Milan Fashion Week A/W 2017 menswear editor's picks

Cedric Charlier: The designer’s debut menswear collection effortlessly merged tailoring with sportswear. Block colour was used to graphic effect on the panelling of tracksuits. A knitted jumper appeared in flecked grey from the front, but it’s back offered a surprise of acid yellow. Elsewhere a black jacket came with a cobalt blue front panel and baby pink collar.

Caruso: The Italian tailoring brand continued to explore its idea of what a good Italian man should wear. This time around, more casual outwear pieces were added to his wardrobe. A softly tailored jacket in the finest cashmere found its buttons being replaced with a zip, while a parka was cut in wool suiting. Other notable items included a shirt with a detachable ruffle button stand, and another with pleated cuffs.

No 21: Designer Alessandro Dell’Acqua looked to the rebellious spirt of young political activists in the seventies for inspiration. This manifested itself in reworked men’s wardrobe staples with an anarchic edge. A knitted oversized jumper appeared half finished, while a Price of Wales check jacket came with camouflage patches. Heavy duty footwear came with bold buckles, and straps hung from trousers adding a punk edge.

Giuseppi Zanotti: A recent trip to Shanghai inspired Giuseppe Zanotti this season. Custom designed brocades adorned the brand’s signature style boots, tasselled slippers and bags. Other new offerings included flocked sneakers in shocking pink and electric blue, alongside loafers trimmed with metal pearls at the opening.

Missoni: Designer Angela Missoni looked to the architecture and industrial elements of Japanese cities for A/W17. Knits came with sharp, geometric lines reminiscent of the Tokyo skyline. Metallic embroideries were inspired by Japanese Shibori design and blurred motifs referenced Kasuri textiles. The brand also collaborated with Paris-based milliner Larose on a series of loom-knitted bucket hats, caps and berets.

Valextra: This season Valextra collaborated with design studio Snarkitecture on a new pop-up store, in celebration of the brands 80th anniversary. The all-white space showcased the brands monochrome collection, consisting of iconic pieces from its history, alongside new all-white styles. Highlights included the ’Tric Trac’ wrist case from 1968, designed by Valextra’s founder Giovanni Fontana. The design was originally inspired by Fontana seeing a London cab driver who tossed his keys, coins and receipts back and forth into a small box and a wallet.

Neil Barrett: This season Neil Barrett delved into his own archive for inspiration. Tailoring was key, with Barrett playing with volume and proportion: a drop shoulder blazer was teamed with cuffed three-quarter length trousers, while a generously cut overcoat was thrown over a relaxed knit and running leggings. Military inspired shoes and boots gave the collection heavy-duty appeal.

Dsquared2: DSquared2 designers Dean and Dan Caten took to the Rocky Mountains for inspiration. Oversized, slouchy cardigans were layered over boxy workwear jackets and plaid shirts, while slim fit trousers cropped at the ankle and climbing boots helped to emphasise the play on proportions. Other highlights included a voluminous sheepskin jacket that snugly enveloped its wearer, and a camouflage puffer jacket made from multiple padded layers.

Jil Sander: For the label’s A/W 2017 collection, inspiration came from the earthy and merciless landscapes in Halldor Laxness’s Nobel Prize winning novel Independent People. Heavy coats and parkas came fit for bitter winters, and were imagined in chalky greys, yellows and mossy tones.

Tod’s: Set in the grounds of the grand Villa Necchi Campiglio, Tod’s presented a collection of fine menswear staples, giving each a luxury makeover. Sheepskin ran throughout the collection, appearing shaved to resemble corduroy on a peacoat and puffer jacket. Elsewhere it colourfully framed seams on sneakers and weekend bags. Functionality was also key, with jackets carrying multiple pockets and inside compartments.

Diesel Black Gold: For A/W17, creative director Andreas Melbostad took inspiration from the uniforms of Ninjas. Jackets came with enlarged envelope collars and kimono sleeves, while others were tied at the waist samurai-style. Quilting, alluding to armour, was also a key motif, which was urbanised with Japanese raw denim.

Santoni: A mysterious curtain-lined corridor with shoes peeping from beneath greeted guests at the Santoni presentation. The ominous soundtrack of The Pink Panther theme tune by Henry Mancini only heightened the mood. The iconic Santoni double buckle appeared with a cosy fur lining, while tasselled loafers came in high shine patent leather. A pair of midnight-blue climbing boots in astrakhan and crocodile perfectly married Santoni’s craftsmanship in a modern luxurious way.

Moschino: Creative director Jeremy Scott enlisted stylist and jewellery designer Judy Blame to create bric-a-brac chain, coin and safety-pin details for his military-focused collection. These embellished berets, belts and the straps of parachute bags, and hung as chunky necklaces. 

Wood Wood: Nineties New York streetwear and the east coast hip-hop scene were the two key inspirations for Wood Wood’s A/W 2017 collection. Sportswear was fused with formal suiting throughout: a fleece hoodie emblazoned with the ’WW’ logo was teamed with a pair of loose fit pinstripe trousers, elsewhere a formal cut coat in checkered wool was teamed with track pants.

Ports 1961: Designer Milan Vukmirovic stripped back on fuss this season and took a more minimalist approach. Inspired by workwear uniforms, reflective bands cut across parkas and bombers. Chucky cable knit jumpers, utility vests in wool, and shirts with quilted fronts hammered home the point.

Rossignol: Skiwear brand Rossignol hit the streets this season with a collection of functional separates made for the mountains as well as city life. High performance fabrics such as paper nylon and neoprene were fused with fur and leather in parkas and puffer jackets, while padded vests added an extra layer of protection.

Pal Zileri: For A/W 2017, Pal Zileri celebrated the craftsmanship and skill of those who create their pieces. Models walked between sewing machines and seamstresses hard at work, as if producing the clothes being shown. Tailoring and outerwear was the focus. Suits were made up of sharply cut blazers and teamed with slouchy wide leg trousers, while generously cut overcoats offered sartorial shielding from the winter elements.

Fratelli Rossetti: Luxury shoe brand Fratelli Rossetti looked to 1930s swing dancers for its inspiration this season. Alongside a collection made up of only brown styles, dancers performed with a live swing band. The colour was extremely popular at the time and the brand reinterpreted it using various hand painted techniques, making each pair of shoes unique.

Church’s: Stepping out at Church’s this season is the ’Swing’, based on an American golf shoe, plus a new country collection consisting of heavy duty derbies and boots in hard wearing leather and pig skin. Church’s classic Penny loafer also gets an update in suede and a bold crepe sole.