Italian buyers and stylists stated at the start of the men’s Spring Summer 2025 fashion season that luxury brands are attempting to appeal to a more free-spirited, expressive male clientele, upending the once strict world of men’s fashion.
They convey a widespread opinion that the times when different seasonal trends defined what was considered stylish attire are long gone, speaking with the Italian news outlet Pambianco. Conventional conventions such as the suit and tie are being destroyed on the runways.
The fluidity and gender-neutral dress standards that ruled the early 2020s have given way to a myriad of archetypes, including the banker, the athlete, and the rock star. These archetypes have been reimagined by these designers as modern interpretations of popular masculine tropes.
Leading Italian buyers agree that there is uncertainty about this season’s commercial focus. Paolo Molteni, the CEO of Tessabit, an upscale retailer, spoke of a “search for essentialism – simplicity and quality…reducing logos in favour of overall minimalism.” Buyers argue that in the current environment, cost is critical when weighing the advantages of paying a premium for relatively regular “quiet luxury”.
