Over the past few seasons, Milan has become a weak spot on the men's fashion circuit. With brands showing shows not in sync, buyers and press are increasingly skipping Milan and instead scheduling their visits in Paris.
Fashion journalist Noda Tatsuya explores the current state of men's fashion and the trends of the next decade. 2020 Spring/Summer Men's Collection Summary Report Vol. 3 is the Milan edition.
Gucci Cruise 2020 Collection
Courtesy of Gucci shot by Dan Lecca
The signs of this could have been seen back in January 2017, when Gucci shifted its men's show to a women's co-ed show in February. Brands that had previously presented shows at Milan Men's Fashion Week, such as Vivienne Westwood, Moschino, Moncler Gamme Bleu, Diesel Black Gold, Etro, and N°21, have all canceled their shows. Some brands, such as Jil Sander, have moved their presentations to Paris, and even Prada will be holding its show exclusively in Shanghai this season. Both Prada and Gucci (Cruise Collection) are holding press exhibitions in Milan during the period, but these are separate from the show presentations.
Bedford Spring/Summer 2020 Collection
Bedford (BED j.w.), a Japanese brand designed by Shinpei Yamagishi, brings back memories of London's 1980s. While young brands like FORD, M1992, MAGLIANO, SUNNEI, YOUUSER, and UNITED STANDARD are showing during Milan Fashion Week, it's difficult for them to attract new international buyers on their own. MSGM will also be showing at Pitti Uomo this season, and the decline in shows by big-name brands is undeniably reducing the attendance at Milan Men's. This year's Milan Men's kicked off with Ermenegildo Zegna, as per tradition. Since January 2017, Ermenegildo Zegna Couture has presented its collection on the final night of Pitti Uomo, one day earlier than usual, as a prelude to the first day of Milan Fashion Week. Since Alessandro Sartori returned as artistic director, the venues and productions have always amazed guests. Starting with Fall/Winter 2017-18, which featured a gigantic work by Anselm Kiefer, Spring/Summer 2018 saw the courtyard of the University of Milan painted tangerine, Fall/Winter 2018-19 saw the entire floor of the Luigi Bocconi University of Commerce covered in snow, Spring/Summer 2019 saw the Mondadori headquarters, designed by Oscar Niemeyer, and in January of this year, Milan Central Station was closed off for the event. And this season, the venue was a vast, barren area surrounded by wire fences on the outskirts of Milan. Guests arrived by taxi to the designated location and were then driven to the runway. The urban wasteland, where huge rusted iron structures resembling industrial heritage remain, is eerie, and even features smoke rising from between piles of concrete. The guests all look confused, due to the rain that had just fallen and the smell of smoke.
Ermenegildo Zegna show venue
Photo by Tatsuya Noda © FASHION HEADLINE
Ermenegildo Zegna Spring/Summer 2020 Collection
Photo by Tatsuya Noda © FASHION HEADLINE
When asked why he chose this location, Sartori explained, "There's no need to create something new from scratch; what's needed is the technology and creativity to make something new from discarded materials." In other words, the concept is that this wasteland, which is planned to be turned into green space and residential area, symbolizes a new interpretation of Zegna tailoring, which continues to create new fabrics from existing materials. This was communicated under the keyword "#UseTheExisting." Continuing from last season's theme of sustainability, his comment that "living responsibly is an important responsibility in modern times" is a statement shared by major European fashion corporate groups heading into the 2020s.
Runway shows are instantly released to the world on YouTube, and creative directors of major brands are now being asked to do work similar to that of a film director, planning even the stage design in a six-month period. In his work, which considers this multifaceted role as a product known as fashion design, Sartori plays an important role as a designer who understands Italian "sartorialism."
This season's Zegna collection featured inorganic industrial colors, as well as all-around items such as summer blousons and knitwear, and offered sporty tailoring aimed at a wide range of generations. The collection features boxy blousons, oversized coats, slim-fitting pants, and new ventures like micro-pouches.
© indigitalitalia.com
src="/images/upload/2019/08/c69305d1c38583fee2efb92b4f8dd763.jpg" alt="" />
Zegna Spring/Summer 2020 Collection Presentation at Pitti Uomo 96
Photo by Tatsuya Noda © FASHION HEADLINE
The desert theme was prominent among many brands in Milan this season. The collection itself was in earthy sand tones, with a nomadic feel. The underlying theme seems to be a warning about the global environment and a rethinking of its future, but there is also a glimpse of emerging markets such as Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia as we look towards the 2020s. Zegna also presented a desert-themed collection at Pitti Uomo with Z ZEGNA. The collection highlights notable materials such as ultra-lightweight membranes and Tech Merino wash-and-go, as well as lustrous iridescent materials. The lineup of earth tones and colors is consistent with Ermenegildo Zegna Couture, suggesting that the 2020s will see the development of hybrid materials, with earthy, natural tones becoming established as a market.
