Elsewhere in Milan menswear: Ralph Lauren, Brioni, Corneliani, Church's
Ralph Lauren: Classy cocktails, nattily nautical
First prize for the smoothest presentation, and cocktails, in Milan goes to Ralph Lauren, from the entrance to the courtyard to the drinks to the collection.
Ralph's famed steel Bugatti 35 greeted guests to his elegant Milan show space, a Rationalist-style mansion from the 1930s. One then could waft around on suitable refreshments — from a Sundowner to a spicy Margarita — before checking out the latest clothes.
Primarily displayed in the colonnaded courtyard were a score of lothario models posing in the center. The space was revamped with 40-foot-high ecru curtains and palm trees to add a tropical touch.
For fall, Ralph showed textured blazers, soft knits and rich blends of silk and linen. Understated luxury with smart functional details and modern, relaxed tailoring. Lauren wants his gents in a creamy color palette — ecru, beige, caramel or lightest khaki — this fall, ideally in looks anchored by leather woven sandals.
'For Spring 2026, our expedition to the world's most beautiful textiles nods to today's traveler...This collection is the quintessence of timeless style, where craftsmanship meets a passion for adventure,' explained Ralph in his program.
While inside his baronial-style lounge, Lauren played on maritime elegance with linen and cotton double-breasted admiral's blazers and cool crew cable sweaters accessorized with blue and white striped knits. Classic espadrilles and chrome details reflected a happy meeting of maritime heritage and luxury craftsmanship.
Brioni: This is as light as it gets
A moment of grace — and extreme levity — at Brioni, which was presented inside a recently restored palazzo that once belonged to the famed clan of Casati, whose Maria Luisa Casati — artist muse and style icon — inspired one of John Galliano 's greatest shows for Dior in 1998.
In an era where men's clothes grow lighter and lighter, no brand creates such seemingly weightless clothes as Brioni. As models strolled around the charming, cloistered courtyard in whisper-thin silk suits in shades of Prussian gray, sienna red or rust — this season's surprisingly most in hue.
Though the biggest news hung on stockmen placed in a gallery of marble Renaissance busts — like a remarkable black tuxedo composed of inch-wide horizontal black silk ribbons hand-sewn together to create a unique new iridescence.
'I think it is important to remind people just how skillful our craftspeople are. This jacket took 14 days to create,' underlined Brioni designer Norbert Stumpfl.
Beside that stood a perfectly cut pale shawl collar silk-linen tuxedo, which came with a faintly fuzzy finish. Again, a pathbreaking effect was created by adding enzymes to reduce the shine. Both jackets looked very proper on either side of a statue of a distinguished cardinal.
Even more distinctive: a final beige tuxedo embroidered in real gold thread with tiny designs of Brioni's famed plant in the Abruzzi region — the Cape Canaveral of men's couture.
Corneliani: Casual tailoring rules
One well-thought-out menswear brand that is always a good guide to what men will be wearing in six months is Corneliani, which staged a swish display of Spring 2026 clothes on models in mini shows inside a cobblestone courtyard of a palazzo — backed up by various musicians, from a classy pianist to a bluesman on guitar.
The big message here was lightening up, and eschewing layering — a series of smart lessons on how to wear a suit and never look uptight.
'We all need a new contemporary way of wearing tailoring,' explained designer Stefano Gaudioso Tramonte, pointing to a very fine super-light wool suit in a caramel hue, paired with a slate gray linen shirt underneath. Both are devoid of lapels and collars.
Stefano's main weapons this season are wool, cotton and mohair. There was also plenty of smart fabric innovation — like great knitted linen shirts, or banded collar surgeon's smocks worn with softly cut safari jackets.
The message being: lighten up for modern luxury.
Church's: The Shanghai Gesture
Easily the most elegant accessory display in Milan this weekend was at Church's, which welcomed people into the Piccolo Teatro Studio Melato, an avant-garde brick theater with soaring tubular galleries.
Pride of place went to a 1929 Shanghai model, first acquired in Cincinnati and donated to the brand by the son of a grateful customer. Designed as a halfway house between a tasseled golf shoe and a brogue, the original Shanghai No. 1 — carefully protected in a Perspex box — even had Church's logo cut-out soles. A look that helped inspire a great new selection of devilishly aged versions of the Shanghai for today.
The key to any great pair of Church's is the brand's famed factory in Northampton, the shoemaking capital of the UK. Recently renovated, the plant is also the source of new shoes made in singular pieces of leather — where the pattern of wingtips is etched by lasers.
Few shoe marques anywhere can provide the patina of a pair of Church's — a fact underlined by two gents hand-finishing some classic wingtips on the stage of the theatre. One trimmed the side with small sharp knives and sandpaper; the other applied French polish and mirror gloss from Saphir.
