MILAN — Designers focused on convenience and portability here last week. A tour of the city’s showrooms and presentations during Milan Men’s Fashion Week offered plenty of options aimed at elevating a closet with accessible pieces, whether you’re looking for timeless sophistication or want to capitalize on trends .
Here, WWD rounds up the most important items you’ll need when building a wardrobe for spring 2025.
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The knitting: Massimo Alba
Even in a collection that relied heavily on versatile jackets and lightweight suits, rendered in a charming color palette of soft pink, beige, mustard, copper and blue tones, Massimo Alba’s expertise in knitwear was evident. This season, the designer presented innovative use of linen and mulberry silk in timeless crew neck styles and cardigans, while mixing mulberry silk with organic cotton in the Jacob V-neck knit, providing the ideal transitional weather essential with its casual elegance.
The camp shirt: Altea
There was an artsy atmosphere in both the Altea collection and the presentation, staged at the Museo Bagatti Valsecchi and featuring artwork by Jamaican-born, France-based artist Danny Avidan. Yet it was an exhibition of the work of Italian painter Giorgio Morandi that inspired creative director Luigi Fila to favor soft, muted tones and inject a serene atmosphere into relaxed tailoring, lightweight shirts, loose trousers and artisanal crochet knits. For a touch of eccentricity, he added muslin camp shirts, dotted with original prints inspired by nature.
The leisure suit: Slowear
Traditional suits have become relaxed and breezy this season, even among the most traditional menswear players. Slowear has taken the concept one step further with the introduction of a leisure suit – at the intersection of workwear and pajama styles – consisting of straight-leg trousers and an overshirt instead of a blazer. Made from a technical yarn mixed with cotton and available in a wide range of colours. It was accessorized with Bermuda shorts, sweatpants, and a bowling shirt in the same fabric, making it a travel-ready wardrobe in its own right. In the same vein, a functional set consisting of wrinkle-free technical trousers, matched with a blazer, bomber jacket and overshirt, allows customers to personalize their outfit according to the moments of use. Slowear – home of trouser maker Incotex; Zanone knitwear; Glanshirt, Montedoro outerwear and Officina Slowear accessories and shoes – seeks to gradually transition from an umbrella for different brands to a cohesive menswear label rooted in relaxed elegance.
The jeans: Jacob Cohën
At Jacob Cohën, denim predominates. The brand is a specialist in the fabric and this season, artistic director Jennifer Tommasi Bardelle has pushed the boundaries of experimentation even further with cuts and processes, including blending organic cotton and lyocell in the Sean five-pocket trousers. Denim overshirts and jackets were added to the range, which Tommasi Bardelle continues to expand to offer total looks, consisting of fine polo shirts, suede jackets and fresh trench coats. More are expected to follow, as the company late last year took full control of JC Industry, the company that previously managed manufacturing and distribution, to bring such operations in-house.
Meanwhile, the label teamed up with upcycling denim brand Scpt to breathe new life into 1,416 pairs of jeans that failed Jacob Cohën’s high quality standards but were donated and reinvented into couture-style pieces shown during the presentation here .
The striped shirt: Harmont & Blaine
Gen Zers already wore Oxford shirts in oversized, unbuttoned versions and layered over ribbed tanks during Fashion Week on the streets of Milan. Although the items in Harmont & Blaine’s spring collection were more traditional, there were plenty of summer options, from the multi-colored striped styles to more subdued gingham designs. Inspired by ’90s designs from the brand’s archives, the shirts matched the extensive beachwear range, in keeping with the seasonal theme ‘Summer Euphoria’, which revolved around optimism. The overall resort vibe that nods to Capri and other summer destinations was enhanced by the popsicle-colored, tie-dye, and bandana prints on sweaters and short-sleeved shirts.
The suede jacket: Brett Johnson
Suede dominated the outerwear category at Milan Fashion Week and American designer Brett Johnson had handsome examples with a silky touch and patch pockets with a 3D effect, a detail spread throughout the collection and also in accessories, used instead of a logo. Suede bomber jackets came with hoodies and canneté waistbands on both sides, while a blazer version featured subtle functional details including zippered pockets. Overall, the collection, inspired by a trip Johnson took to Portofino, the tony seaside town recreated in the presentation’s setting, continued to emphasize the designer’s commitment to craftsmanship and quiet luxury aesthetic.
The tracker pants: Fila+
Taking one of its hero pieces to the next level, Fila+ – the more trend-driven and luxurious line that was all about modernizing the archives, unveiled in January – went for high-end interpretations of the acetate tracksuit, hand-sewn with trousers that was slightly larger and featured the Fila flag and F-Box logo. Combined with cable knit sweaters it created a cool, preppy look. Fila+ creative director Lev Tanju, founder of British streetwear brand Palace, teleported the presentation’s guests to the early ’90s, recreating apartment rooms with vintage furniture and models and having real people of all ages pretend to be on a were playing cards at the table, listening to music in the teenage room or knitting one of the Fila+ knits on the couch.
The workwear jacket: Carrer
Marc Forné and Manu Rios know a thing or two about style. They hop from one front row to the next, have seen enough fashion shows and traveled the world enough to have mastered the art of putting together a suitcase on the fly. Picking basics that are easy to mix and match and style together, their packing practice reflects the spirit with which the Spanish duo launched their Carrer brand last year, rooted in wardrobe essentials with a utilitarian flair and streetwear sensibility.
In addition to ribbed knits, overshirts, slim-fit tanks, fleece hoodies and ripstop cargo trousers, the range also included parkas and versatile workwear jackets, such as the Barrau design which has quickly become one of the label’s best-selling items with its distinctive cargo pocket look . and an accessible price of approximately 250 euros.
“The idea was to give access to our wardrobe and offer styles that make that possible [customers] don’t think too much, but look good,” says Forné about the brand’s mission, which was two years in the making.
The sleeveless top: Cultura
Cultura incorporated ’80s-inspired volumes and stonewashed treatments into sleeveless tops, safari jackets and cargo pants. Inspired by the Paris-Dakar Rally race, the brand mixed sand tones with color-block stitches, inspired by the local cultures of the desert. It also featured prints with desert landscapes and numbered patches that nod to car and motorcycle competition.
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