Bright Colors Make a Man's Summer Wardrobe Shine

Midway through the four-day menswear preview showings, it was clear that Italian designers are looking ahead to a bright summer in 2013.

Bold shades of blue, red, yellow and green, plus pink, orange, turquoise and lime, light up the current runway, bursting into color like fireworks on the 4th of July. Monochromatic, two-tone, fluorescent or metallic, they give extra pep to a classic suit, a blazer or a pair of cotton slacks.

The only designers so far to have shied from the new color movement are Dolce&Gabbana who preferred Sicilian black and Tomas Maier for Bottega Veneta who stuck to conservative brown and blue.

But Maier embraced the craze for floral and geometric prints, which have shown up everywhere. However, he dimmed the effect, covering his large floral prints with a film of delicate organza, a usually feminine fabric.

The overall summer silhouette is on the casual side, with slim but not tight-fitting pants, a comfortable fit for jackets and lightweight outerwear including raincoats, bomber jackets and wind breakers.

While the colors are bold, the fabrics are light from cotton to silk to the see-through organza.

Bags are big and roomy, and usually come with a shoulder strap for easier carrying.

Footwear is sporty, with the rebirth of the sneaker and simple training shoe, often in bright fluorescent shades. There are also sturdy leather sandals and classic lace-ups, updated with colorful soles.