Fusion in Fashion

Strap Line: The modern man has adapted to the new era going for more multifunctional and versatile outfits. Here are the most trendy looks from Milan Men's Fashion Week Fall/Winter 21.

A cataclysm that disrupted the world has not ended but surely has made us more adaptive, agile and protean. What has shaped our identity in such transformational times has also defined a new kind of fashion that rests on comfort, and ease as showcased at Milano Men’s Fashion Week 2021 and individual collections. The five-day schedule of the Fall-Winter 21 men’s wear was a culmination of physical runways, digital presentations, filmography and portrayed a fashion that is bespoke of versatility. The show invoked a fusion of luxury, living and loungewear all into one clothing element that broke the fundamentals of compartmentalization of fashion as office-wear, sportswear, party or streetwear. From fluid fabrics to usage of pleasant paisley prints, electrifying neon colours to fleece jackets, knit jackets, bombers, jacquard prints, robe suits, this fashion ended the era of archaic methods by being more functional and multi-purpose.

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Spirit of resistance

While comfort and resistance might sound like oxymorons, Italian fashion label Magliano's FW21 called for a fight in difficult times with a sense of commiseration. Its collection accompanied by an artistic AV showed the death of a fragile angel by staging a superstitious ritual to combat fear and death alluding to some greek tragedy. The mise-en-scène replete with mythical imageries showed a menswear collection based on slow to make fabrics such as Harris Tweed. The brand had models in leather and fleece jackets, coats, long boots, and sweaters that exuded comfortable wear.

The show invoked a fusion of luxury, living and loungewear all into one clothing element that broke the fundamentals of compartmentalization of fashion.

At Tokyo based brand Children of Discordance, the resistance in catastrophic times met with more of a rebellious spirit. It showcased clothing that was a blend of warfare and sportswear style. What stood out was the paisley patched collar jacket, vibrant fleece coats, broad-shouldered knits and mismatched cardigans. Tailored patchwork silhouettes were also a standout that added a layer of vibrancy to the collection.

Iconoclasm in gender neutrality

Resistance to challenging times can drive one bonkers. This maddening spirit of the existential dilemma was captured in British label JW Anderson’s FW21 that used the changing times to present a template that’s amusingly cool, gender-neutral and is inspired by an iconoclastic art movement.

Its models hold vegetables, hoodies are imprisoned with images of fruits, crocheted radishes cutely adorn the sweaters and deliberately balderdash words convey the bizarre times. The most strikingly waggish element in the collection remains the triangular trousers bespoke of gender-neutral fashion and an expression of a whimsical world.

Retailoring and functionality

In popular discourse, the language of masculinity has become less rigid and broader. This eclectic idea of how the modern man ought to be more at ease with his identity has been crafted with prudence in Ermenegildo Zegna’s FW21 show. The Italian fashion house opted for a sartorially fluid approach while presenting the suits. It broke the old-style codes and “(Re)imagined, (Re)shaped and (Re)defined” them calling it as “retailoring the modern man.” The designs were a reflection on changing times that brings a change in attitude and compelled the brand to go back to the roots and re-interpret them to create something new. This transpired into flexible dressing that blended indoors with outdoors, formal with informal workwear with sportswear. From peacoats to long ribbed cardigans, overcoats, multi-pocket jackets and swoopy blankets, dropped shoulders, loose trousers and turtlenecks, the collection responded to what matters the most in clothing presently.

The rhythm of adventure and funk

Colourful, zestful and unapologetically playful is what defined the new normal in Italian label Fendi’s FW21 menswear collection. Emanating a cosmic spirit, the runway had a creative interplay of colour popping lights, buzzing dance track and neon jackets that marched all the way to the tunnel-like runway.

The label cocooned comfort by its choice of cosy silhouettes and portrayed a marriage of indoors with outdoors. What we wore inside became a statement, wear outside when we saw dressing gown style trench coats, black jackets embossed with colourfully scribbled Fendi logo, and bright colours of safran, cobalt, green and fuchsia sparking the runway with lots of syncopated energy and fun.

This rhythm of adventure was also seen in a toned-down version at Italian label Etro's FW21. Its runway bathed in red, yellow and orange lights had models flaunting paisley prints, robe coats, maxi recycled wool sweaters, bomber jackets and oversized sweatshirts that speak of effortlessly poised fashion.

Pictures:

Spirit of resistance (2 pics)

Credits: cameramoda.it

Credits: cameramoda.it

Iconoclasm in gender neutrality (2 pics)

Credits: jwanderson.com

Retailoring and functionality (1 pic)

Credits: cameramoda.it

The rhythm of adventure and funk (2 pics)

Credits: cameramoda.it

Credits: Etro.com