Dolce & Gabbana interpret timelessness during Milan menswear shows

A model wears a creation as part of the Dolce & Gabbana men's Spring Summer 2024 collection presented in Milan, Italy, Saturday, June 17, 2023. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

MILAN (AP) — Menswear is looking for post-pandemic footing during Milan Fashion Week, landing somewhere between resort, adventurer and tailoring.

Dolce & Gabbana offered an interpretation of quiet luxury, reinventing masculine silhouettes with feminine tailoring tricks without the brand’s usual color and bling. Neil Barrett dipped into the archives for crisp, uniform looks that are timeless. MSGM offered adventure with an off-road collection inspired by African travels.

On the tailoring side, Ralph Lauren showed its high-end Purple line in its patrician Milan villa, focusing on made-in-Italy detailing for everyday luxury, including burnished footwear, unconstructed cotton-linen blend jackets, and chunky Fair Isle knitwear.

Margherita Maccapani Missoni chose the menswear shows to unveil her new brand, using her paternal Maccapani family name instead of the more familiar Missoni from mother Angela. Her women-focused Maccapani brand features easy to wear, form fitting clothes meant to accompany women throughout their day — a twist on the knitwear that made the Missoni family brand a household name.

Some highlights from shows Saturday on the second day of mostly menswear previews for Spring-Summer 2024.

DOLCE & GABBANA FEMINIZES MENSWEAR

A model wears a creation as part of the Dolce & Gabbana men’s Spring Summer 2024 collection presented in Milan, Italy, Saturday, June 17, 2023. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana feminized the menswear silhouettes this season, with tailoring tricks long deployed in their women’s line.

The wide-ranging collection of nearly 80 looks was a departure for the designing duo in any season, a play on quiet luxury, a reinvention of timelessness, with the designer’s fancy coming through in the silhouettes. There were no prints, no color and no bling. Instead, the focus was on shape and materials, with a neutral color palette of black, white and camel and ivory.

Tops were ruched around the waist, creating a cummerbund effect but reminiscent of the duo’s provocative ruched dresses. Tunics featured chest-baring deep-Vs and long, trailing sleeves. A sheer organza top and pants were prettily decorated with floral appliques on the cuffs. Sheer panels gave an ephemeral touch over trousers. Wide satiny trousers were paired with a form fitting mock turtleneck, a look that would equally suit women.

A series of oversized tailored jackets summarized the tailoring, with hour-glass waistlines on long coats, ruched detailing on oversized puffers, deconstructed blazers with sheer panels and pillowy vests.

Booties and shoes that zipped up the back gave a futuristic edge to the looks, especially worn with ribbed long johns or briefs.

Dolce & Gabbana filled the front-row with musical talents including Machine Gun Kelly, Italy’s Blanco, South Korea’s Doyoung and Australian Luke Hemmings, each eliciting screams of adoration from fans as they arrived.

By COLLEEN BARRY AP Fashion Writer

Text by AP