Some really hot fashion in Milan for summer 2013

MILAN - In muggy, scorching Milan, it’s hard to imagine a summer of lightweight coats and leather jackets.

That’s the look designers are forecasting for the summer of 2013 after three days of preview presentations.

From Ferragamo to Prada, Jil Sander to Gucci, almost every label has its version of the non-belted raincoat, once a must in the 1960s.

The vintage leather jacket - from blazer to bomber to wind breaker and crafted out of super soft leather and suede - also makes a comeback.

Designers have also made men happy by introducing open-necked shirts. Mostly in white, they come in crisp cotton and have a wide collar, unbuttoned just below the neck. Cool and comfortable, they easily pass the without-a-tie elegance test.

For the stuffier crowd, a few designers showed the shirts with ties worn under a see-through pullover, another popular item this season.

From the start, one message has come across bright and clear: next summer is all about color.

The Milan shows ended Tuesday with Giorgio Armani’s signature collection.

Creative director Frida Giannini has brought a whole lot of Mediterranean pizzazz to Gucci. And her latest menswear collection for the summer of 2013 was no exception.

Next summer’s Gucci palette is a burst of Mediterranean energy from sea blue and green to turquoise, terracotta, raspberry, orange, lemon and pistachio. These bright colors can be used for a suit, a pair of pants or a sweater. When mixed together, they create cheerful prints for silk shirts and slacks.

The new Gucci blazer in cotton jersey is double breasted and fitted at the waist. Trousers are classic but on the skinny side. Loose-fitting knit pullovers, net-stitched polo shirts and printed foulard shirts add casual chic. Summer raincoats also come in bright shades.

Giorgio Armani’s Emporio menswear collection was elegant, classy and focused on a single theme: a simple pair of summer shorts.

For his second-line summer 2013 collection, which was presented Monday, Armani paired cuffed shorts with single or double breasted jackets to create a spiffy warm weather blazer-and-pants effect. At times, the designer added a white shirt and tie - complete with tie pin - for extra sophistication.

Armani also paired his shorts with lightweight trench coats, soft leather jackets and see-through pullovers. He used new technical procedures to turn classic tweeds into super-light summer look-alikes. Colors belonged to the traditional Armani palette: gray, beige, brown and blue, with military green being a new entry.

The Missoni summer mens wear a safari suit complete with a matching hat, carry a large patterned bag and sport patterned desert boots.

The safari suit came with Bermuda shorts - popular this round of menswear - or casual trousers cuffed at the ankle. If he prefers, the Missoni man can don patterned sneakers. Colors burst out into poppy red, saffron yellow and emerald green.

AP