Functional fashion and climate adaptation drive Milan men's SS24 shows

Milan Fashion Week men's SS24 collections, presented in June 2023, showcased a shift toward functional, protective clothing driven by climate change and urban safety concerns. The global menswear market is projected to reach $462 billion in 2023, growing 5% by 2024, outpacing womenswear. The gorpcore trend—outdoor gear from brands like The North Face, Arc'teryx, and Salomon—has evolved into hybrid urban-outdoor wear. Luxury brands are collaborating: Gucci with The North Face (2020), MM6 Maison Margiela with Salomon. On 18 May 2023, Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons presented mixed tailoring and technical pieces. LVMH Prize winner Satoshi Kuwata of Setchu showed modular pieces on 17 June at Corso Como 10, Milano, drawing on experience with Huntsman, Givenchy, and The North Face. Designer Jean-Luc A Lavelle, discovered by Milan retailer Slam Jam, now sells to 40 retailers including Kith International and Farfetch. New York label Dames, founded by Mary Katlyn O'Malley in 2022, creates women's wear with pepper spray pockets and high-visibility fabrics, responding to safety concerns in Chinatown and amid orange smog from Canadian wildfires. The article argues fashion must adapt to rising temperatures, extreme weather, and urban crime, citing Valentina Santoni, 24, new manager of mountain refuge Nino Pernici at 1600m in Bocca di Trat, as a symbol of this shift.