Milan Men’s Fashion Week AW25 felt way more interesting than I expected this season.
Instead of loads of obvious gimmicks or “look at me” fashion moments, it was more about attitude and personality creeping back into menswear again. There was still loads of quiet luxury everywhere obviously, but designers seemed tired of making clothes that only looked expensive and nothing else. This season felt messier, cooler, and a bit more human.
Prada completely owned the conversation this week. Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons basically made imperfect dressing look desirable again. There were oversized coats thrown over floral shirts, raw fur textures, scruffy cowboy boots and tailoring that looked deliberately a bit undone. It felt like the models had just thrown everything on without overthinking it, which somehow made it even cooler. Compared to how polished fashion has been lately, it felt refreshing seeing clothes with actual character again.
A lot of Milan had that same energy — classic menswear, but slightly off. Zegna did it in a more subtle way with massive coats, soft layering and those rich expensive fabrics Italians always seem to do better than everyone else. Armani went fully into relaxed elegance with velvet jackets, scarves and silky tailoring that honestly made me want to book a 90s-style airport outfit immediately.
What I loved most though was how brands were sneaking weirdness into really wearable clothes. i-D described the mood as “quiet fuckery” which is honestly perfect. Nothing was too over-the-top, but there were loads of strange little styling choices that made collections feel interesting. Prada had shirtless suits, Magliano’s tailoring looked faded and crumpled in the best way, and loads of designers played around with weird proportions and textures without making the clothes feel unwearable.
Texture honestly carried the season. Everything looked soft, heavy, cosy and expensive — velvet, suede, brushed wool, faux fur, buttery leather. Compared to the clean minimal looks that have dominated for ages, Milan suddenly felt warm and tactile again. Tod’s especially stood out with these ridiculously soft leather coats that moved almost like knitwear.
More than anything, AW25 felt like fashion calming down a bit. Brands don’t seem as obsessed with going viral anymore, and instead there’s this shift towards clothes that actually feel personal. The best collections weren’t trying too hard — they just had confidence, individuality and enough weirdness to stop things feeling predictable. Honestly, that made Milan feel cooler than it has in ages.