Modernity and youth are the two most important features of Donatella Versace’s collections and the 2017 SS season is no exception. Inspired by men’s athletic bodies, she presented a collection which provides both freedom of movement and functionality. The collection is for the modern man, who is full of energy, spends his time outside and is not afraid of new challenges. Versace pairs lightweight nylon jackets with jersey and silk shirts, which expose the models’ muscular chests. Outfits in the collection consist of monochromatic sets in neutral colours – navy, beige, black, khaki and purple. While creating her collection, Donatella drew inspiration from songs written for her by the recently deceased Prince. Purple tones are a tribute paid by the designer to her friend and author of Purple Rain. Donatella’s collection includes long, mid-calf length jackets and sporty windbreakers with drawstrings and hoods.
Once again, designers turn to military style for inspiration. This is why this season camo patterns and military green – used for example by Givenchy and Moncler Gamme Bleu – are a fashionable choice. Givenchy offers sporty, multi-functional, mid-thigh length parkas featuring camo prints, wide hoods and multiple pockets. Moncler Gamme Bleu combines the dignified elegance of suits modelled after the sand-coloured uniforms of the French Foreign Legion with sporty, waterproof jackets in olive green and dark navy. The collection also includes floor-length jackets with short sleeves, which in an interesting concept. Military style parkas are also present in Lanvin’s collection. The most important features of spring jackets are: a loose, comfortable fit, spacious pockets and adjustable drawstrings.
The longer the better! Hooded sports jackets should be long, whether they are made of light nylon in the style of Versace or of a thick, warm, slick material like in collections from Dior Homme and Lanvin. Lanvin embraces the “couture hiker” trend and introduces a new version of the sports windbreaker – a calf-length jacket in brown, which looks like a cowboy jacket straight from a western with Clint Eastwood. Dior Homme goes even further and offers a high-fashion version of the ankle-length fisherman-style raincoat. Knee-length and longer windbreakers can also be found in collections from Fendi, Balmain and Kenzo.