Walk this way

I really will go to one of these someday.

As usual in times of panic (I have my first NCTJ exam tomorrow), I decide to turn to pretty things. There's been a buzz on the net over the recent Paris and Milan fashion weeks, so I thought I'd casually cast my critical eye over what the designers were offering up this time round.

In my extremely unprofessional view, three designers stood out: Prada, Rick Owens and Hermes. Prada showed in Milan, with a collection that possessed a classic masculinity, with sharp lines and defined silhouettes, that still sneaked in some mottled knitwear in jaded bubblegum and arctic blues. The short, quite feminine cut and fit of the knitwear worked really well with the tailored trousers and suit jackets. Following Burberry's lead, the outerwear also seemed to over-exaggerate the collar, with the snow white coat being my favourite.

In the opposite direction was Rick Owens' collection. A brave cross between mythical drapes and forward-thinking shapes and lines, the designer's showing was a simple palette of blacks and whites, with some fur and snakeskin thrown in to liven things up a bit. The beastial 'coat' and smooth minimalist black jacket with the belt over the top are eye-catching but understated. It's a look that might not be to everyone's taste, but it has some kind of dream-like hold over me everytime I glance at it. And check out those gloves!

And finally, Hermes presented a look that is, in contrast to Owens, very wearable and durable. There are flashes of flamboyancy with long scarves perfectly placed and sorbet red velvet trousers, but the basics remain quite simple. However, the fact that one model manages to wear a parka jacket and still retain his credibility deserves immediate applause. The metallic mac is also a winner.

What do you think? All pictures are courtesy of GQ.