2) Muted Colour Palettes
A lot of guys who are passionate about tailoring take pride in being able to effectively match patterns or
colours within their outfits, whether that be with shirts and ties, or socks and trousers and so on. Pattern
matching and loud colours can be exhausted though, so The Rake was pleased to learn that a number of brands
(Ralph Lauren, Giorgio Armani, Canali) made use of muted, tonal colour palettes that kept things simple and refined.
Tonal looks are hardly new but, when executed well, they can be incredibly elegant and flattering, and make you look
as though you’re not trying too hard. A favourite look of ours by Ralph Lauren Purple Label featured a heather grey
herringbone sport coat, flannel grey terry knit sweatshirt, washed grey linen twin-pleated trousers and grey canvas
espadrilles. Lots of grey, but the subtle variations of colour and fabric textures ensure it works.
3) Featherweight Fabrics
Linen has long been the
staple summer fabric, but its reign soon may be replaced by silk. There was an ease of movement and fluidity present
at Zegna, where artistic director Alessandro Sartori made use of washed silks in his trousers and lightweight
outerwear pieces, allowing him, as he said, “to design a forward-looking men’s fashion wardrobe built around
fluidity, freshness and colour”. Classic tailoring was on show at Giorgio Armani, yet many of his suits were made
from breezy silk-like fabrics that draped beautifully as the models strolled the catwalk. Silk has traditionally
been reserved for evening wear, whether in pure silk or shantung form, yet lighter silks or predominant silk-blends
may prove to be the fabric of choice next summer.
4) Changing Trouser Silhouettes
Wider leg trousers have been around for a while now, but this season we saw what might be the ultimate
trouser silhouette; medium to high-rise, pleated - either single or twin, with a carrot-shape leg, meaning a wide
thigh that tapers down gently to the ankle. Numerous brands adopted this cut: Zegna (who even cuffed the bottom),
Brunello Cucinelli, The Gigi, Armani and Pal Zileri. The tapered leg is a welcome addition to the wider silhouette
that’s been dominating runway shows over the last couple of years. It makes looser trousers infinitely more
wearable, as the leg opening no longer billows around your shoes in an ungainly fashion. Instead, as the
aforementioned houses have shown, the tapered hem sits elegantly above or just kisses the shoe, creating a
streamlined, timeless look that still remains comfortable due to the extra room in the thigh.
5) The Field Jacket’s Dominance
The ever-functional field jacket continues to rise in popularity. Having well and truly transcended its
military origins, the field jacket is becoming a legitimate replacement for the blazer in some cases, with the likes
of Brunello and Armani utilising their own versions with tailored trousers and shirts. Although originally made from
olive drab cotton, The Rake saw a number of versions in Milan crafted from suede, linen and even technical
high-twist wool, in the case of Caruso, which has created what it believes is the ultimate travel jacket.
