The biggest menswear moments from Milan Fashion Week and Pitti Uomo

Each year the roster of fashion weeks begin with Pitti Uomo and Milan Fashion Week, both of which set the pace for the menswear collections across the board, from the traditionally sartorial to the more left-field. For Autumn/Winter 2024 it was no different, and things kicked off down in Florence with the 105th edition of the Italian trade show.

Over 800 brands showed their collections to press, buyers and guys who just wanted to get snapped in their Italian best and likely don't even care too much about what brands do from season to season. Kiton was there, and SS Daley was the guest designer for the season. Tod's dropped a collaboration with Lamborghini, while Brunello Cucinelli presented its impressively large AW24 collection (and then went and did the same in Milan).

And it was in Milan that big brands like Gucci, Fendi, Prada, Giorgio Armani (and Emporio) hit the catwalks, while Tod's, Paul and Shark, Canali and many more staged presentations.

Below are the highlights from Milan Fashion Week and Pitti Uomo...

Brunello Cucinelli presented its AW/24 collection both in Florence and Milan, where the brand riffed on the traditional elements of 1980s Italian sartorial wear. But this wasn't just carbon copies of suiting presented 40 years ago. Nay. Cucinelli's tailoring was contemporary, sharp and leant into the taste of the modern man. Slight adjustments of lengths and fits, notably at the waist and shoulders, keep things ultra fresh. Sure double-breasted suits were cut with sharp precision, but were made using virgin wool and technical fabrics, which gave a more louche fit. Tuxedos were paired with camel trench coats. Leather jackets thrown under wool coats, and paired with trousers that came slightly wider at the calves. The highlight of the collection, for skiers at least? The Mountain capsule collection, which might be the chicest skiwear on the planet.

Last year Kiton announced that it was going to be outfitting the First Team squad and coaching staff of Tottenham Hotspur football club. KNT, and offshoot of the tailoring brand, made luxe tailoring and side-line fits for the players, and at Pitti Uomo KNT showcased its new collection for everyman. The collection was more contemporary than the Kiton mainline (it's headed up by Mariano and Walter De Matteis, the sons of brand CEO Antonio De Matteis), and it featured big puffer jackets emblazoned with paint splashed designs, loose tailoring and oversized knits.

Steven Stokey Daley presented his AW24 collection as the esteemed guest designer at Pitti Uomo (following in the footsteps of Jonathan Anderson, Martine Rose and Wales Bonner). The show came as news of Harry Styles' minority investment in the brand (he's oft worn the label in his music videos, as styled by his long term stylist Harry Lambert), reached the press in attendance at the show, setting in motion SS Daley's likely future as the hottest brand in British menswear.

The collection, like those before it, was inflicted with a public schoolboy approach to dressing. Inspired by The Story of a Panic, a novella about a trip to Italy written by EM Forster, the collection saw heavy trenches in dark caramel and big puffer coats worn with thigh-skimming shorts, juxtaposed alongside Riviera styles comprising oversize fish-print shirts, short shorts and lamb and rabbit-emblazoned knits.

Sabato De Sarno presented his first menswear collection as the creative director of Gucci, which was sent out to the sound of a Mark Ronson-directed setlist and observed by the likes of Paul Mescal, Elliot Page and Daryl McCormack. Under the watchful gaze of new interim CEO Jean-François Palus, the line followed on from the womenswear collection, which was shown in September last year, and was more in keeping with the stripped back vibe of Tom Ford's Gucci, as opposed to the eclectic maximalism of De Sarno's predecessor Alessandro Michele.

Clean-cut suiting featuring the Gucci monogram, slick wool coats decorated with the House's signature green and red stripe, unbuttoned satin shirts and patent leather jackets. The streamlined Jackie bag, first designed in 1961 and later a hit among Ford's avid followers, was on the arm of most of the male models - leather goods are, after all, the bread and butter of most big brands. Elsewhere monogrammed rucksacks came in the signature Gucci camel, while other accessories came in the form of silk cravats that fastened at the neck with classic Gucci hardware.

