Contributed by – Duhin Ganju & Shefali Jauhar

(DAY-3)

Day-3 during the Milan Fashion Week witnessed some of the biggest names in fashion as well as men’s tailoring. From Prada to Bottega Veneta, even American labels like Calvin Klein didn’t fail as each of the designers delivered toned-down and minimalistic collections apt for the following wintery weather, with a dash of eye-popping colors.

Bottega Veneta: From loosely fitted shapes to slouched silhouettes, the Italian luxury house delivered a rich eloquence of garments that included double-breasted pea-coats in tweed, followed by baggy corduroy trousers. Long woolen overcoats were perfectly matched with silk ties and tanned brogues. Even textured cardigans and cashmere knitted turtleneck pullovers made the collection standout in its own way. Models carried the label’s signature duffle bags with the inter-weaved calfskin leather. A warm color palette of black, burnt ombrè, steel grey and navy blue with hints of mustard yellow and baby pink.

John Richmond: With the signature sartorial tailoring and a touch of modern abstract prints, John Richmond’s AW collection was an absolute show-stunner. From duffle jackets to classic leather bikers, models walked with confidence and poise wearing tapered trousers and quilted sneakers. Truly British, some of the statement pieces were the fitted tuxedos and also the dapper suits. The designer followed a very colorful palette that included pastels of black, hot maroon, steel grey and camel with hints of peacock green and classic white.

Calvin Klein Collection: The American giant under the design direction of Francesco Costa showcased a collection that envisioned the brand’s true goal, “modern minimalism with a statement.” A very relaxed collection, most common garments included loosely fitted cabans and turtle neck capes. Men could also be seen wearing relaxed leather trousers with leather lace-up boots. Also, knitted cashmere cardigans were perfectly paired with double-breasted suits and form-fitting scoop-neck sweaters. A very simple color palette of black, grey and dusky blue was followed.

Missoni: The Italian house never fails to deliver rich and intricate designs that are a true reflection of the brand’s heritage craftsmanship. An exuberant mix of tailored and colorful knits, the brand’s collection was a typical must have. From carpeted floors to the intricate knitted garments, each and every piece made a statement of their own. Long Chesterfields and textured coats were perfectly worn beneath plaid shirts and cashmere scarves. As each model wrapped themselves in the luxury of Italian craftsmanship, one could not ignore the subtle color palette that consisted of burgundy, dusky orange, navy blue, smoked grey and a subtle beige.

Prada: With plenty of black and a creative use of beige, the Italian brand under the design direction of Miuccia Prada showcased a very modernized version of the brand’s design aesthetics. From double-breasted fitted coats to capped-sleeves and notched lapels, each an every garment of the collection reflected the sheer chic style that Prada has to offer. Even women walked in black tunics and fitted skirts and perfectly paired them with leather boots. Sticking to the season, the brand used a minimal color palette that included smoky black and steel grey.

N°21: The collection had a sporty-casual feel to it. The garments were featured in shades of black, smoky grey, sandy brown and tan. Men walked down in straight fit pants and the hard-to-miss sandals and socks combination. The collection comprised of prints like argyle, solid colours like bright yellow and stripes.

Salvatore Ferragamo: Layer and more layers was the essence of this collection, as men marched down in an assortment of coats both short and long. Draped in fringed scarves paired with regular-fit pants, the models certainly stayed cozy in their ensembles. A variety of designs from floral, print to plaid were showcased in a neutral colour palate of tan, cream, black & white.

Vivienne Westwood: The English designer definitely ‘plaid it well’ with her collection. The colour palate primarily consisted of navy blue, tangerine, black, greys and mustard yellow. The designer experimented with plaid on trousers. The outfit that stood out the most was the plaid-on-plaid ensemble. The designer showcased an array of jacketsfrom long plaid jackets, double-breasted coats to jackets with a shearling trim.

Daks: The collection presented by this particular designer oozed confidence through a red, black, white and grey color palate. From textured long coats to a combination of that with another knit in a short jacket, the designer was all about experimentation and innovation through visual texture and material. Men walked down in straight-fit pants with classic oxfords to go with the ensemble.

Moncler Gamme Bleu: This particular show pretty much stood out today on Day 3 of Milan Fashion Week as the designer used classic old prints like plaid and argyle and gave them a whole new dimension. The colour palate was red, black, white, camel, grey and navy blue. Men looked quite dramatic with the eye-gear as if they were to undertake a snow expedition. They primarily sported tailor single-breasted notched jackets but each with its own funky print.

Day 3 of the designers ended on a funky note with Moncler Gamme Bleu’s collection. A lot of designers showcased collections that spoke of classics in a rather modern manner. Colour palates weren’t as sober as designers incorporated bright colours, especially mustard yellow.

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.

Contributed by – Duhin Ganju

(DAY-1)

As the London Collections: Men recently concluded, fingers were crossed for the menswear collection at Milan Fashion Week. Day-1 of the highly anticipated show only had Canadian duo, Dsquared2 who showcased an interesting collection as an ode to their 20 years in the fashion industry. From biker jackets to form-fitting leather pants, a lot of models wore tuxedos with intricate embroidery. Faux-fur cabans were worn under the duo’s signature denims that were studded as well as fringed. A minimal color palette of navy blue, black and dusty grey was accompanied with hints of maroon and hot pink. Also, the show was perfectly complimented by a scintillating performance by American singer Mary J Blige.

 

The Social Initiative to help raise awareness on the usage of condoms that they aren’t just for safe sex anymore – SKORE Condoms, has opened out a creative avenue for designers to come up with attractive costumes made with condoms! It has come up with India’s first design contest and fashion show – “SKORE Fashionista”, to make condoms fashionable by letting students explore creative ways of making clothing out of it.

Don’t shy away from condoms, being the objective of the event the first of its kind event in Mumbai will be a blend of creativity, exchange of ideas, grooming talent and making a bold statement with condoms! Rotaract Club of Bombay Film City (RCBF) will work alongside SKORE to spread the message across to the society which has 36 teams with 78 students from 11 institutes which includes Pearl Academy, INIFD and WLCI and others.

India’s most loved designer has done it again with the #ManishMillion!

​Ace designer Manish Malhotra created social media history when he became the first Indian designer to cross 1 million likes on Facebook.