Luca Missoni presented Milan s most purely summery collection for 2006. "Optimistic, glossy, All-American," declared the program notes, and the show s sun-streaked energy had a distinct West Coast flair: all the blues suggested water, while the pinks hinted at Palm Springs. When they were combined (a geometric-patterned vest over a printed shirt, for instance) and paired with white jeans, the result was a casual new lightness of spirit for Missoni menswear. The same feeling was evident in a voile polo shirt, a short-sleeved butter-yellow cardigan, and a floral print that showed up as a shirt, a belt, and on a pair of boat shoes. A plaid suit looked refreshingly preppy (did you ever imagine you d see those two words together?), and bright Missoni stripes on jackets, vests, and glazed cotton bags underscored the company s inexhaustible artisanal heritage.
