There are two ways to view the Milan menswear shows for autumn/winter 2015: the drama, or the clothes. Let’s focus on what went down the runways first, because there was a surprising unified message. Even before Prada on Sunday night, there had been double-breasted tailoring around. The trend was simmering in London the week before, at places like E Tautz and Kingsman. In Milan, Prada made double-breasted a major message: suddenly menswear is looking sharp.
It is also looking young. This is not the double-breasted of the gentleman’s club, where extra cloth hides excessive girth. These new double-breasted suits are tight and sculpted, to show off an exercise-lithe body. Ugh, you might think, especially those who prefer an extra hour under the duvet to one on the cross-trainer. But isn’t that what rebellious youths spend their money on today? Gym membership?
Prada captured a mood first felt in London for black and grey. The show was severe and purposefully repetitious: double-breasted suits; black nylon coats; high-V knits. Afterwards I snuck backstage to look at clothes on the rails. Hidden underneath all the tailoring were some fantastically dull grey cotton twill work shirts; “fantastically dull” meant as the biggest compliment.