MSGM Spring/Summer 2016 Milan

Of late, Massimo Giorgetti has been on a quest to drive MSGM outside of the “print brand” niche where it originally blossomed. The movement coincided with a rejection of pop in favor of something more grown-up.

The show that he presented today in the usual industrial space, with its clinical-white metal grids and bright neon tubes, was another step forward in this new direction. As such, it had all the highs and the lows of something not yet fully formed. Giorgetti has a firm will to elevate the brand to higher levels, but he still has to fine-tune the instruments. He was off to a good start with a tailored double-breasted blazer and a pair of loose, vaguely Japanese-looking pants.

Apart from stripes, there was not a print in sight. Crochet was the name of the game this season. “I discovered knit bombing, a form of street art that uses knitting as a tool,” Giorgetti reported. Multicolored oversize jumpers offered proof of this new infatuation. What was also new was the earthy color palette, which hinted at something light and natural, whereas MSGM has always been about the garish and the man-made.

All in all, this was a good outing for MSGM, but with no real peaks. A stronger hand would have helped.