Giorgio Armani sets a relaxed tone as he closes Milan Fashion Week

Giorgio Armani continued to fly the flag for a less formal approach to menswear on Tuesday, closing Milan fashion week with his Spring/ Summer 2017 show. 

The Italian designer tapped into the current trend for laid-back tailoring by deconstructing blazers and suits and replacing them with fluid styles that draped softly over the shoulders. "A light, deconstructed silhouette is the result of a skillful redesign and re-tailoring process that creates a clear, natural image," the fashion house explained. This looser approach was echoed by wide-legged trousers that slouched at the waist, lightweight trench coats belted raffishly and haphazardly and pants so silky looking they could have been sleepwear. Blazers were replaced with comfortable buttoned cardigans, linen track pants walked the line between casual eveningwear and athleisure staple, and stuffy shirts were ousted to make room for soft rollnecks. The mature approach was underpinned by a romantic palette of greys, blues and neutrals, accented by dashes of Pompeian red.

Armani is far from alone in peddling the new elegant aesthetic in menswear -- on Monday evening Fendi debuted its springtime collection, which featured plenty of silk trousers, minimalistic blouson jackets and lightweight playsuits teamed with slider sandals or basic sneakers. Versace also unveiled a lightweight collection earlier in the week that focused on fluid layering, with a dreamy result. Ultra-light long parkas of near transparent nylon, silk shirts reborn as zip-up blousons and silk knitwear tied round the waist all combined to offer a more typically feminine alternative to masculine fashion and encouraged the mellow trend taking over menswear for SS17.