The summer outfit is now much more seductive

Even in this world of casual and flexible work, the suit still comes with a lot of cultural baggage. For much of the last 20 years it has been seen as a straitjacket: something to begrudgingly dust off for christenings and funerals, or else a ready-to-wear uniform worthy of Wernham Hogg. In summer, the suit has often been stifling, heavy and uncomfortable. But it is not necessary. Men’s tailoring has been lightening up, in more ways than one.

“Five years ago when I joined brioni, the summer suit was just a business suit in different fabrics and colors; the silhouette was formal and classic,” says Norbert Stumpfl, the house’s executive director of design. “Over the years, the summer suit has become lighter in construction. The overall look is very elegant, but at the same time its lightness gives it modernity.”

alexander mcqueen wool gabardine waistcoat £950 and matching trousers £750. D’Heygere brass chain bracelet, €420

brioni silk shirt, €1,100. Bottega Veneta Acetate Caravan sunglasses, £350. Versace Golden metal La Medusa earring, POA (sold in pairs). Dolce and Gabbana Rosary necklace in gold-plated metal and precious stones, £295

Dior cotton and silk voile jacket with detachable front scarf, £3,400, and matching trousers, £1,150. Excessively silk shirt, £900. Jacquemus Les Mocassins Bricciola leather loafers, £615. Versace golden metal The Medusa earrings, POA

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Deconstructing a jacket that’s made of multiple layers of fabric, horsehair canvas, and internal padding is no easy feat. many traditional tailors he rejects the idea of ​​making lightweight suits because it’s too challenging to create a jacket without a shaped structure. At Brioni, Stumpfl and his team are breaking new ground.

Losing the shirt gives you a really clean V section. It’s quite subversive but sophisticated.

The house’s Spring/Summer 2023 collection features fresh suits with natural “shirt sleeve” shoulders, half-lined jackets, flowy pleated trousers and generous lapels. Highlights include a hot pink cashmere, silk and linen double breasted suit and a midnight blue suit in pure silk seersucker with a matching seersucker shirt. “I love fabric research,” adds Stumpfl. “We look for superlight fabrics with a natural drape.”

Other labels are also playing around with featherweight fabrications. Zegna creates minimalist suits and separates in high-performance technical fabrics woven in the company’s own factory. The lapels and pockets are neat and understated, while the waists are gently dropped for a roomy feel. In London, Paul Smith’s summer tailoring is casual and dingy, with slouchy jackets and full-cut trousers that bring a carefree attitude to a formal look.

Paul Smith wool jacket, £850 and matching trousers, £360. Sandro cotton mesh shirt, €225. Piana Parrot Cotton T-shirt, £590. brioni leather moccasins, €870

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“For me, summer tailoring is all about smooth lines, natural tones, and volume,” says creative director Richard Biedul, a model-turned-freelance. “An oversized silhouette feels really contemporary. I like jackets with softer, extended shoulders and pants with a wider or slightly flared leg.” Biedul, known for his well-cut wardrobe, is also a fan of wearing a double-breasted jacket with no shirt underneath during the warmer months. “Losing the shirt gives you a really clean V section. It’s quite subversive but sophisticated. Showing a bit of skin in the summer is the most daring thing a man can have.”

Certainly this fresher new breed of suit can afford to flaunt a bit of sex appeal. saint laurentThe Spring/Summer 2023 collection is packed with slim, narrow-waisted suits and blazers in luxurious grain de poudre wool, low-button silk satin shirts, and skinny 70s-style pants. “It’s all about what you wear underneath. the jacket”, adds Biedul. “Loose-fitting shirts with long pointed or bow collars soften the whole look.”

This Enlightenment attitude also extends to the way designers play with color. Suits this summer are all about sophisticated neutrals and soft-hued pastels. canalíTailoring by, for example, relies on subtle shades of stone and taupe, with the occasional piece in dusty pink or soft green. “The color palette of the Ligurian coast plays the main role in the entire collection,” explains CEO Stefano Canali. “Those powdery pink, sand and sage tones are so characteristic of that part of the Italian coast. I find these shades very elegant in a relaxed way.”

DiorThe color palette of is similar, with suits in pink, sand and pistachio green (all colors inspired by kim jonesbeloved Charleston farm, home of the Bloomsbury Set), while alexander mcqueenThe collection highlights matte terry fabrics in white and lavender. And if the thought of a pastel suit makes you nervous, don’t be. “The definition of masculinity, today, is far from being univocal,” says Canali. “Showing some personality is the key.”

If the summer suit has a new creative impetus, does it have to be a matching jacket and pants? “This notion that there is a set of rules around tailoring is so outdated,” says Biedul. “Tailoring can be anything from a three-piece suit to a matching shirt and pants, as long as they are beautifully tailored.” In this expressive new landscape, even a tailored Gucci jumpsuit can be something of a suit, especially if it’s cut in a sleek fabric.

“I stopped using the word ‘suit’ and now only talk in terms of ‘tailoring,’” adds Biedul. “A suit often has super negative connotations. It’s something you force yourself to wear to work, it’s monotonous. But tailoring, worn your way, makes you feel better about yourself. It gives you the confidence to go out there and be you 2.0.” Whether you experiment with color, fabric, or layering underneath, be sure to leave drab winter tailoring to the cold this season.

ralph lauren Purple Label Handmade Wool Barathean Jacket, £3,930. ferragamo stretch cady vest, £1,085. Charvet silk pocket square, €80. chanel metal and rhinestone necklace, £1,185. Versace La Medusa earring in gold metal, POA (sold in pairs)

Isabella Marant crochet top, €1,800. Dolce and Gabbana wool jacket, £2,350. marina serre Pointelle knitted viscose trousers, €390. gucci leather mules, £700. Versace golden metal The Medusa earrings, POA

gucci silk organdy jumpsuit, £3,890. Versace golden metal The Medusa earrings, POA

ether silk jacket £1,600 and matching trousers £495

Zegna vicuña cotton jacket £2,569 and wool trousers £950. isa rock Rayon polo shirt, €410. brioni leather loafers, £870. Barcelona Ethnicity Bertini acetate sunglasses, £309. Versace Golden metal La Medusa earrings and golden metal necklace, both POA

Zegna cotton jacket, £1,733. Louis Vuitton cotton poplin shirt, €790, and cotton hat, POA. Versace La Medusa earring in gold metal, POA (sold in pairs)

Piana Parrot Torino linen jacket, £2,980. valentine technical nylon shorts, £1,150. Versace La Medusa earring in gold metal, POA (sold in pairs)

Model, Ottawa Kwami in Supa. Casting, Ben Grimes in Drive Represents. Hair, Adlena Dignam in Bryant. Assistant photographers, Mitchell O’Neil and Connor Wieczorek. Assistant stylist, Léa Sanchez. Production, Elsa Puangsudrac at Farago Projects