It was unclear what designer Rodolfo Paglialunga wanted to say in a collection that was full of leather separates and military style belts and straps on outerwear and tailoring. That men are yearning for confinement, or for a morning routine that involves buckling up for the walk – or march – to work? The designer isn’t exactly famous for his love of the practical: His spring collection was full of leather knee-skimming shorts and trousers that stopped at mid-calf.
This season, he added a few new silhouettes, including belts that ran around the waist and cut diagonally across the chest on jackets, long coats and a gray jumpsuit. He worked leather into tunic tops, some with snap fastenings or zippers, others sleeveless.
Models carried leather accessories large and small, and sometimes wildly mismatched to the outfit: A military style coat paired with a dopp kit, or a little bag on a chain.
Among the few more wearable pieces was a double-breasted coat with a detachable fur collar; a lineup of thick ribbed or waffle knit sweaters, some with leather patches, and the black shearling jacket that closed the show.
At most, this collection offered some classic pieces worthy of a high street retailer, but overall it was out of step – so to speak – with the daily wardrobe needs of the high-end designer client.
