Milan Collections | Marni S/S 2016

Consuelo Castiglioni’s return to the Milan runway and the first collection for her Marni label’s menswear line was a breath of fresh air. She effectively captured the awkward yet determined crossroads between boyhood and the adult male. Each look was not only easy to style and wear but also made a statement. 

Some models clutched leather letter holders while others carried satchels, showing the Marni man as one who’s making the transition between leisure and the office. The uniform look of a young man in private school, nostalgic Maytag repair man and the Imperial Russian soldier were all blended together to create the charm of Castiglioni’s retro-tinged aesthetic.

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Ankle length pants, sometimes cuffed or simply made short, were paired back to button down shirts with oversized or pointy collars and fuzzy sweaters. Graphic and seventies inspired floral prints plus a smattering of colors from royal blue to yellow and red gave the ensembles a retro look but one that is still very relevant today. Military inspired jackets, shrunken blazers with utility buckets, sleeveless shirts and pleated trousers whether loose or slim showed off the chunky variegated knit socks worn with sneakers or a rather unlikely shoe, leather sandals.

Castiglioni, who has always been the label’s chief designer, started the line in 1994. Named after her sister Marni, this Spring Summer 2016 season the brand continued to show it’s typical aesthetic of “European inflected bohemianism”.

Header image:  / Slideshow: Fashion GPS