Armani is undoubtedly the leader in setting trends focused on the post-modern appropriation of the Bauhaus minimalist aesthetic. The Spring/Summer 2014 collection marks a stray away from the soft silks and harmonious colours seen in the previous collection, and more towards a hard-edged, tougher visual aura. The colour palette ranges from the sharpest of blacks to the eye-blinding silky white, with harder pops of colour scattered throughout.

The colour palette sounds harsh on the eye, but when used on wide-collar jackets, oversized windbreakers, heavy keep alls and silken shirts and trousers, the toughness breaks and creates an approachable collection that is easy to be worn, if one is daring. Even with the dominance of these pieces, the narrow fit of the trousers and body hugging tightness of the shirts bring a minor element of femininity, completely relevant to the fashion-conscious man of today.

This season, Armani assures you that coloured lenses are back in, with key pieces being acetate oversized sunglasses, shimmery leather jackets and bright silks, there is a contrast within the collection that many may ignore, reject or accept. For me, Armani should always remember his deceivingly masterful designs, without straying too far from his minimal roots. On a final note, Armani has also brought a much needed accessory to the runway once again - the smile. Always smile, it's your best accessory... as cliché as it sounds.

Images courtesy of Emporio Armani