Here, we run down the key themes that developed off the runways this season.
1. White Legwear
Milan proved to be the trend’s biggest proponent, with show attendees mostly opting for cropped chinos and linen trousers in white, cream and ivory. Here, they were teamed with a tee or shirt and a blazer or denim jacket, with almost all looks elegantly punctuated by a pair of loafers.
The effect was one part Riviera refinement and another nonchalant urban style.
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2. Neutral Suiting
In London – possibly in keeping with the dim natural light – shades of grey were the clear favourite, with single-breasted suits (sometimes featuring subtle checks) in stone, pewter and slate grey all spotted.
In Milan, however, fashion month regulars went for brighter neutrals like cream and ivory, either adding a shirt in a similar hue for a head-to-toe tonal look or creating a well-executed contrast with a sky blue button-down.
Finally, upholding its reputation for one of the most colourful showcases of street style on the fashion week circuit, Pitti Uomo featured suits in rich neutrals like camel and ecru.
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3. Sun Hats
Like them or loathe them, when it comes to savvy summer dressing, hats aren’t just considered finishing touches, they’re practical sun guards.
They came in all shapes, sizes and colours for the spring/summer 2016 show circuit (predominantly fedoras and trilbies), whether used as a debonair touch to head-to-toe tailoring or as a counterpoint to contemporary, urban looks that mixed tailored pieces with casual separates. There were bucket hats and snapbacks too, but casual styles gave way to more classic headwear overall.
We even spotted a hat in Paris that could’ve doubled as a lampshade – best not to try this one at home, gents.
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4. Double-Breasted Blazers
Statement tailoring isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, it seems. While there were markedly more single-breasted suits than usual at London, the double-breasted (DB) jacket still made its presence felt, with street style stalwarts kitted out in everything from pastel linen designs to on-trend striped versions.
But, overall, menswear’s finest seem to be losing their fondness for the full on double-breasted three-piece suit, switching instead to a more flexible sartorial option: tailored separates. The DB blazer was one of the key choices outside spring/summer 2016 show venues, worn either in navy, light blue, red or neutrals with contrasting plain colour or patterned trousers.
And while it might seem on first glance a fairly conservative, restrictive choice, the men we shot proved it’s anything but – with some taking the traditional route of shirt and tie, and others swapping shirts for v- or scoop neck tees, and trousers for jeans.
If you’re looking for lessons in smart-casual dressing, look no further.
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5. Denim Jackets
When fashion’s most formidable – from Tom Ford to Miuccia Prada – agree something’s going to make it big, then you’d better believe them. Having showed denim-filled collections in their droves for spring/summer 2015, designers quickly heralded the return of this utilitarian fabric – most notably in the form of the denim jacket.
Only recently a bad 1990s memory we’d all been trying to forget, the denim jacket is well and truly back, with fashion buyers and press sporting white, light wash and raw jean jackets at the SS16 shows.
Some stuck close to this outerwear staple’s humble roots, keeping it casual with chinos and trainers, while others elevated the jacket from rugged to something much more refined, teaming it with a shirt, cropped trousers and monk-straps.
This is one easy-access trend you don’t want to miss out on.
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ASOS DENIM JACKET IN SKINNY FIT
6. Coloured Lens Sunglasses
Like the perfect hem pinroll or an exceptionally well-knotted tie, choosing the ideal style of sunglasses is one of those subtle details that can take a look from unremarkable to outstanding in an instant.
This season, menswear’s most stylish chose coloured lens sunglasses to lend their looks an extra dimension; sometimes worn in a colour that provided a point of contrast to an understated ensemble, but more often worn in shades that offered tonal accents to the outfit’s core palette.
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7. Streetwear/Sports Luxe Looks
Thanks in part to Kanye and Jay Z’s big love for Paris, the French capital has taken to streetwear looks like a ‘Ye fan to a Yeezy trainer.
From longline white T-shirts to Nike sports socks to jet-black drop crotch trousers, the City of Light’s most stylish showed off some seriously impressive monochrome getups. One of which was Ports 1961 creative director Milan Vukmirovic’s floral motif polo, cropped chino and mid-top trainer combination – a masterclass in high-low dressing.
Meanwhile, in London, monochrome is still making its presence felt. Stylist Chris Benns’ smart-casual take on monochrome teamed a classic white shirt and rolled chinos with minimal canvas trainers and a statement Calvin Klein Jeans ‘CK’ sweatshirt – effortless at its best.
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8. Statement Trainers
There’s often very little ‘peacocking’ at men’s fashion weeks, but this season, what little statement-making there was came in the form of boldly coloured, panelled, unusually shaped or luxuriously fabricated trainers.
Although minimal black or white leather styles have by this stage consolidated their place in the men’s style pantheon, bold and multi-coloured trainers are still burgeoning in menswear’s upper echelons.
But, as this season’s shows proved, it’s only a matter of time before they’re considered cutting edge style.
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