The best Spring/Summer 2025 moments from Pitti Uomo and Milan Fashion Week

Milan Fashion Week and Pitti Uomo brought out the big dogs. Prada! Gucci! Paul Smith! Tod's! But with it also came a roster of rising talents, among them Martine Rose and Marine Serre. It was one of the buzziest kicks offs to fashion month in a long time, with brands ditching the less-is-more quiet luxury that's been a tightly woven common thread in the clothing of many labels, and instead embracing colour and brand identity.

Below are some of the standout collections from Milan Fashion Week and Pitti Uomo...

Paul Smith landed in Florence and presented his Spring/Summer '25 collection at Pitti Uomo. It was the first time he was showing there after 31 years and he presented a louche and tactile approach to tailoring. Ties were loose, denim chore jackets were used where traditionally blazers would be and unstructured blazers came in cotton canvas. Francis Bacon and Lucien Freud provided key influence, with Smith wanting to reflect the vibes of London's Soho (they both frequented it) and suits were cut from classic houndstooth and Prince of Wales fabric.

Simon Holloway showed his sophomore collection for British heritage brand Dunhill in Milan, moving away from London where he presented his debut last season. It is an inherently British collection, with Holloway exploring what it means to get dressed up in England during the summer months. Shorts were tailored, but baggy, worn with rugby shirts, while driving gloves were paired up with cable-knit sweaters and pleated jeans, nodding to Dunhill's tailoring history.

Martine Rose brought her subversive vision to Milan, showcasing her left-field menswear in between the likes of Prada and Giorgio Armani. Men were dressed in pencil skirts and fishnet stockings, while leather chaps, for which she has always been a fan, were cast onto tailored trousers. In keeping with the summer of sport, and indeed Rose's own love of the game, football shirts were shrunken and tracksuits were warped. It was a very British, very Rose-ian collection, in the heart of Milan.

Marine Serre was selected as the guest designer for this year’s Pitti Uomo in Florence. The 2017 LVMH Prize winner showed a collection titled Sempre Legati, meaning ‘always connected’. Her logo-heavy, all-leather fits arrived in rich purples, reds and oranges, while her ties and shirting were equally patterned. Where possible, and as part of the Marine Serre manifesto, everything was made using recycled fabrics.

At a time when artificial intelligence is becoming the norm, Tod's dropped its Artisanal intelligence collection. For the first collection, which was largely neutral in tone and wearable, by Creative Director Matteo Tamburini, quality, materials, and detailing take centre stage, and artisinal intelligence runs through. A membrane and heat-sealed Field Jacket sits next to the iconic label's Gommino shoe, which is made with new sabot version in natural hues. Meanwhile the Di Bag comes in a new sack version in various canvas and leather variants.

Gucci invited guests to Trienniale Milano to highlight the need to protect the oceans. Sabato De Sarno's sophomore menswear collection for the brand was heavy on the sealife motifs, with garments embossed with prints of surfers, dolphins, and banana leaves. The Horsebit, which De Sarno seems to love, was ever-present, featuring on loafers and boots alike. Layering was key, with green leather coats masterfully worn over barely-there shorts, while printed jackets and matching shirts were also worn with cut-offs.

Canali's Spring Summer 2025 collection was a reflection of days spent by the lake. While staying true to the brand's tailoring, the collection was more relaxed than before, with blousons and field jackets loose in manner. Suiting was hollowed out, while maintaining a defined shoulder, while shirts were extremely light in construction. Fine wool, textured linen, nappa leather and silk made up the majority of fabrics used.

Pal Zileri's SS'25 collection aims to redefine the fundamental pieces of the male wardrobe. The design and aesthetic of the collection takes on a contemporary feel, expressed through clean lines. Reversible garments were lightweight and found themselves at the centre of a venn diagram of sartorial tradition and performance wear. For this season Pal Zileri opted for tones that reflected the natural world, used across jackets, tailored trousers and suits. It was a soft collection, that played into Pal Zileri's expert fabrication.

Ralph Lauren stuck to what he does best and presented a summer collection of iconic silhouettes in cashmere, silk and linen. It was so Mr Lauren, that you needn't us to tell you it was. The show was held at the designer’s elegant palazzo, and the likes of Chris Pine and John Legend attended. There were Ralph Lauren cricket sweaters were shown alongside maritime looks comprising blazers and Breton stripes. Classic checked shirts were tucked into white trousers, giving the all American garment a distinctly European feel.

"Us, in the Oasi of Linen" was the name of Zegna's Spring/Summer 2025 collection. Artistic director Alessandro Sartori created a showspace that looked as though blades of linen – constructed from strips of metal – were invading the industrial space where the show took place. Earthy hues of terracotta, beige and yellow were the solid foundation for the collection, which was, as you'd probably guessed, crafted largely from linen. Models, including Mads Mikkelsen, were draped in baggy trousers, supple leather jackets and super soft collarless shirting.

Milan Fashion Week belongs to Mr Armani. It's his playground, and he makes sure everybody knows it every season. Staging two sittings for his Spring/Summer show is the norm, and the crowds gather. The collection for SS'25 from the designer – who turns 90 next month - was typical of the eponymous brand: quiet elegance by way of louche tailoring and greys and navy.

Mrs Prada and Raf Simons co-designed collections are, arguably, the highlight of Milan Fashion Week. The biggest turnout, and usually the biggest showspace, is the norm for Prada and this season the Fondazione Prada’s Deposito space featured a new house design, out of which models and the designers exited. The collection was imbued with nods to youth culture, as Simons is known for through his now defunct eponymous label, and Prada itself has championed. Clothes were purposefully creased, tailored trousers sat lower on the hips, visor sunglasses featured lenses decorated with images of raves (not for seeing, these shades) and T-shirts (worn under zipper-heavy one-pieces) carried punchy prints by the artist Bernard Buffet.

This season Brioni tried something a little different. While sticking to its expertise in fabrication, trousers were more high-waisted, and larger lapels added more volume to the lowkey looks so synonymous with Brioni. Luxury came in the form of a windbreaker in technical silk with leather details and a crocodile jacket, while extra-fine wool double-breasted suits were for the guy who is serious about his officewear.

Two-buttoned suits in papaya-tinted Prince of Wales check epitomised Cucinelli’s seasonal collection, and were sat alongside piqué shirts in grapefruit and ginger-toned cotton herringbone blazers. It was a fruity collection, that added a new punch to Cucinelli's summer collections. Tuxedo jackets in suede lambskin and flowy silk-cashmere trench coats gave light outerwear offerings, while huarache-style sandals seemed destined for warmer climes. Meanwhile Cucinelli got sporty, as if heading to Cap Ferrat or beyond, with sunshine-drenched capsules dedicated to golf and tennis.

Slowear's collection was designed for the modern man whose life blurs office culture and relaxing by the sea. Chinos were rolled up, collars were popped and T-shirts come knitted. Tailoring is louche and relaxed, while shirts were left unbuttoned.

Paul & Shark's SS'25 Riviera Capri Collection is easy on the eye, and greater attention has been paid to the materials, details and colours used. Swim shorts are cut from a ultra-light, quick-drying fabric and are paired with silk polo-shirts and soft colourful linen shirts. Meanwhile a print made with Liberty of London stands out and it features an image of Capri, with the island depicted with its winding streets.

Like this? Read about the best menswear from Paris Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2024

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