Silvia Venturini Fendi presented her Autumn/Winter '24 collection for Fendi on the Saturday during Milan Fashion Week, and it drew out the likes of Aaron Pierre, Jeremy Pope, Ed McVey, Lucky Blue Smith and Kit Harrington.

Guests aside, the was a collection worth talking about. Fendi said it was seeing the 73-year-old Princess Anne at the coronation in 2023, wearing her Blues and Royals green velvet cloak, that inspired the entire menswear collection. Named Town and Country, the collection comprised pine green overcoats that wouldn't look out of place at Balmoral, washed denim and fringed mohair jackets and loose fit wool trousers that fell delicately on mid-calf length boots, akin to those worn by Anne. Side-pleated trousers were paired with heavy duty leather chore jackets, while the Princess's signature razor shades completed looks.

Dolce & Gabbana has had a shift in recent seasons. The clothes have been stripped back, more muted than before, with with founders and designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana taking things back to the origins of the house they founded in 1985. The collection was called ‘Sleek’, and Dolce & Gabbana focused on tailoring, or in their own words as per the press release, a ’story of elegance and handmade… a sartorial essay’. Suiting designed for all occasions - tuxedos for galas, officewear for, well, the office - came in House signature black. Satin and silk were played around with, with roll neck tops cut from the high shine stuff. Elsewhere there were flecks of the typical D&G playfulness via fur overcoats and a whimsical brooches.

Jonathan Anderson, the Irish designer who heads up LVMH -ownedLoewe, presented his eponymous label's collection at the tail end of Milan Fashion Week. The collection was inspired by Stanley Kubrick’s 1999 movie Eyes Wide Shut, and in particular the paintings of Christiane Kubrick - the director’s wife - were used in the collection across floor-length knits and bags. It was a dramatic collection - knitwear came with bulbous ruffles - but there were pieces that were more wearable than most you'd see in a JW Anderson collection. A Carhartt-esque fit comprising an oversized chore jacket (in camel) was paired with simple oversized trousers, while suede, square-toe shoes came in ivory and long overcoats could've come from any of the traditional Milanese brands.

Massimo Giorgetti’s latest menswear show was staged underground at the Porta Venezia metro station. Clothing was made in collaboration with Franco Albini, the architect behind the city’s first M1 metro line, and shirts carried the eclectic graphics that line the metro walls. Meanwhile the symbol for the metro was attached to knits. Elsewhere though clothing was pretty simple (for MSGM at least). Sure there sparkly tinsel knits, but trousers were wide, red and black coats were ankle length and dove grey suits were cut to be boxy at the waist and shoulders, with floaty trousers.

Founded in 1975 by Paolo Dini, premium Italian brand Paul and Shark is renowned for its Italian elegance. So for the unveiling of its Autumn/Winter 2024 Club Riviera collection it headed to Milan's most elegant hotel: Casa Cipriani. Here it held a intimate cocktail party at the top floor private members club, where it showcased its line of silk jackets, heavy linen shirts and refined cotton T-shirts, all in muted neutral tones of camel, ivory and navy. Much like a members club, the clothes weren't loud or attention grabbing. But they worked.

Giorgio Armani presented his 100 plus look strong collection at the Armani base, and it was an ode to ‘sailors, cabin boys, engineers and officers’. Seaside motifs ran throughout: sailor hats and galosh-style gloves were paired with structured sailor coats designed for the high seas (or high fashion). Mr Armani, who ended the show by standing in front of a manmade lighthouse, also showed bow tie sailors tops, Henleys and fitted submariner tops. The collection was complete when a series of models walked out in bejewelled or embroidered capes and tailoring - which revisited the bold-shoulder looks that made him famous in the Eighties.

Mr Armani stages his show in two sittings: one at 11am and another at 12pm. It makes sense. The Giorgio Armani show is one of the most esteemed on the Milan Fashion Week schedule. Everybody wants to see what Mr Armani is going to do next. But this was an unmistakably Armani collection. He again revisited the Eighties, and the American Gigolo cool of the brand. Pyjama-soft suit jackets and his loose, pyjama-like trousers were elasticated and cuffed at ankles. Overcoats were cut from jacquard grey tweed and herringbone - signatures for Mr Armani.

