, £284; trousers, £260, both by Paul & Shark. ‘Roquebrune’ chair in Cognac, from £1,416, by Eileen Gray, from Aram

(Image credit: Photography by Luca Strano, fashion by Nicola Neri)

Utilitarian and Workwear-inspired S/S 2024 Men’s Fashion photographed against white wall

Milo wears jacket, price on request, by Wooyoungmi. Shirt, £360; trousers, £560, both by Martine Rose. Brooch, £1,980, by Mairi Millar ‘CH23’ chair, £906, by Hans J Wegner, for Carl Hansen & Søn, from Aram

(Image credit: Photography by Luca Strano, fashion by Nicola Neri)

Models: Tom Davison and Milo Boaten-Rolfe at Xdirectn, Oscar Young at Premier, Rea at Milk Management, Zakaria Dau at PRM, Mason Marchetti and Yertai Abdibekov at Next London. Casting: Miro Raynov. Hair: Kanae Kikuchi at Haco+ using Instant Icon. Make-up/grooming: Jo Banach using Chanel Les Beiges Summer Spirit and Hydra Beauty Micro Serum Lip. Interiors: Olly Mason. Photography assistants: Domizia Salusest, Farid Ghimas. Fashion assistant: Hope Palmer. Hair assistants: Takuro Watanabe, Rio Shimmaki. Interiors assistant: Archie Thomson.

A version of this article appears in the May 2024 Milan Preview Issue of Wallpaper*, available in print, on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today.

Fashion Features Editor

Jack Moss is the Fashion Features Editor at Wallpaper*, joining the team in 2022. Having previously been the digital features editor at AnOther and digital editor at 10 and 10 Men magazines, he has also contributed to titles including i-D, Dazed, 10 Magazine, Mr Porter’s The Journal and more, while also featuring in Dazed: 32 Years Confused: The Covers, published by Rizzoli. He is particularly interested in the moments when fashion intersects with other creative disciplines – notably art and design – as well as championing a new generation of international talent and reporting from international fashion weeks. Across his career, he has interviewed the fashion industry’s leading figures, including Rick Owens, Pieter Mulier, Jonathan Anderson, Grace Wales Bonner, Christian Lacroix, Kate Moss and Manolo Blahnik.