The word written in capital letters across a No. 21 cotton sweatshirt at today's show was nonchalance, which is quite an elusive attitude. It differs from indifference; it's not about superficiality. It's mostly associated with the ability to take things lightly, soaring above the harshness of our reality. Let's say that it could prove helpful as part of the survival kit we all need to navigate a world that becomes more and more unfathomable by the minute.
Bruce Weber's images of tanned surfers were pinned alongside sexy portraits of Matt Damon from back in the day on Alessandro Dell'Acqua's moodboard. "Everything has become so difficult these days; conveying a feeling of freedom, it's just what I wanted to do. Reality is increasingly hard to endure," he explained. "And honestly, at this time of the year, I'm badly in need of a vacation!"
Surfers are escapism's standard bearers par excellence; this season they've worked hard, surfing almost every single collection we've seen on Milan's runways. Dell'Acqua was no exception: he printed pictures of waves and surf boards and palm trees on white poplin shirts and roomy bermudas, wove them into jacquard motifs for polo shirts, and even added them to thick-soled sneakers and the season’s ubiquitous pool shoes.
The sporty vibe so ingrained in today's fashion aesthetic was slightly warped by an almost feminine touch here. Delicate florals were printed on slouchy pajama pants in blush satin worn with a masculine shirt in striped poplin or with a compact madras coat; a motorcycle jacket looked smooth in nude patent leather. To mark the point, blown-up hibiscus flowers were printed all over military-inspired suits in green or purple cotton. Colorful and with the right amount of fun, the lineup had a nice free style vibe, well-suited for a city surfer hoping to catch the next big swell.
