THE FUTURE of exclusively menswear catwalk shows is in doubt but the cult of the “see and be seen party” was alive and well in Milan as the Spring Summer 2017 fashion shows for the guys wrapped on Tuesday.

Highlights included Dsquared2 duo Dean and Dan Caten’s bash in their own Ceresio restaurant, which boasts spectacular views of the Milanese skyline.

Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana treated the crowds outside their show to glasses of bubbly before hosting their party at Bistrot Martini, where social media celebrity Cameron Dallas was the guest of honour.

At the same time, Philipp Plein was throwing a basketball-themed soiree with rapper Busta Rhymes and Paris Hilton DJ-ing.

Miuccia Prada meanwhile opted for a more low-key approach, throwing a dinner at her contemporary art foundation for 300 of her friends, including actors Jessica Chastain and Willem Dafoe.

The merging of men and women’s fashion continues apace. Men in skirts and dresses is nothing new for Vivienne Westwood but the trend was also apparent at more traditionally “virile” marques: Dsquared2 sent out its models in extraordinary thigh-high boots worthy of a drag queen. And Gucci’s last menswear show before it merges its collections was marked by the androgyny that has come to define the brand under Alessandro Michele.

The fresh air could be breathed in everywhere with numerous designers taking their cue from wholesome activities like camping, hiking and climbing. Next summer’s fashionable man feels the need to take refuge in nature, using silence and meditation to offset the stress of modern life. See Prada’s backpacks and flasks, Moncler’s sleeping bags and multi-pocketed clothes, Ferragamo’s Sahara gilets, Breton-fisherman yellow waxed rainwear at Gucci and walking sandals and socks at Versace.

With Euro 2016 underway and the Rio Olympics on the horizon, sport was a big inspiration for numerous designers. Notable examples included skate-boarders at Emporio Armani, basketball-style shorts at Philipp Plein and an Olympic-themed collection by Dirk Bikkembergs, whose show in the Caimi swimming pool – a renovated jewel of the 1930s – included a brief water polo training session.

Armani’s latest collection was a distinctly fluid affair with the shoulder padding that once defined the house style conspicuous by its absence.

The relaxed, destructured theme was emphasised by the lounge feel of the Teatro Armani set and the Caribbean rhythms of the soundtrack.

“The spirit of the Giorgio Armani man embraces change while staying true to its ethos,” the designer said in the notes accompanying a collection that seemed to be trying to seduce a younger consumer than the brand generally targets.

Armani’s tradition was reflected in a colour palette dominated by greys and blues and the textiles were as luxuriously indulgent as ever with silk, cotton and linen to the fore.

But there were also wide-cut and cropped trousers and sneakers were the shoewear of choice in a collection rich in the kind of bomber jackets, sweatshirts and parkas much favoured by millennials.

And crucially for that demographic there were no skinny jeans to be seen anywhere.

The Armani show, which “House of Cards” star Kevin Spacey watched from the front row, brought down the curtain on a menswear season whose future is in doubt because of the growing trend for the major houses to either put on combined men/women’s catwalk shows or to abandon the catwalk altogether.

After the show, Armani urged Britain to stay in the European Union, warning that the bloc would be worse off without England’s cutting edge influence on fashion and design.

“I’m in favour of the British staying in Europe,” said the legendary Italian designer after showing his latest collection.

“The island is part of Europe and I have always seen England as the avant-garde part of Europe -the bit that moves, that develops, always the first to do something eccentric and to give space for art.”

Britain is a relatively minor player in Europe’s fashion industry in terms of manufacturing and global sales.

But the country’s vibrant music and street fashion scenes have helped to make it disproportionately influential on catwalk trends.

British designers are dotted around the top fashion houses on the continent and London fashion schools attract talent from all over the world.

A recent survey of UK-based designers by the British Fashion Council found that 90 per cent wanted the country to stay in the EU, mainly because of concerns that Brexit would make it harder to export their wares and that international student numbers could fall through tighter visa restrictions.

Vivienne Westwood, one of the innovative designers Armani perhaps had in mind, said it would be “absolutely tragic” if Britain were to leave the EU.

“I am disgusted that we might leave,” said the 75-year-old who made her name by putting punk style on the catwalk. “I’m ashamed of what is going on in England. It is awful.

“We fought two world wars to have cooperation and unity and now it is like every man for himself,” added Westwood.

“And somehow the English have been manipulated into thinking they’ll get more money if they leave and of course they won’t because the whole world is bankrupt and everything is getting worse and worse.”

A total of 11 brands that normally show menswear lines in Milan were absent, including Roberto Cavalli, Bottega Veneta, Ermenegildo Zegna, Brioni and Antonio Marras.

Armani has stayed loyal to the week but made it clear he is growing tired of organisers using his prestigious brand as the carrot to keep buyers and media in Milan for as long as possible.

“It should not be me last every time,” the 81-year-old told reporters. “The Fashion Chamber needs to move things around more.”

PACIFICA GROUP, the importer and distributor of 14 leading fashion brands including Coach, Camper, Kenneth Cole, NYX, IKON, American Eagle Outfitters and Max Mara, recently marked its 14th anniversary with an exclusive sit-down lunch at the St Regis Bangkok.

