Catwalk tour: the top men's fashion week venues from S/S 2016
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Moncler Gamme Bleu: We returned to Moncler's seasonal sporting event for spring, this time themed around a rowing regatta. Two life-sized rowing boats were parked centre stage of an industrial space with the oars colour-dipped in the brand's colours. The boat's crew (read: models) later set sail with boater hats and duffle bags
Prada: Mrs Prada also went for an industrial bent this season, setting her collection against concrete slabs that featured geometrically-carved fibreglass stalactites hanging from the ceiling. Designed by AMO, it was futurism meets brutalism
Versace: The Italian brand's Via Gesu location was redressed as a Middle Eastern palace for Donatella Versace's S/S 2016 offering. Huge printed scarves hung like billowing sails throughout the show space, while the finale saw matching silks wrapped around the heads of models like modern day Sultans
Boglioni: A graphic metal structure teamed with an assortment of plants in colourful pots created a lush urban hot house for Boglioni's Milan show. The combination of the graphic stands and glossy greeny posed a suitably exotic backdrop for the brand's 1970s, Brazilian-themed collection
Brioni: Creative director Brendan Mullane's inspiration for his spring show's setting was the unique combination of Italian architect Carlo Scarpa's negative-space designs and Venetian glass paintings. As models walked in and out of the brutalist block's circular doorframes, a powerful connection was formed between the graphic, Villa Eugenie-designed backdrop and the clothes' geometric lines. Photography: Mathieu Ridelle
Canali: Calm after the storm was the theme for Canali's spring presentation. Creating a soothing and sterile environment, the Italian brand employed boxed screens along the venue's white-washed walls, which projected dramatic thunder storm scenes at the commerce of the show, before clear skies won out for the finale
Coach: The New York brand recreated a skate park, once again bringing its eponymous American spirit to British turf. For Stuart Vevers' London debut, patchworked wooden ramps set the scene for the creative director's equally playful garb
Dior Homme: Bursting into bloom for spring, the French powerhouse transformed the Tennis Club de Paris into an indoor parterre garden where upwards of 2,000 Fée de Neiges rose bushes filled triangular beds. Photography: Adrien Dirand
Dior Homme: A slanted floor-to-ceiling mirror accentuated the impact of Kris Van Assche's models winding through the parquet pathways, which overflowed with perfect white blooms. Photography: Adrien Dirand
Salvatore Ferragamo: Milan gallerist Claudio Loria of Leclettico was charged with transforming the Ferragamo show space into a jungle of wild trees, plants and retro furnishings. Amongst the green foliage he placed a striking 1970s gorilla statue and collectible pieces from design goddess Gabriella Crespi
Givenchy: Riccardo Tisci’s soldiers marched in and out of steel metal cages for his S/S 2016 offering. A world away from the haphazard school hall setting of previous seasons, this venue's distinctly industrial edge possessed an institutional severity
Kenzo: Scenography is always an integral ingredient of a Kenzo show, and for spring we entered into a cavernous space generously covered in sand and punctuated with vintage hydraulic light stations and boulders, or meteors, which sparkled silver
Kenzo: As the electronic soundtrack pumped, the rocks rotated faster and faster. Credit goes to Etienne Russo of Villa Eugenie for the production design, which left a lasting impact on the crowd, long after the sand was shaken out of shoes
Ermenegildo Zegna Couture: A world away from last season’s alpine theme, this time around Stefano Pilati presented a pure white set within the Piazza Vi Febbraio. The bright, glowing tunnel mimicked the clean elegance of Pilati’s modernist tailoring
Gucci: New creative director Alessandro Michele went electro for his debut show space, in which he posed a feminine take on menswear for S/S 2016. Indeed it was all change at Gucci, including the venue. Fluorescent pink tube lights were lined up across the backdrop of the show, accentuating the romantic lines of his gender bending collection
Philipp Plein: We've had roller coasters, pool parties and Snoop Dogg, and this season the German designer's gargantuan showmanship showed no sign of slowing. For spring we buckled our seat belts as we were greeted by five motorcycle drivers zooming around a spherical metal cage. Next 80 cars, found at a Milan junk yard and covered in gold and silver foil, were driven over by a monster truck, which ended up exploding into a burst of firework flames
Acne Studios: The Swedish brand went conceptual for spring with a backdrop that united old school speakers with a suspended wave
Berluti: The beach came to central Paris for Berluti's spring show that saw the house's models sunning themselves in striped deck chairs wearing little more than their pants, socks and shoes
Wooyoungmi: The Korean label's S/S 2016 show took place within the heavily ornamented Salon Imperial of Paris' Intercontinental Hotel. Inside the dimly lit salon, models marched around a illuminated sphere, underscoring the collision of past, present and future. An ambient score by Stu Sibley enhanced the cinematic effect. Photography: Louise Damgaard
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Sujata Burman is a writer and editor based in London, specialising in design and culture. She was Digital Design Editor at Wallpaper* before moving to her current role of Head of Content at London Design Festival and London Design Biennale where she is expanding the content offering of the showcases. Over the past decade, Sujata has written for global design and culture publications, and has been a speaker, moderator and judge for institutions and brands including RIBA, D&AD, Design Museum and Design Miami/. In 2019, she co-authored her first book, An Opinionated Guide to London Architecture, published by Hoxton Mini Press, which was driven by her aim to make the fields of design and architecture accessible to wider audiences.
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