Ciao Milano: six menswear trends from Milan Fashion Week

Milan Fashion Week Men's kicked off the fashion weeks for the autumn/winter 2022 season. The Italian fashion metropolis welcomed some new faces to its hybrid show calendar, including hip labels 44 Label Group and 1017 Alyx 9SM.

JW Anderson and Alyx were still part of Paris Men's Fashion Week last season and 44 Label Group, the label of German DJ Kobosil, showed at a fashion week for the first time ever. Reason enough to take a closer look. FashionUnited has put together the hottest trends and looks.

For the coming winter, labels and designers are focusing on cosy outerwear such as fleece sweaters and hats with ear warmers. These wrap the wearer up and give them a feeling of safety and protection despite the ongoing pandemic. However, it no longer seems to be about hiding indoors, but going out into the cold, rediscovering the world and having an adventure.

High collars

Pieces with turtlenecks and high collars have many advantages, especially in winter. They look more elegant than a simple long-sleeved top and, with the right choice of material, can also provide comfort and warmth. In addition, the collar, by ending just below the chin, creates a feeling of protection and security.

In Milan, Zegna, Prada and Tod's, among others, all relied on this all-rounder. Zegna offered a wide selection of different sizes and colours of turtlenecks with classic, tight-fitting collars that were on show but also voluminous pieces that wrap the wearer up like a scarf. Brunello Cucinelli focused on thick, knitted turtlenecks reminiscent of fishermen's clothing. The Italian menswear label showed the classic version in combination with jackets. Prada's coarsely knitted, oversized sweaters were also reminiscent of rough seas. Alternatively, the fashion house offered close-fitting, sporty versions of the turtleneck shirt. Tod's also focused on zip-up collars alongside such pieces. Other brands that brought this trend to the catwalk are Missoni, Brioni and Dolce & Gabbana.

Waist belts

Waist belts are a useful tool to play with and to change the silhouette. Prada used them on its broad-shouldered coats to accentuate a V-shape while Han Kjøbenhavn utilised a belt over a knee-length leather coat to change the shape of the rather static fabric. David Catalán paired a belt with a dark denim jacket with a silver trim and at Vìen, two black leather belts were styled over a dark blue suit.

Motif knits

Those who find a plain knitted sweater a bit too simple might enjoy versions with motifs more. There are playful ones with animals as seen at JW Anderson, but also darker versions from 44 Labels Group, which rely on symbols reminiscent of radioactivity warning signs. Etro, meanwhile, showed elements from the plant and animal world, some of which were reminiscent of Christmas sweaters. K-Way put all its eggs in one basket and put single checks on its knitted products.

A new look for jeans

Denim is also getting a makeover this winter. Bling king Philipp Plein sent a denim two-piece consisting of a jacket and pants onto the catwalk, decorated with large-scale sharks. But of course that wasn't all, the two-tone sharks were framed with diamonds and featured a logo print of the brand. Dhruv Kapoor also presented a denim two-piece in a dark blue hue with pixel-like yellow flowers contrasting with orange decorative stitching. 44 Labels Group also used the aforementioned logo on bright, wide-leg denim shorts and, in another look, decorated the knees of a pair of trousers with an abstract drawing.

Cosy in the cold

Especially on cold, dark days, it is hard to leave one’s warm bed. Fluffy sweaters and jackets that let one continue to dream even outside are the remedy.

Fendi showed off a creamy white aviator jacket with brown accents that is chic and cosy at the same time. Dolce & Gabbana sent several looks like this down the runway, including an oversized brown and black two-piece inspired by a teddy bear. In keeping with the theme, Magliano set up a double bed as a backdrop against which the models presented the looks, including a mix of college jacket and buttoned cardigan in a mossy green. Prada, on the other hand, brought a kind of fur to the outside of coats and used it as fluffy trimmings on the sleeves and bottom of the jacket. US outerwear brand Spyder presented several thick, fluffy jackets, some of which were reminiscent of characters from Sesame Street, including a red hooded jacket that looked like Elmo's fur, followed by a blue zippered jacket reminiscent of Cookie Monster. MSGM also brought some colour into play and showed a colourful hooded fleece jacket that reminded of ‘90s outerwear.

Keeping ears warm

Those who still feel not warm enough can get a boost with the right hat. In Milan, caps with ear flaps were also presented, including aviator caps with lining.

Zegna showed a grey version of the aviator cap and Magliano a white one with a leopard print inside. Fendi presented a cap similar in shape to the cylindrical Fez (also called Tarboosh). However, the Italian fashion house's piece relied on small ear flaps, leather and two bands hanging down the sides. Dsquared2, meanwhile, showed several pom-pom hats with ear flaps complemented by pom-pom cords.

This article was originally published on FashionUnited.de. Edited and translated by Simone Preuss.