Asked how best to shine a great pair of shoes, one gently explained:
'Actually, it's best to use old white T-shirts that have been washed plenty of times. The roughness and impurity are gone, and you get a great finish.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fashion Network
3 days ago
- Fashion Network
Fédération unveils bumper Paris ready-to-wear season, with nine designer debuts
France's Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode on Thursday unveiled a bumper Paris ready-to-wear catwalk season, bristling with nine designer debuts and key houses, in the most anticipated Paris Fashion Week this century. See catwalk The French's capital's two most famous fashion houses, Chanel and Christian Dior, will both feature women's ready-to-wear show debuts by their freshly appointed creative directors – Matthieu Blazy and Jonathan Anderson, even if the latter has already had his Dior menswear baptism with a men's show in June. A further seven major labels will stage debut shows by new creative talent. They are the hyper-experienced Mark Howard Thomas at Carven; Michael Rider at Celine; Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough at Loewe; Duran Lantink at Jean-Paul Gaultier; Glenn Martens at Maison Margiela; Miguel Castro Freitas at Mugler and the acclaimed Italian master Pier Paolo Piccioli at Balenciaga. Though, it should be noted, Rider did show a special spring 2026 Celine co-ed collection on the eve of Paris couture season at the start of July, while Martens presented his first couture collection for Margiela three days later. In effect, these first six houses and a further four – Agnès B, Lanvin, Thom Browne and Vetements - are all returning to the Paris ready-to-wear catwalk week after a hiatus ranging from one season to over five years in the case of Gaultier, since founder Jean-Paul stepped down in 2020. All told, there will be a hefty grand total of 76 physical catwalk shows, and 36 by-appointment presentations in this fall's nine-day Paris Fashion Week, which runs from Monday, September 29 to Tuesday, October 7. The clothes displayed will be for spring/summer 2026. See catwalk The FHCM, French fashion's governing body, has also welcomed on to the official calendar two very happening new houses. Matières Fécales, or Fecal Matters, founded by Hannah Rose and Steven Raj, who are known for their extremist glamour and post-human aesthetic. They will show after Louis Vuitton on Tuesday, September 30. Meryll Rogge, the highly popular winner of the latest ANDAM fashion prize, will climax the busy season with a 6 p.m. show on October 7. Rogge has also just been named the new creative director of Jil Sander, which shows in Milan. While, hyper-acclaimed Alaia alumna Julie Kegels will stage a must-see show on the opening Monday. Entrance onto the official Federation calendar is notoriously difficult to achieve, given French insistence on maintaining a uniquely high level of creativity, quality, production and staging in Paris. Which makes it a significant achievement that a further two houses have been approved to stage presentations on the official calendar: eco-conscious label Façon Jacmin from sisters Alexandra and Segolène Jacmin and Ganni, the hipster Danish label from husband-and-wife team Nicklas and Ditte Reffstrup. Torishéju, by the talented British designer of Nigerian-Brazilian origin Torishéju Dumi, will stage an off-calendar presentation. This bumper Fashion Week – with shows running from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily - will also feature global bold face labels like Louis Vuitton, Schiaparelli, Balenciaga and Hermès, along with indie houses led by hot talent, like Courrèges, Dries Van Noten or Tom Ford and a triumvirate of legendary Japanese houses - Yohji Yamamoto, Comme des Garçons and Issey Miyake. See catwalk Plus, there will be a series of highly talented female designer who have of late staged their most evolved collections in Paris for their own brands or as guns for hire – Victoria Beckham, Gabriela Hearst, Stella McCartney, The Row and Givenchy. Fasten your seat belts for the kickiest season in decades.
Fashion Network
3 days ago
- Fashion Network
AYT Studio carves a path between contemporary fashion and artistic expression
Like the great painters and sculptors, fashion designers and luxury brands now find themselves featured in retrospectives in museums around the world. While the number of links between fashion and art has multiplied over the past decade, the motivations of those involved in the ready-to-wear sector can be diverse, ranging from the search for artistic legitimacy to the creation of new experiences or successful commercial operations. For Yasmine El Kadiri, who worked for Kenzo, Celine, and Saint Laurent as a merchandising specialist, and who was at the forefront of observing this flourishing of collections centred around artworks and artists, this trend represents an opportunity. "When I observed these initiatives, they were often linked to an artist's work. But I believe there exists a space to create a dialogue with artists, where the artist participates in and influences the creative process. For me, creative engagement is a driving force, even though I have a commercial background. I have this desire for co-creation." The designer first put her concept to the test in the IFM Entrepreneurship program, before developing the first AYT Studio collection from mid-2024, with the intention of creating limited editions around her collaborations with artists. "I wanted to approach these collections under the concept of editions because I didn't want the work to be associated with a particular season, there's a kind of timelessness." For this first edition, the designer has collaborated with Lille-based artist Remed (Guillaume Alby) to translate the painter's works into garments. Together, they explored the possibilities of using details from certain artworks to create prints. The collaboration covers around twenty pieces, focusing on flowing viscose dresses featuring all-over prints. Produced in Italian workshops, the garments echo Remed's graphic and colourful work. Shirts, t-shirts, silk squares, and leather bags, made in the