Berluti has been emphasising the timeless nature of its signature styles. From footwear designs the likes of its Alessandro, Andy and Fast Track, to the Un Jour briefcase, the brand is reinterpreting them in fresh new ways while staying true to the original silhouettes. Some might say Berluti is playing it safe, but we’re arguing that some semblance of consistency is always welcome in the fast-paced world that is fashion.
The Spring/Summer 2025 offerings build upon the idea of timelessness by injecting new materials and colours to its icons. Berluti’s leather mastery is evident in its supple leather ready-to-wear pieces such as a flight jacket treated with its emblematic patina. A travel jacket in a stunning shade of orange or turquoise, and crafted from suede, is a brilliant proposal for transitional clothing and would work in just about every climate all year round.
For those looking at a more contemporary bag from Berluti, the Toujours Soft Hobo might make a good option. Crafted from the brand’s classic hand-patinated Venezia leather, the bag is a crossbody with a unique trapezoid shape that hugs snugly around the body.
We’re chalking up a slight obsession with hole-ridden fabrics such as lace and crochet, as well as, slashed up tops (global warming is real!). Sure, cotton and linen shirts keep you cool and covered in the hotter months, but sometimes, a mesh tank does the trick, especially when you’ve been putting in hours at the gym.
There are two ways to go about fashion’s latest hole-loving trend: the masculine, and the slightly feminine. The former comes in the form of Dolce&Gabbana’s woven raffia shirts that dominate its Spring/Summer 2025 menswear collection. They resemble crochet work, and in some iterations, could be mistaken for stunning knitwear. For the more feminine take, look to McQueen’s sheer lace top finished with an almost destroyed edge. It’s feminine only in the sense that it’s a pink lace top, but the finishing adds that extra rugged quality that’ll look great with denim jeans.
For a bit of fashion quirk, Moschino plays it up with a polo sweater riddled with extra neck openings throughout the piece. It may be a tough piece to wear on its own but layer a tank under and it’ll make for quite the conversation starter.
The next step in our increasingly hybrid work-life arrangements? Adopting prints and silhouettes one would typically find on a pyjama set as workwear. However you interpret it—tongue-in-cheek or playful rebellion—we’re all for it so long as it’s comfortable.
Gucci leads the charge on this with repeated patterns that call to mind the garments we slip into before diving between the sheets. Oversized and designed with camp collars, Gucci’s printed shirts are loud and garish, and made for loungng in, especially when paired with barely-there shorts.
Kenzo and Versace’s co-ord options too traipse the line between sleepwear and street clothes. The former’s bamboo-print version consists of a jacket and a pair of trousers, and can be easily styled to look less pyjama-esque; Versace’s floral design amplifies the relaxed nature of its pairings.
The trick to making these prints work is in how they’re styled. Avoid wearing anything else that could appear too relaxed such as mules or slippers, and balance the look with more formal pieces and accessories. Juxtaposition is the name of the game.
The thing about suede is that it can be a hassle to maintain. If not given due diligence, suede can be easily scuffed and marked with stains from moisture. At the same time, a well-worn suede bag can look beautifully busted—like it’s been through the wringer but imbued with plenty of character.
That’s exactly how you should approach this season’s slate of suede bags on offer. Treat them how you would a pair of denim jeans; the more distressed, the better.
Valentino’s suede bags reflect Michele’s love for the vintage, trimming them with fringes and metal studs, while Tod’s echoes its supple Pashmy project creations with bag designs that make full use of suede’s more scrumptious materiality. The same goes for Zegna’s suede holdalls that are both roomy in construction as they are soft and malleable in hand feel. For a more structured bag, consider Burberry’s interpretation that’s designed with reinforced piping to hold its shape despite being made from suede.
But of course, having them eventually develop a nice distressed look doesn’t mean that you should leave them to develop mould (the horror!). Always remember to protect new suede bags with a water-repellent coating before using them; everything else after that is up to the whims of the fashion gods.
Dries Van Noten is a true ambassador for dressing opulently, in every sense of the word. His Spring/Summer 2025 menswear collection will sadly be his final one as creative director of his eponymous brand. While it isn’t a summary or culmination of some of Van Noten’s greatest hits throughout his 38-year career, the collection has everything that he’s known for, albeit done in new ways.
For one, the Japanese “floating ink” technique of suminagashi runs throughout the collection from bomber jackets to blazers to hooded anoraks—all seemingly airy and lightweight in nature. An explosion of colours and prints (of which Van Noten is the undisputed master) feeds the eyes clamouring for his signature use of clashing prints and colours in one single look. Metallic fabrics are done in a liquid-like quality, capturing light from every angle.
And while ardent fans are saddened by his decision to step down, it might soothe some to think that perhaps the Spring/Sumer 2025 collection’s return to the visual magic and splendour of unrestrained visuals is an homage to Van Noten’s service to style and fashion. What a mind, and what a collection to end on, indeed.
