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undergoing noticeable development, thanks to specialist players like Gta, Berwich, Viganò and Michael Coal, to mention a few, which are offering new fittings and super-performing fabrics: «I like the more practicable trousers, that experiment with high-tech materials. I also appreciated the summer hats and the shirts» said Gabriele Vietti of the Vietti boutique, with branches in Lombardy, Piedmont and Switzerland. And even if sportswear and streetwear are a big slice of the offer, the classic showed that it holds its appeal: «We have revisited classic Italian taste, echoing the nineteen eighties, with bigger shoulders and many colours. The Lardini collection is beautiful and complete, with reasonable prices» emphasised Gregorio and Raffaele Galiano. Not only were the products intended to boost sales to Millennials but also to teenagers, as pointed out by Stefano Bagnoli of the Wivian’s Factory showroom in Milan: «Brands like Boy London (in the Urban Panorama section, ed.) or ShopArt, which was not at the exhibition, are going very well». «It’s true that the very young can be fickle - he concluded - but when they do buy, they do it in a big way».
Moncler Gamme Bleu
buyers at Milano Moda uomo Milan is on-trend, but wow effect” is missing The thinner schedule was not a problem, thanks to the presence of some interesting new names, but a lack of originality was pointed out by international buyers in Milan.
by Andrea Bigozzi When David beats Goliath twice in a row, the consequences are unpredictable. David
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is Milano Moda Uomo, which really started off on the back foot: scheduling problems and last-minute defections resulted in the loss of a day. Goliath is Pitti Uomo with its well-oiled program and list of special guests that was ready (and communicated) weeks earlier. Yet, after overcoming their initial concerns, many of the buyers who were interviewed between one fashion show and another liked fashion week and, aside from the heat, it was a weekend of “pure” work «as opposed to Pitti, where people do a lot of networking but it is difficult to work outside the Fortress and you lose too much time» noted Mario Dell’Oglio, owner of the Dell’Oglio boutique in Palermo. «Ultimately - continued the president of Camera Italiana Buyer Moda - Milan’s short calendar was not a problem, because it was balanced by a strong image of single shows». Massimiliano De Marianis, menswear buyer for LuisaViaRoma, agreed that the problem is not the length of the calendar. «I found Milan vibrant and eclectic - he commented -. Just a few shows immediately gave an idea of what the season’s trends will be like». A David and Goliath-like clash took place not only between Milan and Florence, but also in relation to the age and size of brands, with designers and new brands called to fill the voids left by absent names: a choice which this time, at least in certain cases, did not disappoint. «Sulvam’s debut was a great success, featuing soft tailoring, that was beautiful from a styling perspective. Sunnei’s collection is always an ode to fun and games, but this season they presented something more mature» according to Farfetch’s menswear buyer Reece Crisp, who complemented these two outsiders at the fashion week. Top buyers also spoke favourably about other under 30s, starting with Marni’s Francesco Risso. Milan is finally opening up to a panorama of more varied proposals than in the past: regardless of their immediate commercial potential, Dell’Oglio considered runway shows such as those by Palm Angels and Malibu 1992 to be empathetic and original. After the large chapter of diatribes about calendars on the Italian scene and their old and new names, we should also mention the collections of Spring-Summer 2018, the reason why industry professionals went to Milan. There was nothing revolutionary in terms of creative content: soft tailoring and especially evolved sportswear continue to
be popular on the runways. «Sportswear in its strictest sense will continue to dominate, but it was great to see more tailoring references, in particular with the doublebreasted blazer. Open shirts will continue to be a key part of the season, as well as shoulder bags, wide trousers and denim»: this is Crisp’s summary, which reflects the opinion of many of his colleagues, who foresee the ironic return of the logo. Everyone agreed that product quality was high and all the buyers promoted the stylistic proposals by Prada, Fendi, Giorgio Armani and Ermenegildo Zegna by Alessandro Sartori. «I think Prada’s show was fantastic: I noticed interesting echoes of punk and new wave» comments Ken Downing, senior vice president and fashion director of Neiman Marcus. «It is a show that is always different and unexpected and I am happy that from Spring-Summer 2018, Prada’s collection will return on luisaviaroma.com», De Marianis remarks. Claudio Betti of Spinnaker is one of many who thinks that Giorgio Armani’s collection was the best in commercial terms: «He has increased the quantity of jackets, without ever exaggerating and without copying certain French brands» he observes. The perception of the seasons in the strict sense of the word as irrelevant is a trend that is still in its early stages, but it could prove “revolutionary” for the market and for shopkeepers. «I noted a trans-seasonal mood in some of the shows and presentations in Milan - reflects Sam Kershow, Mr Porter’s buying manager which was most evident in Thom Browne’s collection for Moncler Gamme Bleu». The top buyers favoured all the brands that presented imaginative, colourful collections with hints of ‘90s style, from Marni to N°21 to Msgm. «I liked certain dusty pastel shades - stresses Downing - and I think the ‘90s hints were spot-on». «There was color everywhere, especially yellow and orange - observes Kershow, who was particularly impressed by Tom Ford, who returned to Milan with a sneak preview -. He used a strong, vibrant color range, not only for knitwear, but also for smoking jackets, which he presented in pink». But will this evidently antidepressant burst of color help the sales of buyers, who have confirmed their online budgets? «Possibly - according to Claudio Betti -. In our shop in Alassio, since the start of 2017, sales have not fallen for the first time in years». A good start.