Contributed by – Duhin Ganju & Shefali Jauhar
(DAY-2)
Day 2 of the Italian extravaganza witnessed some of the biggest names in the industry showcasing a rather minimalist, yet wintery collection. From Corneliani to Versace, designers followed a very toned-down color palette majorly in all the collections and each garment made a style statement in its own way.
Corneliani: The Italian luxury brand showcased a collection that was a perfect example of their heritage craftsmanship. From ribbed-collar overcoats to suit jackets, models wore tapered trousers with patent leather brogues. Also, classic biker jackets were worn under turtleneck cashmere cardigans and were perfectly accessorized with lambskin gloves. Though they did not experiment a lot with color, a minimal color palette consisting of grey and navy blue was followed.
Edmund Ooi: The Malaysian-born designer showcased a collection that involved a lot of abstract as well as geometrical prints. From oversized cabans to fitted suits, his collection was a perfect amalgamation of Italian tailoring with Asian influences. A lot of patchwork could be seen done on fitted jackets that were perfectly crafted from leather as well as wool, to highlight the concept of color blocking and texture. The designer used a very minimalistic color palette that consisted of pitch black, steel grey and royal blue with hints of camel and burgundy.
Jil Sander: The minimalist German designer played with a lot of warm colors while showcasing the brand’s AW collection. From suede trenches to leather overcoats, high-waisted tapered trousers were perfectly paired with buttoned cardigans and oversized boots. The color palette generally consisted of warm colors such as chocolate brown, mustard, navy blue, grey and smoky black with hints of tangerine and burnt pink.
John Varvatos:The American contemporary designer showcased a collection that literally marked the arrival of autumn. The runway was covered with loads of dried maple leaves as models walked on it, luxuriously covered with rich shearling coats and fitted-dapper suits. Leather jackets were worn under oversized single-breasted coats, followed by leather trousers. Sticking to the authentic sartorial detailing, the designer used a simple color palette that included various tones to brown and black with hints of royal blue and steel grey.
Versace: Probably one of the most highly anticipated shows of the day, Donatella Versace left no stones unturned as she showcased the menswear range of the legendary Italian brand. From body-hugging suits to classic leather jackets, big-patterned coats were perfectly matched with knitted joggers. Using an innovative blend of rich fabrics like cashmere and shearling, oversized cardigans and double-breasted trenches were also some of the uber-cool garments that radiated ultra chic style and élan. Versace never fails to deliver modern statements with rich craftsmanship and that’s what the brand did for their AW show by following a color palette that included colors such as beige, black, dusty blue and deep brown.
Ermenegildo Zegna: The Italian luxury fashion house emphasized on vertical rectangle silhouettes with men majorly wearing long coats and regular-fit pants. Wintery material like lambskin leather, velvet and other woolen knits were extensively used. The colour palate was more or less sober with black, white, navy green, dark grey, dull brown and a dash of colour with tangerine. The collection had a formal & outdoorsy appeal.
Costume Nationale Homme: The collection had a quirky and dressy appeal in terms of fabric and their combinations. The color palate encompassed light brown, tan, and black with a hint of bright like sky blue and red. Apart from the regular long coats, the exotic feathered coat and embellished jacket were absolute standouts!
Andrea Pompilio: The collection had a sporty vibe combining dull winter and bright summer shades. Apart from informal ensembles like sweat pants and sporty jackets with the AP print, it also showcased formal outfits like trench coats and double breasted jackets with a sporty funk in terms of colour and material. What really stood out for me in this collection was the bright warm yellow sweater which would uplift anyone with the winter blues.
Les Hommes: This particular collection presented by the designer duo definitely reflected fine Italian taste in terms of urban menswear. Keeping colour palates minimal with black, white, silver and dark grey added a sense of masculinity and power. From lambskin leather coats, satin suits to argyle-inspired sweaters; the collection was indeed remarkable!
Neil Barrett: The designer kept it casual yet classy in his collection. Navy green, currently a hot trending colour with designers stood out among sober the winter shades he incorporated. It seemed to have been military inspired with men in military trench coats marching the runway. Traditional fabrics like tweed, leather, and shearling were also used.
Philipp Plein: The collection had a very gangster-military-sporty vibe. The German designer definitely showcased fierce masculinity with a streak of aggression in his edgy ensembles. Black, light grey, military-green were his collection’s colour palate. From skinny leather pants with knee pants, bedazzled jackets to futuristic yet animalistic headgear, the collection made you want more in terms of innovation.
Dolce & Gabbana Milan: The acclaimed designer-duo’s collection was not only inspired by the word ‘family’ but was also directly reflected in the garments itself (See oversized sweatshirts). The colour palate was a classic black and white combination. The collection had a slimmer silhouette than the previous collection with focus on the upper V-shaped torso. D&G incorporated their signature floral in silk blazers with tailored pants which truly stood out in this collection.
Day 2 of Milan A/W’2015-2016 definitely had an assortment of aesthetics from sporty chic to the good-old-classics, the designers who truly stood out today in terms of their collection were Neil Barrett for his Italian finesse and Philip Plein for his futuristic appeal.
