AFTER the mainly monochrome ensembles that made up Prada’s Fall 2018 Menswear show, the Spring 2019 collection exhibited at Milan Fashion Week was a riot of colour. With rainbow colour-block trousers and boldly striped sweaters, clashing psychedelic prints and splashes of neon sportswear, this was an eye-catching alternative to last season’s all-black aesthetic.
The collection took inspiration from the 1960s and ‘70s in its exploration of masculine sexuality, incorporating high-waisted trousers and ruffled silk shirts layered over clinging turtlenecks. The more revealing elements (skimpy shorts were imagined as the macho answer to miniskirts) were offset by nods to dad dressing, with boxy suede and denim blazers, floral shirts and boat shoes worn with socks.
Continuing with the theme of nylon which filled the Prada catwalk last season, models wore vinyl aviator hats with oversized padded earflaps, and waterproof sports jackets in bright graphic prints. Shoes were used to emphasise the collection’s juxtapositions – colourful athletic wear was paired with leather lace-ups, while the clean-cut sobriety of straight leg trousers and tailored jackets was counterbalanced by retro sneakers in bright knitted mesh.
The collection took current sportswear trends in a bold new direction, balancing retro-styling with a playful reinterpretation of contemporary masculinity.
by Rachel Parker