It takes true talent (and your way around textile)  to produce a collection that can make you both visually pleased and dizzied, all at once. From far, you might catch Alexander McQueen’s latest man as normal, but step a little bit closer and he isn’t your old run-of-the-mill kind of man. In a printed room with beams and floors both covered in skulls and dice intertwined to create an optical illusion-type print — if you have not come to love McQueen’s slightly grim and sometimes ironic prints, now is the best time for you to look away.

Evolving from last season’s paint stained pieces to more prints than your eye can take in at one moment, PVC jackets and face masks (that might bring back memories of Antony Hopkins in ‘Silence of the Lambs’) take on McQueen’s British flair. If you are looking for a Fall alternative to Romain Kremer’s Spring 2010 mouth covering tops or couldn’t get enough of the Dior’s extreme PVC Fall 2003 turtlenecks, look no further. What would normally give off a bondage and beyond kinky vibe, only put’s the phrase “it’s only human-nature” to work.

Managing to not make a mess out of what seemed like a million prints — zips, knits, and fur brought home the 36 look collection. Symbolically taking you on a journey from light to dark, starting off with a printed suit at the beginning of the show, to the black PVC that was it’s end.

The Full Collection / 36 Pics
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When it comes to personal style and highlights of Milan fashion week, running into Lasse Pedersen in his Burberry Fall 2009 snood and Albert Krarup in his stripped mohair knit sweater (I need that sweater) certainly takes home the win for me, backstage at Burberry.

Though, as soon as I went backstage after the show, I saw Tom Nicon and Alexandre Imbert (both of which long-time favorites).

Alexandre came up to me first and said, “Comme si estas?”….”How do you say how are you nice to meet you in Italian?”. Then, we talked a little more and he really turned out to be exactly what I expected (all good). He was really funny and friendly and even told me of his Prada casting later (sadly he didn’t get cast in the show ).

Models, they make fashion week all the more memorable.

More Backstage Model Shots
Note: All pics belong to Homme Times, so if posting elsewhere please provide proper visible credits.

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Remember the time when Hedi Slimane and Dior Homme were inseparable. So much so that the former designer used the a very ‘Lagerfeld’ tactic of shooting his own campaigns, rather than enlisting someone else to send across the message that their latest collection was trying to achieve. Well, those years are apparently gone and for the past few season’s now, Karl Lagerfeld has assumed the role of the man notably responsible for his drastic (and for the better) weight loss.

Turning away from the high contrast shots that Slimane once made Dior Homme goers go wild and adding a bit more depth, along with a wider color spectrum, (even though the collection itself was largely based around neutrals), in a very basic set up, Lagerfled shoots Argentinian model Juan Manuel Arancibia (Bananas Models).

Selectively highlighting the newer and wider shapes brought about by the house’s current designer Kris Van Assche, rather than the many transparencies seen all thorough the collection back in in June, a minimalistic and less contrived approach is taken to the very light and easy-going collection. Over-all adding a new sense to the viewers eyes, instead of screaming, “your clearly looking at an ad campaign right now”.

Arriving to the Burberry Prorsum Fall 2010 show, I had extremely high hopes for the night. From the almost futuristic set-up of the large screens on the walls displaying a very Burberry blizzard, which happened to magically disappear when the runway lit up and the show started, to the drinks that were served for the many runway-goers backstage, the venue alone was just amazing in it’s own.

As the show was about to begin and the lights in the room dimmed, and the Burberry name came up in lights on the runway, my heart dropped. The months of waiting in anticipation for what Christopher Bailey had in store for Fall 2010 all lead up to the next 8 minutes that were about to take place. Then, British model Alex Dunstan turned the corner. Which turned out to be a surprise since you would have thought that George Craig would’ve opened, but I’m pretty sure he was a little too busy sitting over in the front row looking on. Calm, cool, and collected, the typical alpha-male death stare walks were lost and the all around atmosphere was just pure easy-going perfection. Spotting a few bags, boots, and quite a few looks that I am going to be in desperate need of once they hit shelves, I made it my prime mission to catch an up close glimpse once the show was over.

When I made it backstage, the fun then had really began. It was super hectic, as you would expect from any other show (or area that just housed a room full of photographers, guests, models, and runway-goers, etc), but I eventually got my run-ins with the many pieces that are soon to be mine.

Making my way around, have a few short convos with the guys here & there, running into Christopher Bailey, and over-all experiencing the messages that Bailey was trying to convey, firsthand – something I will always remember. Well, until Christopher out does himself next season.

More Runway, Backstage, and Model Shots
Note: All pics belong to Homme Times, so if posting elsewhere please provide proper visible credits.

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Drawing inspirational from black & white movies and the few shades in between the two colors for her Spring 2010 collection, Miuccia Prada does only what is fitting to showcase such a collection. Enlisting Chinese artist Yang Fudong to translate her notable mesh pieces into a short contemporary film, now up on the Prada website.

Featuring the face’s of the houses current campaign, Jacob Coupe and Adrien Sahores, like modern spies transported into traditional ancient China, giving off an almost film noir vibe. Though not a word is spoken throughout the film, the power of the nearly 10 minute films runs deep.

[Images: Courtesy of Prada]

The calm before the storm or the beauty in a blizzard, either way you look at Christopher Bailey’s Fall 2010 collection for Burberry Prorsum is something to get excited about.

As snow fell in a Burberry check pattern on screens surrounding the runway and the show streamed live all across the internet, classic met contemporary and formed one of this season’s best bonds.

Creating a wide range of looks that virtually it impossible to leave anyone out in the cold (be it prep or punk), shearling is once again given a second chance at life. Adorned with leather finishing, straps, and little golden buttons, Spring 2010’s strapped shirts graduate into Pre-Fall’s military toned collection, and now mature into the modern man’s world of winter. A world where boots rule and are at times distressed or lined for extra warmth, and bags over-sized to fit an ever-growing schedule. Never have a wanted a bag more than the one’s seen come down the runway, contrasted against some of the industries freshest faces.

Proving that there is more to creating a well thought out basic than meets the eye, it is all the little details that matter, and in end add up to the bigger picture. From the cropped coat which can be zipped to made longer, to the perfect combination of hard and soft, I would certainly by far dub the Burberry Prorsum Fall 2010 menswear show Milan’s best.

My shots from the show/backstage to come soon, the full collection after the jump.

The Full Collection / 33 Pics
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