5 trends for men – spring and summer 2024

Troubled times in the global community are affecting the fashion scene. Designers resort to powerful tools such as nostalgia, symbolic use of colour, alternative digital worlds and artificial intelligence to seek solace and comfort.

Text: Chilli Media Photo: Imaxtree and suppliers

Next year’s spring and summer fashion is inspired by the prevailing world situation. Common to many of the trends is a need to seek solace, comfort and distraction in troubled times, either by reminiscing nostalgically back to childhood summers, or by escaping into the digital age with hyper-current tools such as artificial intelligence.

Here are five SS24 trends for him.

Big Suit Energy

The fact that suits are trending on the men’s front is not exactly big news. But, trends vary from year to year and season to season in terms of cut, shape, colour and materials.

For SS24, the focus is on comfortable clothing. Quite simply comfortable, loose cuts on suits, instead of tight and narrow silhouettes, according to Fashion United. Designers seem to have recaptured the Big Suit Energy trend that reigned in women’s fashion a few years back.

It’s time to let the body to breathe a little, but the suit should also reflect authority and confidence. It’s time for business. Fashion houses such as Giorgio Armani, Versace, Louis Vuitton and Zegna all showed their interpretations of the trend on the catwalk for next summer. Subtle colours of green, grey and beige were particularly popular on loose, oversized cuts. Think garments such as oversized suit jackets, loose suit trousers with and without crease, and waistcoats.

White, White, Baby!

Nothing beats a crisp white shirt against tanned skin. Summer 2023 has seen a boom in men’s linen, especially white linen.

In the streets of Oslo, there were so many men dressed in all-white from top to toe that British superstar Robbie Williams had to document it all on his Instagram profile. If he visits Norway next summer, he is unlikely to see anything new. International fashion houses have also designed white summer collections for 2024.

Renowned brands such as Dolce & Gabbana and Giorgio Armani sent their male models down the catwalk in all-white from top to toe. Brands such as the iconic Canali, Norwegian Frislid and Gant have also jumped on the white trend. Think either single items, like a crisp white shirt or white trousers, or white from top to toe – like a white T-shirt styled with a white shirt and matching trousers.

In terms of materials, the focus will probably be on linen, cotton, silk and other cool summer fabrics.

Candy floss

While Barbiecore, with its 50 shades of pink, is one of next year’s big summer trends for women, it’s a dustier pink trend that seems to apply to the men. According to Fashion United, it’s the light pink colour once known as Millenial Pink that will take centre stage in summer 2024. A light, pastel pink colour that almost resembles funfair candy floss.

Fashion houses such as Zegna, Neil Barrett and JW Anderson all showed different interpretations of the trend on the catwalk. Italian Canali and Norwegian Frislid have also joined the sweet trend. Not to mention Valentino, who went for a slightly more extreme version with their shocking pink touches on the catwalk for next year’s summer fashion. Will this be the men’s answer to Barbiecore – Kencore?

Crazy for Denim

Jeans and blue denim may not be what you associate with sun, summer and blue-sky holidays. Aren’t jeans the sign of spring? Well, next summer, jeans are one of the big key garments. Forget about skinny jeans, though. Comfortable straight jeans, baggy jeans and even slouchy trousers will take centre stage for men, according to Fashion United.

All in classic washes such as indigo blue and light blue. Even good old-fashioned double denim will become popular, also known as a Canadian suit. Fashion houses such as Dsquared, Valentino and Prada all showed jeans on the catwalk for the SS24 season. Magliano went for double denim with matching wool jacket and trousers, which we think will go from being a daring look that oozes attitude, to becoming general, cosy and commercial.

Outer excellence

The fashion wheel differs from a regular calendar year. Spring and summer collections can start arriving in stores as early as January, while it’s still bitterly cold outside. They can also suddenly drop by in May – meaning that a rich variety of outerwear is required to cover all needs from January to June.

For next summer, according to Fashion United, this includes both elegant and windproof trench coats, technical rain jackets and loose and lighter jackets. Fashion houses such as Prada, Emporio Armani and Fendi all showed different versions of excellent outerwear on the catwalk for the SS24 season.