ShortList's fashion stylist Barnaby Ash gives his verdict on yesterday's shows in Milan and style director Adrian Clark tells us how to look as coiffed as those on the catalk
The third day of the Milan collections saw fashion insiders' favourite Umit Benan (pictured far left) show yet another delightfully original presentation of his distinctively styled collections. Entitled 'I once loved a woman who loved menswear', the curtain dropped to reveal eight beds with eight couples on top of each bed. The men then slowly proceeded to get dressed and walk the catwalk one after the other, the twist being that the men were dressing themselves in the women's clothes but the women had a penchant for menswear. Although the notion was rather ambitious and complex, we assure you it did not disappoint!
On the other hand, Italian fashion giant Gucci (pictured centre left) opted for a classical catwalk show depicting a colourful take on the Mediterranean man, with bright hues, bold prints and stripes paired with sculpted slim tailoring. It would seem Frida Giannini has found her stride over the last few seasons.
Taking inspiration from the distinguished early 20th century traveller, Alexander McQueen offered up a handsome realisation of the peacock male and the English gentleman from the more casual yet still dressy pyjama shirts and trousers to excessively opulent tailoring, embellished with gold embroidery and dragonfly silk jacquards. The collection smacked of intelligent luxury.
Other delights of the fabric variety included Missoni's take on the traveller (pictured centre right) with both foreign and regional cultural influences, ZZegna's optimistic and carefree approach to modern menswear and finally Fendi's beautiful incarnation of the ultimate in sport luxe.
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Grooming tip:
Gucci (pictured far right) took a fresh, sleek and elegant approach for spring 2013, opting for hair that was neatly side-parted then slicked back in a wet-look finish. To achieve both extreme hold and smooth, glossy texture required for this preppy Mediterranean style use L’Oreal Paris Studio Line’s Wet and Sleek Wet Look Gel; £3.56 for 200ml. Work a small amount of the gel through damp hair from front to back then style into a neat side-parting and slick back with a comb. The collection’s head-to-toe black, which peppered the lightweight colour-blocked suits, calls for a high-performance deodorant that will resist leaving white marks. The L’Oreal Paris Men Expert’s Carbon Protect Roll On Deodorant: £2.54 for 50ml, will do the trick, its anti-sweat formula enriched with carbon offers the ultimate in personal hygiene protection. A deodorant with 48 hour extreme defence, it helps fight against the four signs of sweat: perspiration, odour, bacteria and stains.