Chief executive Sopana, Opras, and Prasert Lavichant were on hand to welcome the guests, who included Mayuree Chaipromprasith, Dr Catherine Maleenont Kijothan, Matthew Kijothan, Srisakul Futrakul, Araya Chittaropas, Varawut Laohapongchana, Cheryl and Benjawan Buhrman, Dr Puttipong Poomsuwan and Wynn Pakdeejit.

The event featured highlights from three leading brands, among them Max Mara’s Whitney Bag, designed in collaboration with the Renzo Piano Building Workshop, and inspired by Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, founder of the Whitney Museum of American, and which will on sale in Thailand early next year. Guests were also treated to a glimpse of Coach’s limited Mickey Mouse collection, of which only 16 pieces will be available in the Kingdom. Coach opened the fashion show with the cool Rogue bag that contains a bonus kisslock purse and is all set to become the season’s statement tote.

Max Mara, the luxury fashion brand from Italy, showcased its latest collection featuring a chessboard pattern in opulent greens and burgundies Also in the spotlight was the “Future Alpine” collection by Sportmax, the clothing brand under Max Mara. Unique in black and white stripes and juxtaposing nature and architecture, the urban line featured graphic dresses in bold prints, precision tailoring and crisply cut jackets and trousers. Sister brand Max and Co also presented its latest line, offering outfits covered with graphics and flowers ideal for everyday wear.

Coccinelle, the quality handbag brand from Italy, also made much of geometric designs, mixing soft fabric and leather in a range of colours including peppermint green, tile red and orange. The roomy user-friendly volumes of the boho tote bag contrasted with a multitude of mini-sized trunks, backpacks, buckets and handbags.

Premium leatherwear brand Kenneth Cole puts its best foot forward with a range of shoes for every occasion while NYX, an American cosmetics line, showed why every lady should include its fresh and lively colours for the face in their makeup bags.

Joe’s Jeans, the clothing and jeans brand from Los Angeles, went vintage with a new collection inspired by the fashions of the ’70s and in unique colours achieved through a new bleaching technique.

Camper shoes from Spain with colours and designs inspired by the history and culture of the Mediterranean island of Majorca offered a vibrant collection of footwear ideal for the summer.

For its part, American Eagle Outfitter, the leading US jeans brand, went for comfort with a line of casual-wear perfect for a hot day or hanging out with friends and family.

Sperry offered boat shoes and sandals with a minimal look while Keds introduced a range of fresh colours and materials like denim, linen, nylon, net and soft leather for its sneakers and slip-on canvases. New to Pacifica Group is the fashionable Pro-Keds line, footwear favoured by athletes, musicians, artists and style icons.

ANTONIO SEWARD of the wristwatch brand Audemars Piguet is the first to admit that some people think a US$30,000 watch in lime green, tangerine orange or bright yellow is just plain crazy.

But “you don’t need to be traditional to wear luxury”, the Swiss firm’s general manager for Southeast Asia points out.

He’s talking about the limited edition Royal Oak Offshore Diver Chronograph, unveiled at the big SIHH timepiece show in Geneva in January and this month drawing admiring looks at a posh “underwater” cocktail party in Bangkok put together by Krist Chatikaratana of Cortina Watch (Thailand).

“It’s a summer watch, something to enjoy that’s casually elegant, and also made with Swiss expertise,” Seward says.

“The Offshore collection is luxurious yet sporty, outdoorsy. It’s something you want to wear with a T-shirt and shorts. We normally use traditional colours, but actually in 1990 we used yellow, green and purple in this same collection.”

Audemars Piguet is touting the 42mm octagonal watch as a “diving-into-fun masterpiece” with its bold colours. The stainless steel case has a sapphire crystal at the back and houses a self-winding Calibre 3124/3841. The dial features a “Mega Tapisserie” pattern, double indices at 12 o’clock and luminescent coating for better visibility in the deep.

And it goes very deep – it’s water-resistant to 300 metres. Divers will also appreciate the internal rotating bezel that’s colour-blocked with scale and time zone, along with 30-minute counters.

The hands of blackened white gold and hour-markers offer high contrast as well as those bright hues on the dial – tangerine, lime, citron or blue. The rubber strap’s colour matches the dial of your choice. The power lasts 50 hours.

A deep-blue model has a splash of yellow and only 400 pieces have been made. The vibrant orange and summery yellow models are even rarer, 375 pieces each.

These editions are available at the Audemars Piguet boutique at Central Embassy for Bt976,000. You have to go to the store in Geneva to get the rarest of them all, the lime green version, of which a mere 50 pieces were made. Best ask about the price once you get there.

The press in Bangkok also got a sneak preview of the firm’s 2016 Stars and Heroes suite. It’s intended to be “disruptive”, in the trendy modern sense of the word, breaking the rules of horology. One piece called Diamond Fury bristles with rebellious attitude – and 4,635 brilliant-cut diamonds.

Then there are two Millenary watches of equally stunning design. The first, Hypnotic, interleaves diamonds and onyx in dramatic relief. Magnetic Pearls is similar magic done with the oyster’s gem.

The Royal Oak Watches and Chronographs collection sees a return to yellow gold, the elemental material of luxury watchmaking. The Audemars Piguet Calibre 2385 powers each of these three-counter chronographs bearing the original Gerald Genta design from the early 1970s.

Facing the 41mm case is a “Grande Tapisserie” dial, either silvery white or a new paler blue, with yellow-gold applied hour-markers and Royal Oak hands with luminescent coating.