Why Prada Went Pantsless for Its Latest Menswear Collection

Asked on Sunday about the short shorts, Simons suggested that they had been thinking about “the innocence of children.” But the real question might be: Where do we go from the diaper short? At first, the Miu Miu micros shocked, then sparked conversations about image standards, then lit the fuse of the Prada sister brand’s remarkable commercial and cultural boom and inspired copycats and dupes and an entire schoolgirl style trend. Will this season’s gentle—but no less eye-popping—exploration of legginess take the male short to unprecedented heights?

Oh yeah, and who is actually going to wear them?

Magliano

Rather than hold a runway show, the young Bologna-based Luca Magliano, maker of Brad Pitt’s favorite date night jeans, presented his latest collection via a short film directed by Thomas Hardiman. Very short—about seven minutes. Some speculated before the premiere on Saturday night, held at a local movie theatre on Milan’s high street, that perhaps this was a cost saving measure, considering how expensive full catwalk productions are these days. Not so, Magliano told me at a re-see the following morning. “It was no less time consuming and no less money consuming!” He cried. “But this was not the point.” The point, he explained in his electrified, rat-a-tat cadence, is to keep subverting the expectations of what an emerging fashion brand is supposed to do, the same way his the form of his clothes morph in surprising ways.

Watch Maglianic here.

My advice would be to pour yourself a Part-Time Lover, watch the film (you’ll see what I mean about the drink), and then go to the nearest Magliano stockist and take your time trying on whatever they have left in stock. Then you’ll fully understand why Magliano is one of fashion’s most exciting emerging talents.

Dunhill

Simon Holloway’s blue-blooded tailoring at Dunhill is exquisitely cut and finished. It puts the class in classy—and in classic, come to think of it. It’s the kind of brand that is in some ways better appreciated up close rather than on the runway. Easier to caress the shockingly elite fabrics that way. But Holloway’s shows tell a more interesting story thanks to the mischievous hand of the stylist Tom Guinness, who this season opened the gates of Dunhill’s perfect English garden to a band of rambunctious preppies (and a couple of borzois). On my way out, I DM’d Tom a few questions about how he and Holloway made private club clothing feel so fresh.

Show Notes: Can you describe the mood you and Simon were going for during the style out?

Tom Guinness: The styling for this show took place over several sessions, some quite far in advance of the presentation. Achieving this look requires a great deal of time and consideration, as the color palette, texture, and pattern are so thoughtfully integrated into each exit.

In many ways, this was a show of contrasts: from the muted grays and beige suedes and linens, to punchy preppy madras blazers, playful pastel hues, and finally, graphic, Deco-inspired eveningwear. It’s such a timeless and classic menswear collection, and I feel enormously proud to have worked on it.

Tell me about the twisted prep vibes: madras, popped collars, repp ties, ballcaps with tuxes…

Some of my favorite looks in the show were the repp ties paired with classic blazers and sunglasses, worn open with a relaxed, minimal ease. They used deeply traditional preppy materials in a way that felt effortless. Menswear is steeped in a history of details, rules, and codes—and to rigorously examine and express them, as Simon does, feels like a radical proposition in this day and age.

Were the borzois your idea?

No—Simon’s! Genius way to close the show with Clément Chabernaud who is always amazing.

Sign up for Show Notes to receive my subscriber-only Tip Sheet in your inbox.