Men’s shows in Milan: trends of spring/summer 2016

By

Dominique Muret

Published
Jun 25, 2015

8 major trends have emerged from the summer 2016 ready-to-wear collections that have just been presented in Milan:

1) Oversized shorts

Over the past several seasons, the bermuda suit has become a must-have for men. Shorts have increased in volume at the risk of being confused with skirts. The ultimate grab for next summer? Leather shorts in intense colors, from neon orange to turquoise to crimson and black. 

2) Baggy trousers

The chronically present slim pants are still part of the male wardrobe, but its reign may soon be coming to an end. Milan Fashion Week has indeed confirmed the rise of baggy and decidedly more comfortable pants. At times, they are worn high on the waist and goes way down around the ankle. Ermanno Scervino notably has adapted sumptuous flannels to the style. Some designers have also produced a sports version, offering jogging pants to wear in town. 

3) The lightweight raincoat

It’s a small, practical and ordinary piece that men should have in their bags for next summer. The simple, ultra lightweight, almost transparent nylon raincoat in neutral colors  looks almost smock-like. There are also more colorful and dynamic versions that serve as a reinterpretation of the K-way. 

4) Workwear

Workwear is very present in spring/summer 2016 men’s collections. Here and there, we saw overalls reworked with blue neon-striped sleeves like a gas attendant at Prada or with a construction worker’s orange vest at Facetasm, while N°21 has borrowed inspiration from the blacksmith’s apron, reworked with white cotton. But the most common appearance was the work smock, in a very simple version, reconverted into a summer coat. 

5) The Scarf

Cover up this neck, which I can’t endure to look on... the ruff or the scarf for men promises to be an essential accessory for next summer. Milanese couturiers have presented it in all its various forms, from the very 1950’s French Riviera tightly knotted scarf to the necklace scarf for surfers by Dsquared2 and Missoni’s flowing madras cotton, to Gucci’s lace ruff. Next summer, the boys will all wrap scarves around their necks, throwing ties definitively to the winds! 

6) Headgear

With the micro-scarf, the hat has announced itself as a must-have accessory for next summer. Fendi proposes the visor, Versace, a scarf tied around one’s head like a pirate, Bottega Veneta, the Middle Eastern crochet hat, Dsquared2, the pampas wool cap, Antonio Marras the sailor's cap, Salvatore Ferragamo, the baseball hat, Moncler Gamme Bleu, the fisherman’s cap ... 

7) The backpack

This will be the it-bag of the summer, the essential accessory that must be included in all men’s wardrobes at all costs. The backpack can be pleasantly roomy and solid, as the one by Bottega Veneta suggests, or more fashionable with prints to match with a shirt like that by Fendi. The bags, of course are made using the best materials. 

8) Socks

Next summer, men won’t leave their homes without their socks, whether in flip-flops or sandals. Chunky, hand-knitted wool, they complete the trekker’s ensemble at Bottega Veneta. At Prada, they’re thin, doubled up and scrunched up at the ankle, while they’re sporty and reach up to the calves at Moncler Gamme Bleu or at Marcelo Burton... To each his to his own!