Zegna closed out Milan Fashion Week. The fashion press loved it - Zegna has become a hit among those in favour of quiet luxury thing that has propelled Brunello Cucinelli and Loro Piana to commercial success. Zegna creative director Alessandro Sartori had celebrities (Mads Mikkelsen) and press alike attend the show inside the huge cavernous Allianz Mico, where a mound of fake snow (cashmere of course!) was lit an illuminating orange in the centre of the space. James Blake, who is a friend of Zegna, worked with Sartori to compose the soundtrack. Sartori built a collection around the classics. Cashmere knits, were worn with cashmere coats and baggy cashmere trousers. Collarless anoraks were cut from cashmere. Sartori transcends trends and this was a collection for the guy who is serious about quality, timeless menswear.

Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons presented their Autumn/Winter 2024 collection down at the Fondazione Prada. Here they transformed the space: a vast room conveyed the contrast between office life and nature and a glass floor covered a mock nature setting, complete with rock pools and grass, above which guests sat on office chairs.

Simons and Prada wanted to create a collection for guys who could be in the office, but also lunch outside. Sharp tailoring, now intrinsic to Prada's brand, was contrasted with bright knits and bob caps. The show opened with models in ties and shirts. Some in blazers. All with bob hats on their heads. Sleek dress shoes as well as woven sandals completed looks. It was a reserved collection that will struck a cord with the Prada guy, in and out of the office.

The Autumn/Winter 2024 collection for Brioni serves as a further expression of the brand's foundational principle - ease of wear. The designer of it all Norbert Stumpfl, who works out of Brioni’s headquarters on Piazza di San Bernardo, on Rome’s historic Quirinal Hill, knows what he's doing. The collection spoke to the traditions of tailoring - the sharp cuts were there - but also there were lighter, unstructured options which are easier to manoeuvre in today's laid-back climate. Meanwhile Brioni stepped ever more into the casual side of things, and field jackets, blousons, and anoraks nodded towards leisurewear and sports, in a composed Brioni sort of way.

Tod's presented a collaboration with Lamborghini at Pitti, which comprised two new shoes. The Italian-made driving shoes, which comprise a two-tone pair and multicoloured version are part of an ongoing partnership that was announced last February.

Tod's wasn't just the star of the show in Florence, it also staged a massive presentation in the heart of Milan. It was one of the first outings for the brand since former creative director Walter Chiapponi stepped down in September. The new collection, which was largely neutral in colour, was focused around the The Pashmy Project: a search for the highest level of exclusive materials, which is the symbol of Tod’s craftsmanship tradition. The new Pashmy bomber, with its linear lines, features a water repellent and stain-resistant treatment and it came in tonal chestnut and écru, as well as cool tones of ice and teal. Tod’s WG boot nows comes in suede and with sheepskin lining, while there is also now an après ski version, made from leather trimmed sheepskin. Meanwhile the iconic Bubble Gommino has been recast in long fur, precious crocodile or in a new cashmere-soft leather.

The artistry of tailoring is a key code and an essential style element rooted deep in the origins and soul of Corneliani. Held down at the Corneliani showroom, the presentation during MFW saw the space transformed into a mock atelier. The collection was inherently Corneliani - tailoring was sharp and fitted to the bodies of models - but change was in the air too. Outerwear shapes play with short and long cuts on double-zip blousons, suit jackets were single-breasted and unlined, while trousers were given wider, flowing hems. Meanwhile materials were update: Corneliani's historical use of plush wool and cashmere was there, organic and low-impact fabrics were also used.

Canali is celebrating 90 years in business in 2024, and it's still one of the strongest brands in Milan. Canali’s new collection, “Into Nature”, is an ode to the outdoors, and it was made up of peacoats cut from wool and bouclé, Relaxed trousers ideal for traipsing in the woods. Suits bearing plaid, Prince of Wales and corduroy motifs, were essential elements of Canali's new “outdoor tailoring” line up. Canali’s craftsmanship was evident in the Double wardrobe, which welcomes new items restating the brand’s authority in the use of the technique in menswear. The elaborate handicraft for unlined, seamless woolen or cashmere garments, is worked into shoes and accessories as well as outerwear, shirt-jackets and parkas with leather pockets.

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