All the shorts at Milan Fashion Week Men's SS24

Long, short, above and below the knee, tight to wrap around the leg or wider to accompany movement, shorts were among the absolute stars of this Milan Fashion Week, thanks to the heat that has hit the city these days. Together with some other basic garments, shorts are the perfect ambassador to represent the evolution of the male wardrobe, which has been going on for several seasons now in a not-so-silent way. Matthew M. Williams of Alyx has made them a symbol of continuity with the streetwear that the American designer has been pursuing for some time: leather multi-pockets that skim the knee or short shorts that look like swimwear. The American designer also does not disdain shorts with military prints or hidden under a long tailored coat. It is a different story for Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, who make their shorts so tight that they almost resemble underwear, covered in prints or hidden by transparent dresses. DSQUARED2 is not to be missed with their Y2K-style shorts with a preppy touch, while Marco de Vincenzo makes them complement his outfits with an interplay of prints and patterns on variegated fit trousers.

Massimo Giorgetti's shorts at MSGM reflect their name, playing with proportions and making them first very short and then wide with huge front pockets, evoking an almost gorpcore soul. Jonathan Anderson, in his collection with JW, amuses himself as always by changing the shapes and sizes of clothes that are part of everyday life. A transformation that also involves shorts, sometimes wide in width - and not in length as usual - and at other times engaged in an exchange of textures and materials with accessories. For Zegna, shorts are tailored, with a stripe down the middle and a hidden band, but above all mirroring their long version, in what seems to be a process of rehabilitation of a garment often put on the back burner. But if every revolution needs a symbol, at Prada and Valentino, shorts play this role perfectly.

For Pierpaolo Piccioli, they are now part of his idea of a male wardrobe, redefining even the concept of celebrity looks, as demonstrated by Pedro Pascal on the red carpet of the Met Gala and then by Jacob Elordi, among the guests at the show in the cloister of the University of Milan, with a fit that captured the attention of those present and not only. Raf Simons and Miuccia, on the other hand, make them the absolute protagonists of their looks, from the Belgian designer's long-sleeved blazers to the shirts with "pradesche" prints, to the multi-pocket suits inspired by fishermen. Beyond the simple search for the trend, what is really interesting is how a simple garment manages to take on different shapes and embody different ideas and visions while keeping its original spirit and intent alive, perfectly telling the story of the process of evolution and renewal that the male wardrobe has been going through in recent years.