Marni

This season, I had a dilemma whether to skip the menswear season, or not. I honestly felt exhausted at one point with all the collections, lookbooks and shows coming up, and getting grip of what’s winter and what’s summer. And in case of menswear, I was especially appalled with the fact that every designer considers spring-summer 2019 to be a full-on sport trend. And everyone has a pair of ‘some’ sneakers, just to be like Balenciaga with their top-selling Triple S (which, by the way, is everywhere, and I can no longer look at)! But when I was quite sure I won’t write anything about men’s this time (plus the 69% of voters on my Instagram poll said ‘skip the season and chill!’, partially consolidating my decision), I couldn’t ignore those two collections coming from Milan. Marni and Prada, you’re very good to boys this season I must say.

What I love about Francesco Risso‘s Marni is his haphazard, yet appealing ‘collage’ way of doing things. The designer was thinking of vintage sportswear. Staged in an old carpark, guests sat on bouncy exercise balls, while the models’ (plus-size guys, elderly men and the designer’s friends) outfits were reminiscent of a football fan 70’s style, with retro polo shirts, check trousers and deconstructed varsity jackets made of different textiles. From yellow tank-tops to striped, knitted culottes, there’s lot to love in Risso’s latest collection. Note the prints – Florian Hetz’s photos of naked bodies and Betsy Podlach’s paintings of human beings were used on the back of the shirts and many other pieces.

Miuccia Prada also had something to do with sportiness, but not that much. Here, her intelligence and profoundness emanates in every piece of clothing. For the fashion show, inflatable, pink stools by Verner Panton – an exclusive re-edition of the 1960s piece, produced by VERPAN for Prada – were used as the guest seats. If talking of the clothes, Prada constructed a dialogue between male sensuality (ruffled shirts, very short shorts, florals) and utility-wear (lots of nylon and padded trappers we’ve seen in Miuccia’s resort show in New York). All that mixed with boldly printed sweatshirts and zipped jumpers. I definitely like this certain dynamism that was perceivable throughout the collection.

But the rest of menwear… well. Let’s see if Paris will be better. Quite exicited for Jacquemus’ first menswear collection ever, and Kim Jones’ debut at Dior Homme.

All collages by Edward Kanarecki.

While Marni‘s Francesco Risso discussed the Dada movement, primitivism and the need for deconstruction in our lives during his pre-fall 2018 presentation for the brand, one thing appeared to be instantly distinct while browsing the new season clothes – the approach that’s far from fashion’s typical ‘bourgeois conventions’. For him, Marni is playful. Francesco’s fascination with children’s intuitive way of learning translates in every single look, and that’s clear if you take a glance at his previous collections as well. From the bear toy necklaces and doll dresses with unfinished trailing threads to hilariously big hats and exaggerated buttons, Risso makes style a playground. But don’t think Marni is overly infantile. No. I perceive it as optimistic, joyously tongue-in-cheek in a way. Even the brand’s new Big Foot sneakers have that sense of humour about them. “Like a kid wearing his dad’s shoes”, the designer noted.