PAUSE Picks: Top 5 MFW Runway Shows

Milan Men’s Fashion Week is always bursting with imagination, creative concepts and blends of old and new approaches to style. With some of the major players in the industry showcasing their latest Autumn/Winter ’18 season, our PAUSE team dashed from one side of the city to immerse within the worlds of each brand. Witnessing some of the most applaudable craftsmanship and the waviest forthcoming trends in Milan, we picked our top 5 fashion-show highlights:

The return of the double F monogram, the chocolate brown leather combined with rich caramel furs and a plethora of innovatively branded bags and accessories is why Fendi A/W 18 makes it on our list. Silvia Fendi worked with Scottish graphic designer Reilly to create the upcoming season, understanding the need to incorporate youthful perspectives of playfulness and irony that currently dominates fashion scenes and inject such notions into the Fendi brand. Revitalising the brand by merging old and new influences, Fendi’s latest offerings oozes sophistication and the airport concept that ran throughout the runway offered some neat new additions to their menswear collection.

Factory fashions set within a playful warehouse at Viale Ortles 35 became the undisputable theme at the Prada Men’s Autumn/Winter ’18 show. As the invitees perched upon crates, boxy silhouettes came parading down the runway accompanied by the likes of Prada ID badges and click-in industrial belts. Miuccia Prada weaved nods to throwback collections into the new season by incorporating  daring archived prints and patterns (think flames and banana shirts). Additionally taken from the Prada vault came the return of black nylon, a fabric defiant of Prada in the 90’s. Finally, the Prada Sport label made a strong comeback at the AW18 show.  The line, which originally ran from 1996-2006, recognisable by its red-line logo, out-staged the bolder looks on the catwalk through its simplicity. Paired with bucket hats, models rocked Prada Sport unisex anoraks and waterproof shorts in classic black, grey and white colours. Prada’s recognition of its past to design fits for the future is why it has been added to our list.

The Versace AW18 menswear show continued the exploration of the Versace archives and the celebration of Gianni (20 years after his passing) that began in the SS18 womenswear show. Statement prints, an abundance of animal-kingdom inspirations and football fashions came into the spotlight, branded with vintage fonts and completed with ultra-modern ‘Chain Reaction’ sneakers (created alongside rapper 2 Chainz). The chunky trainers feature a distinctive chain sole,  topped with fabrics and patterns featured in the collection. Trending tartans and dreamy velvet puffer jackets are reinvented by Donatella for next season to conform to house-styles, joined by tiger prints, flamboyant graphics and V-neck jumpers saturated in colour. The echos of Gianni fused with Donatella’s outlook on contemporary fashions produces a bold collection that showcases the Italian fashion house at its peak,  making Versace an essential part of our top 5.

Balaclavas, clashing colours and dangerous spikes all hinted at inspirations from societies outsiders for Palm Angels AW18. Against the norms, Francesco Ragazzi’s latest showcase of extreme-punk meets modern streetwear became completely rebellious, a darker approach to thinking outside the box than ever seen before by the Italian-born creative. Big american buckles teamed with sour orange tracksuits and patchwork tartans made for an impactful lineup of memorable ensembles. Inventing looks that demand attention is essential to Palm Angels; a homecoming return to thought-provoking fashions within the industry is the reason PAUSE has added it to our top 5.

Dean and Dan Caten are drawn to composing collections by merging inspirations together, finding common ground to create fashion. In the case of Autumn/Winter ’18, the Canadian twins team Wild-Western stimuli with bohemian aesthetic. Horse-buckled belts tighten the waist of models sporting cowboy hats and cow-skin prints, red tartans remixed with PVC detailing and denim jeans. Studs and neckerchiefs decorate the rodeo-ready garbs, presented upon both male and female models. As the show progressed, sandy hues and daisy-chain embroidery corresponded to 19^th Century styles that conquered the catwalk. Mongolian furs and boho patterns added an extra dimension to the show that interlinked through use of earthy colours. The pioneering concept of Old-West outfitting recreated for 21^st Century consumers is why DSQUARED2 find itself upon our list.