Flamboyant, vain, and eccentric. With high-tech workmanship and Brit-style pairings. Distinctive graphic hints in check fabrics and pied-de-poule. Reminiscent of noble sports. For spring summer 2012, the Gucci man establishes a new sartorial intelligentsia that revisits the posh world of Savile Row during the Sixties and Seventies. “I envisioned a Gentlemen’s Club,” explains Creative Director Frida Giannini, “populated by, aristocrats, dandies and singers, noblemen and rock stars – all with a love for playing with tradition.”

Silhouette were slim, precise, toned with an aristo-sport attitude. Sartorial jackets tailored for rolled shoulders, ignited with a competitive spirit that plays into the details. Hailing from equestrian references. Suede shirt collars, linings in rider rouge, pockets with contrasting trim. Hooded parkas thermosealed with leather. Unlined blazers with suede detailing. Bombers with micro quilting like fencing uniforms or jockey jackets. Paired with pants from the sporting DNA.

Materials used had an unusual effects. A twist on traditional Prince of Wales, realized in waterproof nylon. Workmanship drawn from an inside-out concept with a mix of materials and patterns. A new treatment for outerwear in lightly washed nappa. Biker jackets in calfskin with stitching inspired by horse harnesses and saddles. Knitwear with a tactile sensuality. In silk for a super slim suitability, ribbed, as sexy as underwear. A multicolor mélange effect, with reflections of lurex. Oversized, woven with special hand-crafted fibers.

For next season, Umit Benan shows the continuity of the stylistic code by keeping the volumes and shapes of winter, dominated by the fit of the 1980s now interpreted in a new and lightweight summer version.

The palette is characterized by bright colours such as yellow, burgundy and strawberry red, together with timeless shades such as navy blue, denim and cream, with iconic graphics of micro dots, macro checks and vintage stripes.

The fabrics, from the Lanificio Cerruti or Italian sartorial tradition, are natural and pure: silk, linen, cotton and fine wool are always blended; standing out in particular is the viscose and cotton, rough to the touch,  with microspheres in relief dotting the surface.

Ultra soft leather ranges from nappa leather to suede, plain or with openwork; its maximum expression can be found in the bomber jacket which mixes the three variations in a patchwork of three colours – yellow, burgundy and brown -, with mélange knit piping.

The concept of oversize and casual stretching continues to model the hourglass silhouette, which emphasizes the upper part, is close-fitting on the hips and once again becomes looser in the lower part.

The square lines of the broad and well-defined shoulders are interrupted by airy and fluid trousers, to suggest a concept of free and relaxed comfort, yet extremely masculine and virile.

The short and long cuts alternate in fluid the combinations of macro-checked jerkins worn with high-waisted trousers, with triple pleats and mother-of-pearl buttons or loose and deconstructed shirts worn with Bermuda shorts with a minimal shape.

The safari jacket, a cult piece of the 1980s, has maxi pockets on the front; the casual jackets have knitted cuffs to push up the sleeves in a relaxed way, the models inspired by pyjama jackets are counter-balanced by hyper-sartorial constructions with low and dropped or high and prominent shoulders.

Shirts also have wide sleeves, often three-quarters, with an imbalance in the lengths between the back and the front; the finely knitted pullovers are real statements of comfort; the T-shirts in yarns ultra-soft to the touch or in silk are characterized by graphic designs of the past or horizontal patches in different fabrics and shades.

Trousers with a classic cut, softened by front pleats, alternate with easy models with a drawstring and  “boat-pants” with an almost distracted fit, with belts at the waist which clinch the fabric vertically, making it fold over itself.

Very simple and extremely sophisticated. The old-fashioned style comes in an absolutely modern interpretation, where luxury is exalted and underlined by a simplicity veering on casual, only apparent but ideally typical of a generation vowed to the easy way of life.

At Via Tortona 58, I caught Alexis L an American Designer and this is what she says about the ‘COSTUME NATIONAL HOMME SHOW’

Ennio Capasa seemed to satisfy onlookers as he presented his S/S 2012  Costume National Homme collection on Saturday. Mr. Capasa often loves playing with the Rock ‘n’ Roll theme and this time was no different. The collection was a throwback to the 1950s origins of rock n’roll with a specific nod to the rockabilly sub-culture.

 With a palette of mostly greys, blacks and splashes of red here and there, the garmets appeared structured yet fluid. Tailored jackets with thin collars and lapels that often echoed the overall shapes of 1950s biker jackets stood out. Trousers were either skinny or wide-legged and the use of cotton and light weight wool were apparent. Like the pants, there were two styles of footwear-the classic loafer or derby. Although classic styles the braided details of the shoes, as well as the glittery leathers and high soles, gave these classics an updated look. Handbags consisted of deconstructed bi-color leather clutches and oversized bags.  

Despite the collection having stayed true to the minimalistic Costume National style that we have all come to expect, it left me wanting more. I kept waiting for the show stopper and before I knew it, the show was over and the show-stopping ensemble was yet to be found. An all red ensemble drew some gasps from the crowd, but it still wasn’t enough for me. Perhaps it is because subconsciously I expect a spring/summer collection to have a mélange of few punchy colors and accentuate the idea of “newness” or “budding” that spring brings. This personal opinion aside, Mr. Capasa expressed his personal vision of a men’s spring/summer collection and did it well.

Popular for garments that exude an understated luxury, Sanchita, as a designer and as a person, has always had an eye for creations that have a timeless expression. It has been this quest for timeless creations that led her to present "Fables"

"Fables" by Sanchita Ajjampur is a collection of short stories for children. The tastefully textured pages of the book bring together a modern interpretation of old tales. Every story comes with a moral, that communicates the ideologies of Peace, Freedom, Intelligence and Fearlessness.

The Koala and the Bunyip, Round Robin, Owl on the prowl, Love on a limb, Hare and the Tortoise, Owl and the Coyote, The Gibbon and the Weaver Bird and The Cat Maiden are stories in the collection that reflect belief in Karma and Destiny, pain and joy. These stories are directional and go back to the values and emotions woven into our artisan nature, recalling the power of the human touch.

It is a collectible, that a child may treasure and preserve, to impart these timeless values to the many generations to come.