Return to Vol. 2: Exploring the trends of men's fashion over the next decade
Text by Tatsuya Noda
Fashion journalist Noda Tatsuya explores the current state of men's fashion and the trends of the next decade. 2020 Spring/Summer Men's Collection Summary Report Vol. 3 is the Milan edition.
Gucci Cruise 2020 Collection
Courtesy of Gucci shot by Dan Lecca
The signs of this could have been seen back in January 2017, when Gucci shifted its men's show to a women's co-ed show in February. Brands that had previously presented shows at Milan Men's Fashion Week, such as Vivienne Westwood, Moschino, Moncler Gamme Bleu, Diesel Black Gold, Etro, and N°21, have all canceled their shows. Some brands, such as Jil Sander, have moved their presentations to Paris, and even Prada will be holding its show exclusively in Shanghai this season. Both Prada and Gucci (Cruise Collection) are holding press exhibitions in Milan during the period, but these are separate from the show presentations.
Bedford Spring/Summer 2020 Collection
Bedford (BED j.w.), a Japanese brand designed by Shinpei Yamagishi, brings back memories of London's 1980s. While young brands like FORD, M1992, MAGLIANO, SUNNEI, YOUUSER, and UNITED STANDARD are showing during Milan Fashion Week, it's difficult for them to attract new international buyers on their own. MSGM will also be showing at Pitti Uomo this season, and the decline in shows by big-name brands is undeniably reducing the attendance at Milan Men's. This year's Milan Men's kicked off with Ermenegildo Zegna, as per tradition. Since January 2017, Ermenegildo Zegna Couture has presented its collection on the final night of Pitti Uomo, one day earlier than usual, as a prelude to the first day of Milan Fashion Week. Since Alessandro Sartori returned as artistic director, the venues and productions have always amazed guests. Starting with Fall/Winter 2017-18, which featured a gigantic work by Anselm Kiefer, Spring/Summer 2018 saw the courtyard of the University of Milan painted tangerine, Fall/Winter 2018-19 saw the entire floor of the Luigi Bocconi University of Commerce covered in snow, Spring/Summer 2019 saw the Mondadori headquarters, designed by Oscar Niemeyer, and in January of this year, Milan Central Station was closed off for the event. And this season, the venue was a vast, barren area surrounded by wire fences on the outskirts of Milan. Guests arrived by taxi to the designated location and were then driven to the runway. The urban wasteland, where huge rusted iron structures resembling industrial heritage remain, is eerie, and even features smoke rising from between piles of concrete. The guests all look confused, due to the rain that had just fallen and the smell of smoke.
Ermenegildo Zegna show venue
Photo by Tatsuya Noda © FASHION HEADLINE
Ermenegildo Zegna Spring/Summer 2020 Collection
Photo by Tatsuya Noda © FASHION HEADLINE
When asked why he chose this location, Sartori explained, "There's no need to create something new from scratch; what's needed is the technology and creativity to make something new from discarded materials." In other words, the concept is that this wasteland, which is planned to be turned into green space and residential area, symbolizes a new interpretation of Zegna tailoring, which continues to create new fabrics from existing materials. This was communicated under the keyword "#UseTheExisting." Continuing from last season's theme of sustainability, his comment that "living responsibly is an important responsibility in modern times" is a statement shared by major European fashion corporate groups heading into the 2020s.
Runway shows are instantly released to the world on YouTube, and creative directors of major brands are now being asked to do work similar to that of a film director, planning even the stage design in a six-month period. In his work, which considers this multifaceted role as a product known as fashion design, Sartori plays an important role as a designer who understands Italian "sartorialism."
This season's Zegna collection featured inorganic industrial colors, as well as all-around items such as summer blousons and knitwear, and offered sporty tailoring aimed at a wide range of generations. The collection features boxy blousons, oversized coats, slim-fitting pants, and new ventures like micro-pouches.
© indigitalitalia.com
src="/images/upload/2019/08/c69305d1c38583fee2efb92b4f8dd763.jpg" alt="" />
Zegna Spring/Summer 2020 Collection Presentation at Pitti Uomo 96
Photo by Tatsuya Noda © FASHION HEADLINE
The desert theme was prominent among many brands in Milan this season. The collection itself was in earthy sand tones, with a nomadic feel. The underlying theme seems to be a warning about the global environment and a rethinking of its future, but there is also a glimpse of emerging markets such as Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia as we look towards the 2020s. Zegna also presented a desert-themed collection at Pitti Uomo with Z ZEGNA. The collection highlights notable materials such as ultra-lightweight membranes and Tech Merino wash-and-go, as well as lustrous iridescent materials. The lineup of earth tones and colors is consistent with Ermenegildo Zegna Couture, suggesting that the 2020s will see the development of hybrid materials, with earthy, natural tones becoming established as a market.
Return to Vol. 2: Exploring the trends of men's fashion over the next decade
Text by Tatsuya Noda
