Milan Men’s Fashion Week Fall/Winter season has begun. From 14 to 18 January, around 53 brands will be participating, including catwalk shows, presentations, presentations by appointment, and digital content, marking the return (so to say) of the physical events.
Zegna’s “A Path Worth Taking”: The Reset of Style Codes by Paving a Great Future Rich in Tradition & Style
Ermenegildo Zegna Winter 2022. A year ago, creative director Alessandro Sartori introduced us to the Zegna (Re)set, which presented a new definition of a style adapted to the modern man. He recently announced the new Zegna through Our Road, capturing it in its entirety through his Winter 2022 collection. The brand goes back to the natural beginnings of the brand, Oasi Zegna, weaving it with the Artistic Director’s vision of menswear, contextualized in the here and now through a repertoire that marks a new path full of new forms and new functions that fuse aesthetics, ethics, and performance, consolidating with the passage of time.
The collection consolidates the vision of an evolved formality, heralded in previous collections, by reflecting a functional and individual style, adapted and fluid to outdoor and indoor living. Trapezoidal coats over technical silk undercoats; wool ripstop anoraks; fine furs cut into cashmere shirts, jumpers, and thick jerseys are used as outerwear.
The division between indoors and outdoors is transposed through the layering of clothing, between coats, utility jackets, parkas, anoraks, jumpers, and trousers, subtly blurred through a fluid yet elegant silhouette, highlighting form and function modulated through an organic colour palette, as well as the fabrics employed which are reflective of the brand’s home territory. White, frost grey, ebony black, mahogany brown, and accents of vicuna, brass and quartz, mixed in some pieces by a jacquard stripe and tie-dye stripe, interpret the brand’s new direction.
In terms of narrative, it is not surprising that the message conveyed for this season goes up a notch. Presented through a film, the narrative moves beyond the natural and abstract (personal) setting, conveying to the viewer the message of human solidarity through the French choreographer Sadeck Waff who, through the signifier Zegna, symbolizes the craftsmanship and tradition of family and community behind each collection, who carve Zegna’s path of innovation and evolution, a path made in Italy… “A Path Worth Taking”.
Dsquared2’s #D2Hi_king Layering
Undoubtedly, some of the designers most excited to return to the shows are Dean and Dan Caten of Dsquared2 who reflected their enthusiasm through their collection. Prior to the show, the designers thanked the attendees, expressing their enthusiasm to return to the catwalk.
Texture, volume, vibrant colours, and layering reflect the characteristic energetic personalities of the designers, who took us on a happy hiking journey (D2Hi_king). From outside to inside, outerwear pieces were layered with different textures and high thicknesses, such as anoraks and jackets experimentally functional and fused with multiple blankets in different prints and colours that mix comfort and functionality. The layering of jackets, t-shirts and trousers gave the collection great versatility, so there is no worry if you need to dress for a casual look when coming down the mountain, simply removing the outerwear pieces, as the washed jeans and corduroy trousers, mixed with the jackets and t-shirts have you covered. The collection also featured a collaboration between the designers and Invicta on a series of colourful backpacks.
If you were unexpectedly invited on a trip to the mountains and had to pile up everything you needed to protect yourself and climb in style, these pieces would be a must.
1017 ALYX 9SM “Fade”
It was with 1017 ALYX 9SM that we ended the first day of MFW, which was presented for the first time in the Italian metropolis. Streetwear, music and art were some of the elements that provided the immersive experience of Matthew M. Williams’ collection, presented at the Chiesa Di San Vittore, with music by @wakeupf1lthy, and featuring Destroy Lonely and Lancey Foux on the catwalk.
The collection featured a new version of the Mono boot. With a touch of streamlined tailoring, men’s looks included sheepskin or scarf capes over mid-layers and PVC trousers, contrasted with long coats with bulging shoulders. As for womenswear, dresses cut below the bust over tight-fitting hip-length trousers, full-length dresses, were also part of the collection.
