MILAN, Jun 25, 2006/ FW/ --- With his latest summer offering Luca Missoni set about creating the perfect wardrobe for the golfing dandy.

That the collection’s muse was Oscar Wilde’s one time lover and eventual downfall Lord Alfred Douglas, it is no surprise that the collection was a little fey but what did raise a few eyebrows was how well it all worked.

Not so much the golf bags that rather overstated the case but the unsentimental look back to the birth of sportswear.

It was the usual mix of stripes, checks and chevrons all in the optimistic pastel shades of a fine summer’s day but whereas only the boldest would consider putting these looks together off the runway - mosaic style geometric cardigans paired with psychedelic checked shorts anyone? - they seemed to work anyway in their own inimitable way.

Taking each piece separately, the collection will have a wider appeal and there was something charming about the silhouettes displayed; as if they were sometimes just so garish that we had no option but to find them pleasing to the eye.

It was all very easy going with loose Bermudas, open collars, stockingless feet and summer hats setting the tone. It was perhaps the accessories that were the real stars of the show however – not a bad thing for the company’s coffers by any stretch of the imagination.

Tressed leather belts and matching sandals hit the mark as did flat caps and more formal Oxford style shoes.

Perhaps what made the collection so alluring was that it was hard to decide if it was dressing up or dressing down. Either way, it was a lot of fun.

Missoni

Missoni

Missoni

Missoni