Italy's fashion giants embraced green themes and eco-chic at the men's shows in Milan this week, laying grass on walkways and wrapping models in eco-friendly fabrics and plant and animal motifs.

Setting the tone, Dolce & Gabbana titled its show "Luncheon on the Grass" after Manet's masterpiece and had birds chirping as models strolled down a grassy catwalk, carrying leather bags stuffed with vegetables and baguettes.


Flowers, shades of green and string-soled shoes were ubiquitous, as were checkered patterns in red, blue or green reminiscent of the 1950s.

Etro too went for a lawn runway, with models donning light cotton, soy and nylon fabrics stamped in Indian patterns and Celtic embroideries. Earthly colours dominated, with greens and khakis and plant prints that reeked of the Amazon.

Gucci went a step further, throwing out jet-set hunter lookalikes dressed in leather and snakeskin like their prey with colours in natural blues, grays and earth hues.

Frida Giannini, the house designer, rolled up soy and mohair sleeves up to the arm and sent them out hauling large bags in washed-down calfskin for a vintage look, with details weaved and laced in leather.

Under safari jackets and short trench coats, V-necked T-shirts in soy hung atop slim pants slightly pleated at the hip. Instead of ties Gucci went for soy scarves in flower patters and necklaces in coral or horn

Evening wear included shirts in blue or brown with equestrian symbols like horse bits under extra-light pierced soy knitwear.