Its great that the menswear business has been growing and expanding, especially the past few seasons. Shows at Pitti Immagine and men’s street style have been getting extra special attention [with good reason], which can only mean one thing: brands have to up the design.

My favorite 10 collections from Milan for Fall 2012 include Bottega Veneta, Burberry Prorsum, Calvin Klein Collection, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Jil Sander, Missoni, Neil Barrett, Valentino and Z Zegna. Why these 10? They’ve updated staple mens clothing [ie. suits, button down shirts, coats/jackets and accessories] for the modern man.
 [[ Z Zegna was an absolute delight. The colors, silhouettes and proportions were spot on for me. ]]

[[ Bottega Veneta: Thomas Maier took suits to another level with cutout shapes and borders on a wide range of suits. And the fact that he went darker [read: black, and leather] is never a bad thing. The fact that it borderlines rocker pushes the label’s limits. ]]

[[ Burberry Prorsum: Christopher Bailey married English city and country dressing. The collection had a great deal of traditional elements with altered proportions that were modernized. Who else could make fox head appliqués, animal head umbrellas and quilted hunting jackets look so good? Add polka dots, Navajo prints and studded portfolios and I'm on board. ]]

[[ Calvin Klein Collection: Italo Zucchelli is a man after my own heart. Calvin Klein always keeps it simple and sleek and this collection was no exception. Most notable was Zucchelli's use of croc-skin in his futuristic designs in blacks, greys and navys. You'll see me at the Madison Avenue store come fall [I'm hoping that they dont alter any of the above runway pieces. ]]

[[ Dolce & Gabbana: The label's shows are massive. The show consisted of 74 looks.. which included underwear/loungewear, some looks that were more D&G than proper, and, of course, perfectly tailored everything. Domenico and Stefano decided that this season would be a throwback to the Victorian era. What's not to love about all the coats and capes, especially with gold brocade detailing? ]]

[[ Gucci: Frida Giannini knows slim, so its no surprise why the fall collection is one of my favorites. Its Gucci retro, yet modern, with some swagger [ie. fourth look, knee-high croc boots in the sixth look, velvet all around] in rich jewel tones. ]]

[[ Jil Sander: Raf Simons must have had a hot and heavy affair with leather.. and black. I have to say, the green whale embroidered jumper was a pleasant and welcome surprise in an ocean of black. ]]

[[ Missoni: The depth and the layering of prints and fabrics is classic Missoni, but this collection was different. It seemed English-inspired, which didn't turn out to be such a bad thing. The floral cutout patterns [peeking out in looks two and three] were refreshing. A down jacket was updated with a Missoni print. And a scarf casually thrown over a knit outfit? That’s me. ]]

[[ Neil Barrett: Neil Barrett put out some serious outerwear for fall [for obvious reasons] and he got it right. greys and camels were quite prevalent but the blacks and crimsons [and hints of metallic, leather and fur] caught my attention. ]]

[[ Valentino: Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli designed a streamlined, evening focused collection for the label's return to Pitti Uomo. The coat-over-suit looks were my favorite looks from Pitti. ]]

Etro, Moschino and Roberto Cavalli were fun to look at. Prada and Pringle of Scotland were phenomenal, but in Prada’s case, not entirely my look. Miuccia took Milan by storm by showing a 20s-inspired collection with updated prints, deep colors and custom tailoring. And as models, the label recruited actors and male tastemakers, including Gary Oldman, Adrien Brody, Emile Hirsch and Garrett Hedlund, as models. Getting real men to wear your clothes is the best possible way to illustrate the wearability of such a unique collection.

Milan was good. I can’t wait to share Paris with you! Stay tuned.