Tarn region of France, make up a comprehensive, colourful wardrobe that has been divided into four chapters. "I work in print, which is a niche in the fashion world, but it's an interesting expression in terms of colour and volume," said the entrepreneur. "I appeal to a community that is sensitive to the artistic approach. I think in terms of silhouettes, with dresses, shirts, but also accessories," said the designer, who is proud of her local sourcing. "And while each edition will explore the work of a particular artist, I can also express the AYT Studio style through contemporary cuts, fluidity and optimism, as well as the presence of certain pieces that are my references, like oversized shirts. I want to add markers that will reassure the customer." The brand can be found online via its aesthetic e-commerce store, but Yasmine El Kadiri relies on physical encounters to best express her concept. This approach was validated after a pop-up in the Marais district of Paris in spring, in which Remed's works mirrored the clothes on display, enabling the label to reach both French and international customers. The designer is continuing in this vein, exhibiting her creations until the end of July at the We Are club in Paris, located on rue Saint-Honoré and dedicated to the creative industries. The brand will then move on to the new We Are location in Lille, at 22, place Louise-de-Bettignies, in the heart of Vieux-Lille. This will be followed by another installation for a few days in the Parisian space, during the next Women's Fashion Week. "This period is also an opportunity to meet buyers, particularly department stores who are interested in concepts that blend different universes. I'm convinced that in the plethora of ready-to-wear on offer, what's going to make the difference is authenticity and commitment. The relationship with wholesale can take time, but there are opportunities around different venues, such as art foundations, and I'm a big believer in hotels. These are places where it's possible to express this relationship between the collection and the artist's work", said the entrepreneur, who is moving ahead with partnerships with resorts, to offer her editions as cruise collections. With its original concept, beyond seducing buyers, AYT Studio is also imagining a new approach to fashion distribution.
Fashion Network
3 days ago
- Fashion Network
Fédération unveils bumper Paris ready-to-wear season, with nine designer debuts
France's Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode on Thursday unveiled a bumper Paris ready-to-wear catwalk season, bristling with nine designer debuts and key houses, in the most anticipated Paris Fashion Week this century. See catwalk The French's capital's two most famous fashion houses, Chanel and Christian Dior, will both feature women's ready-to-wear show debuts by their freshly appointed creative directors – Matthieu Blazy and Jonathan Anderson, even if the latter has already had his Dior menswear baptism with a men's show in June. A further seven major labels will stage debut shows by new creative talent. They are the hyper-experienced Mark Howard Thomas at Carven; Michael Rider at Celine; Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough at Loewe; Duran Lantink at Jean-Paul Gaultier; Glenn Martens at Maison Margiela; Miguel Castro Freitas at Mugler and the acclaimed Italian master Pier Paolo Piccioli at Balenciaga. Though, it should be noted, Rider did show a special spring 2026 Celine co-ed collection on the eve of Paris couture season at the start of July, while Martens presented his first couture collection for Margiela three days later. In effect, these first six houses and a further four – Agnès B, Lanvin, Thom Browne and Vetements - are all returning to the Paris ready-to-wear catwalk week after a hiatus ranging from one season to over five years in the case of Gaultier, since founder Jean-Paul stepped down in 2020. All told, there will be a hefty grand total of 76 physical catwalk shows, and 36 by-appointment presentations in this fall's nine-day Paris Fashion Week, which runs from Monday, September 29 to Tuesday, October 7. The clothes displayed will be for spring/summer 2026. See catwalk The FHCM, French fashion's governing body, has also welcomed on to the official calendar two very happening new houses. Matières Fécales, or Fecal Matters, founded by Hannah Rose and Steven Raj, who are known for their extremist glamour and post-human aesthetic. They will show after Louis Vuitton on Tuesday, September 30. Meryll Rogge, the highly popular winner of the latest ANDAM fashion prize, will climax the busy season with a 6 p.m. show on October 7. Rogge has also just been named the new creative director of Jil Sander, which shows in Milan. While, hyper-acclaimed Alaia alumna Julie Kegels will stage a must-see show on the opening Monday. Entrance onto the official Federation calendar is notoriously difficult to achieve, given French insistence on maintaining a uniquely high level of creativity, quality, production and staging in Paris. Which makes it a significant achievement that a further two houses have been approved to stage presentations on the official calendar: eco-conscious label Façon Jacmin from sisters Alexandra and Segolène Jacmin and Ganni, the hipster Danish label from husband-and-wife team Nicklas and Ditte Reffstrup. Torishéju, by the talented British designer of Nigerian-Brazilian origin Torishéju Dumi, will stage an off-calendar presentation. This bumper Fashion Week – with shows running from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily - will also feature global bold face labels like Louis Vuitton, Schiaparelli, Balenciaga and Hermès, along with indie houses led by hot talent, like Courrèges, Dries Van Noten or Tom Ford and a triumvirate of legendary Japanese houses - Yohji Yamamoto, Comme des Garçons and Issey Miyake. See catwalk Plus, there will be a series of highly talented female designer who have of late staged their most evolved collections in Paris for their own brands or as guns for hire – Victoria Beckham, Gabriela Hearst, Stella McCartney, The Row and Givenchy. Fasten your seat belts for the kickiest season in decades.
