Z Zegna A/W 2014

In his show notes, Paul Surridge cited a Mod influence for Winter, but there was very little retro flavour to his latest collection for Z Zegna. Instead, Surridge seemed much more concerned with playing a graphic game, and his moves, even if provoked by Mod men, proved to be the sharp, swift and cool strokes of today. Working in bold swaths of blocks, checks or stripes, his slim, deep-cuffed suits and puffed up outerwear visually popped off the runway. An oversized wool car coat, for example, featured hot saffron down the entire front third of the garment, contrasting marvelously with its navy blue base and burgundy turtleneck beneath. Chalk stripes drawn assuredly down a grey suit were later blown up into umbrella stripes across coats, or splintered into window check panes. Jacket arms were clamped with bright white leather straps that matched the socks and soles of black lace-up shoes, glowing against a dark canvas. Creating lines with colour simply doesn't work unless the garments are cut well. Luckily for Surridge, that's never an issue. The tailoring expertise of Zegna buoyed each of his looks into a crystal clear picture, pulsing with fresh energy.

Photography: Anna Stokland/Jason Lloyd-Evans