Youthful dressing and streetwear were in focus on the third day of Milan Fashion Week previews of mostly menswear for next spring and summer.
It’s a game of sophisticated materials and edgy styling, of pushing boundaries and reaching for that increasingly significant, but typically not economically independent young customer.
Knitwear in vogue
Sunnei took a leap in sophistication with its co-ed collection featuring highly researched materials and calm, Zen-like silhouettes.
For the unveiling, founders Loris Messina and Simone Rizzo brought the fashion crowd to the white-washed concrete of a future public art space beneath a disused overpass in Milan.
Providing a snapshot of the 4-year-old brand’s technical sophistication, the looks included textured yet translucent knitwear, which from the front row looked soft as a sponge. On closer inspection, the knit was closer to the actual marine sponge, resistant and just a little scratchy.
The super-light knitwear lent itself to layering — over knit pants for men and a long knit dress or skirt for women. There were matching knitwear duffels, and maxi bags took on the micro-bag trend shown on other runways.
While cargo pants may be disparaged by some, the designers embraced their utility without worrying that stuffed compartments would ruin the line. In fact, the male silhouette was boxy, with oversized shirts over wide fitting shorts.
Short denim jumpsuits were wide enough to suggest a dress and ensure comfort, while a lemon yellow belted jacket created a male peplum over a matching cargo trouser. Tie-back caps finished the looks.
For women, there were super wide elephant pants that could be worn with ruched bandeau tops, perhaps layered with a sheer tunic. Satiny skirt outfits came cinched with scrunchy belts that gave a springy feel. Platform sandals added as much as 5 inches (12 cm) in height.
The collection featured a palette of soothing white, mix-and-match green tones, sky blue and denim along with neutrals black and brown.
Mr. Rizzo and Mr. Messina declared wryly on one pullover vest, “I HATE ‘FASHION,’” the strategic placement of the quotation marks indicating someone who tries too hard.
The pair achieved the ultimate ease in Milan.