Andrea Pompilio’s show was staged at Academia di Brera, Milan’s academy of art. The setting was a purposeful choice, considering the inspiration – this was a collection that drew upon the figure of the student, Pompilio’s boy for the season a romantic and bespectacled scholar. He even came complete with a leather bucket bag, perfect for carrying a course load of books.

On first look, the collection had a preppy, Ivy League air. There were double-breasted blazers, in traditional check, pleated trousers and open-neck rugby tops, all ascribing to this collegiate aesthetic. As too did the slim silk scarves that were draped around the models necks. But Pompilio added a sense of freshness by loosening up the silhouette, un-tucking the shirts and adding a greater emphasis to the sportswear cuts. Fluid silk fabrics were essential, working particularly well as boxer-style shorts or a relaxed varsity jacket.

Fantasy vibes elevated the collection, finding their way in through a vivid use of colour and print. Pompilio is no stranger to the combination of both, adept at creating unexpected pairings that shouldn’t work, but really do. There were emerald greens, burgundies, rust and lilac – colours that harmonised against all odds – while the use of yellow was a highlight in a couple of senses. 

The prints echoed this eclecticism: stripes, both wide and slim, came in tonal shades of blue and sat alongside a classic check. There was even a slogan that ran throughout the collection, ‘Love me forever or never.’ It reminded us of Pompilio’s dry sense of humour, a true asset in the inwards looking, social media driven society we inhabit today. Highlighted directly after by the surge of hashtagged posts dedicated to this, one of this season’s first Milan Insta-hype moments.