On the second day of Men's Fashion Week in Milan, the crowd was big on Saturday in front of the showrooms of luxury houses where fashion fans tried to immortalize the arrival of influencers or other VIPs with their smartphones.

Far from the usual color festivals, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana unveiled a men's collection exalting the sartorial style and focused on black, synonymous according to them with both elegance and seduction.

This rediscovery of their favorite color is accompanied by a return to a more linear silhouette, stripped of frills and centered on artisanal luxury, the famous Italian "fatto a mano" (handmade).

An all-black fashion show for Dolce & Gabbana at Milan fashion week, January 14, 2023 © Miguel MEDINA / AFP

"We wanted to go back to the DNA, to the essence of our brand because right now our eyes are so full of images that we said to ourselves + let's do what we are by removing everything +", explains the Sicilian duo.

A nod to the brand's 1999/2000 autumn-winter collection, Dolce & Gabbana has unearthed corsets to better emphasize the male waist.

Double-waisted trousers are also being brought up to date, as are ties and long, fitted coats.

A model presents the Dolce & Gabanna collection at the Men's Fashion show in Milan, January 14, 2023 © Miguel MEDINA / AFP

But the black is sometimes brightened by embroidered crystals reminiscent of the wet volcanic rock of Etna and Stromboli, according to the Sicilian duo.

Another fantasy, translucent lace shirts and microscopic tops.

The Emporio Armani aviator

Back to the past, elegance and sobriety are also the watchwords of the new collection of the Emporio line by Giorgio Armani, high-end ready-to-wear for a young and trendy clientele.

The Emporio Armani show during Milan Fashion Week, January 14, 2023 © Miguel MEDINA / AFP

It's a hymn to the aviator of the 1930s, whose wardrobe has been revisited by the 88-year-old maestro in soft and fluid materials.

Small revolution for the three-piece suit, whose shirt is replaced by a top made in the same wool as the jacket or the pants, using classic houndstooth or Prince of Wales patterns.

Leather and knitwear are ubiquitous, with long knit coats, cardigans and even vintage bombers.

In the evening, the Armani aviator opts for silk shirts, glittering trousers and velvet jackets.

The palette of shades in this fall-winter 2023/24 collection ranges from greige to beige and caramel, passing through touches of red and purple, without neglecting black.

"The recovery of a fashion, even past, is important to us" and in particular that of the 1930s, which often moved away from the "usual classic", explained Giorgio Armani, tanned, smiling, after the parade.

"I wanted to have a little fun," he said.

Giorgio Armani greets the public at the end of the Emporio line parade in Milan, January 14, 2023 © Miguel MEDINA / AFP

Fendi breaks the codes

Like Giorgio Armani and the Dolce & Gabbana duo, Silvia Venturini Fendi visibly took pleasure in breaking dress codes, creating surprise effects with asymmetrical touches.

The Fendi show during Men's Fashion Week in Milan, January 14, 2023 © MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP

The dandy reinvented by Fendi dares diagonally cut tops, baring one shoulder, and even shirts with a single long sleeve, revealing part of the torso.

Trousers are loose and flowing, some flanked by draped skirts, sweaters have incorporated sashes and double-breasted overcoats feature satin lapels.

Silk jacquard, cashmere and technical leathers are the favorite materials, while the colors are sober, oscillating between gray, mauve, navy blue and black.

A model presents a Fendi creation during Men's Fashion Week in Milan, January 14, 2023 © MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP

Silvia Fendi, granddaughter of the founders of the Italian luxury house, also redesigned the iconic "Baguette" bag, in burnished leather with utility pockets.

The 25th anniversary of this flagship accessory, which is worn under the shoulder, was celebrated in September during a very pop fashion show by Fendi in New York.

© 2023 AFP