Menswear in Milan: leather, leopard and latex

MILAN — There was a chill in the air both on and off the runway during the four days of Italian menswear for the fall/winter 2010-2011.

Much of the clothing was dedicated to the outdoors, from the bulky knits to heavy duty footwear, culminating in the D&G show dedicated to “life on the slopes,” which wrapped up the short fashion week.

But if the styles jibed well with the damp fog that enveloped the city during fashion week, above all designers hoped the easily wearable outfits would help defrost the economic freeze which has hit the menswear industry. Sales were down 10 percent in 2009 over the previous year, the greatest loss yet for the male “Made in Italy” label.

Overall, even when the styles were not outdoorsy, they still stuck to casual, of the chic rather than sloppy kind. Timeless items of the male wardrobe like sweaters, slacks, jackets and overcoats won over the riskier avant-garde styles popular over the past decade. Daring came in detailing, workmanship, and high-tech fabrics.

The suit and tie as well as elegant eveningwear were almost totally absent from this round of preview shows, a further confirmation that designers are looking to ring up sales, not reap fashion rewards.

Ermenegildo Zegna’s devotion to the suit on its winter runway was thoroughly justified. This year, the family-run company celebrates its centennial in luxury menswear. But in general, no matter how well-tailored, how many suits does a guy need?

According to Domenico Dolce, “menswear is a dangerous field” with many more ways of looking at fashion than in womenswear. This round was no exception with more than one designer straying from the ‘real clothes’ path. Donatella Versace presented a cyberworld punk, while DSquared2 opted for a cross between a blood-spattered hockey player and characters from the Rocky Horror Show.

Armani chose a romantic rather than rough-and-ready sports look. His winter male wraps himself in cozy knits and warms his legs with sheepskin gaiters. At all times he sports a cocky old world beret.

In what was certainly the most upbeat — and probably the most sellable — collection, the designing duo Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana created a day onthe ski slopes, from an early morning run to a late night party in a cozy chalet. AP