Gothicism and Catholicism have been cornerstones of Riccardo Tisci's growing reputation in womenswear, so why would his first foray into menswear start anywhere else? Except it didn't. It actually started with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra sawing its way through Metallica's "Nothing Else Matters," and the ambience of the metal mosh pit hung heavy over the shorts-over-leggings proportion that opened the show (there were leather and lace versions). It was so…definite that it was easy to imagine the stylists in the audience getting excited by all the great pictures they'd be able to extract from such outfits. One supposes the retailers were slightly less thrilled. And that was even before the black shorts, voile blouse, and black leather kerchief.
The boy-scout-gone-bad look aside, there were fortunately some expertly tailored suits, which suggested that Tisci does have a grasp on what the style-conscious male might be craving. The sight of Brazilian Evandro Soldati in a Givenchy football jersey was also a valuable reminder that Tisci is a child of sport-crazed Italia just as much as he is a product of Central Saint Martins in London, where tyro designers learn to turn all that is conventional in the world into decadent extravagance. And BOOM! A head-to-toe fuchsia outfit, at least the fifth such since the Spring season opened in Milan a week ago. Theories on a postcard, please.
