Haley Sengsavanh and Stephenie Gee report on the menswear spring/summer 2024 collections by major fashion maisons
Prada
This show instantly went viral for its unique runway that featured streams of slime oozing from the ceiling. Aptly named Fluid Form, this collection was also an open exploration into how clothing can free the body, and reflected the tailoring style of the 1940s. Standout pieces included tan button-ups covered in fabric origami flowers. As co-creative director Miuccia Prada said, “Now, in this time, we have to inject fantasy again, ideas.”
Saint Laurent
Anthony Vaccarello created a sensual and suave collection entitled Each Man Kills the Things He Loves, inspired by the 1950 erotic black-and-white French short film Un Chant d’Amour. The entire collection was monochrome, save for a tan suit, silk halter tops in olive green and caramel, and leopard-printed coats and suits. The tailoring was exceptional as always, with skinny pants and boxy blazers to pair with sultry low scoop- neck silk tank tops and
sleek band-collar shirts.
Shiatzy Chen
For her Mirage collection, Wang Chen Tsai-Hsia drew inspiration from mythical mirage cities that seemingly float above the water, their image distorted in the waves. The show started with casual looks created using a special textured fabric woven with corals, and pieces made from mottled and hemstitched denim. Then came sheer SC monogrammed tops under coats and jackets, paired with slim-cut trousers. The collection closed with a series of white hemp garments embroidered with
blue or hot pink thread to mimic dragon porcelain.
Tod’s
Presented inside the lush Villa Necchi Campiglio conservatory, Walter Chiapponi’s An Italian Garden was an elegant reinterpretation of men’s casualwear. The collection came in soft muted tones like ecru and pale grey, and was made from natural fabrics such as wool, linen and cotton. Standout pieces included an expertly crafted mint green leather jacket, a relaxed knit polo shirt and a light-yellow suit set.
Tom Ford
Peter Hawkings’s debut as creative director proved he was the right man to continue Tom Ford’s sexy yet chic legacy. Hawkings said that Ford’s design codes of “glamour, sexiness, elegance and beauty” aligned with his own. Some epitomic pieces included slinky silk dress shirts left unbuttoned, a flashy sparkling gold suit and a black crocodile-leather trucker jacket.
Valentino
Inspired by the intimacy and vulnerability of Hanya Yanagihara’s famous novel A Little Life, Pierpaolo Piccioli’s The Narratives commented on how masculinity is perceived and defined in the modern world. He subverted masculine dress codes by incorporating bright floral prints, and placing a single-stemmed rose motif on coats and the placket on dress shirts. He added a feminine touch to the collection with hot pink mini purses.
Versace
This doll-like collection was full of fun pastels and slightly oversized fits. One look was specifically designed to resemble a tour costume Donatella Versace created for Prince, consisting of a structured five-button suit jacket paired with yellow beaded boxers. Other highlights included a long pink gingham coat, and a pearl-encrusted jean jacket and matching low-waisted pants.
Wales Bonner
Grace Wales Bonner’s Marathon was “an ode to long journeys and life missions. A celebration of soulful pursuits and inspired movement”. This sporty collection featured pieces from both her main line and her ongoing brand partnership with Adidas Originals. Highlights included a tattersall running parka, a denim suit with a blue stripe on the side and a silver windbreaker with a cummerbund waistband.
Zegna
Around 70% of the Zegna SS24 collection was conceptualised using Norman- originating Oasi Linen. It was discreetly worked into the lining of leather jackets, fashioned into a jacquard in V-neck shirts and shorts featuring irregular seams of colour, and gained a slubby, tactile feel in apricot straight-cut pants teamed with an apricot rib-knit cardigan. For the most part, the collection complemented its stony surrounds of the Piazza San Fedele, before blossoming beyond neutrals into pale pinks, greens and blues. And, of course, camel.
