Men's fashion shows: 5 fall/winter 2018 trends

By

Dominique Muret

Translated by
Jennifer Braun

Published
Jan 17, 2018

Migrants and refugees on the roads of exile, terrorism, and natural disasters: these are the instabilities that characterise today’s world and that have pushed designers to think this season, leading them to address strong themes such as security and survival.

This translated into large and rounded outerwear to better wrap the body, allowing for a functional and multi-layered clothing item. Pants were loose and comfortable (jogging or elastic waist). Nylon, which had made an appearance last season, was omnipresent, as were the ultra-resistant technical fabrics.

Man must protect himself against bad weather, but not only that, said designers. He must be able to move and travel with no restrictions and all the essentials on him. It's a cold and hostile world that's coming, according to the men's fashion collections presented at the Pitti Uomo and Milan Fashion Week, January 8 to the 15, 2018.

1) Masked

Protect yourself from the outside and enemies. The mask best symbolised the theme of protection put forward by designers in their Fall/Winter 2018-19 collections. On the Italian runway, men were masked literally, as well as figuratively, with hoods featuring high collars, revealing only the eyes, like Black Bloc protesters, spiky balaclavas with skulls (Beyond Closet) and biker hoods (The Soloist). Some designers went even further, such as Moschino with his leather or latex masks, and Palm Angels with its hoods with metal spikes.

2)  Equipped wanderer

Unlike any other season, designers pushed the limits around the notion of clothing. It was no longer a matter of dressing, but rather getting equipped to fight against adversities, as well as promoting movement and the long journeys of a man who must be ready for any event. Such was the case in London with Graig Green and his clothes-tent or raft, while in Milan, the survivors of the Himalayas of Yoshio Kubo came equipped with a deployed parachute.

Models dressed in layers, long coats, or simply their lining and other tunics were worn under vests, under jackets, or even under a pullover with emergency clothes fixed on the back or at the waist (The Soloist). Reversible or decomposable garments were abundant, as was the 'two-in-one' offered by Bmuet(te) or Sunnei, where the backpack, ready to rise as the next 'it bag' next winter, was downright incorporated into the back of a jacket.

3) Gloves

With the backpack, gloves were the other major winter 2018-19 accessory trend, provided they are original and visible, and from the work world. This included colourful rubber gloves at Undercover, stuffed mittens at Fendi, long glamorous black gloves at Moschino, red leather with embellishments at Dolce & Gabbana, crocodile at Prada, and biker-style leather with ties at Les Homme.

4) Cowboy

Shearling, tartan and corduroy were the big winners this season. These three elements (not to mention denim, also highly present), were characteristics of western culture with their vintage side. From the sheepskin coat to the checkered logger's shirt (preferably red and black like at Woolrich), to the velvet jacket, western style invaded the catwalks.
 
Moreover, an aviator style bomber coat, duffle-coat with shearling (Dirk Bikkembergs even presented it in a silver version). Meanwhile, the Scottish pattern could be found in sweaters, shirts, coats and pants, while velvet was also omnipresent.
 
The cowboy theme went through several collections via small design elements, like the buckle or medallion belt, and the typical leather lace tied around the neck with a metal eagle. The western style sat in the details of some shirts with chest pockets or in the detailing on some pants, which imitated a gun case.

5) Statement scarf

It's the coolest accessory of the season. And certainly the most commercial. In wool, with its long fringes and colourful detailing, the statement scarf will be all the rage next winter. Versace launched its personalised model with logo. Magliano used it as a declaration of love for shy boys with the inscription "Be lellissima" all along. Meanwhile, the designer brothers, George and Michael Heaton, Manchester's creative duo from the label Represent, revisited the black and red AC Milan, in honour of their first runway show in the capital of Lombardy.