MILAN, Italy — Most show styling tricks look good just as catwalk stuff, but what we saw today at Ermanno Scervino might actually be adopted in real life. A bunch of the house's faultless coats were worn with big homespun jumpers — another Scervino specialty — on top. Counterintuitive, certainly. And probably also a bit silly. Yet effective. It made for a delicate take on one of the season's main topics: protection.

Scervino is currently undergoing a process of renovation. He is still the king of precise tailoring, luxurious knitwear and the most fragile, artisanal dresses, but the image became visibly younger. It is just styling, of course, but only up to a point. There is a new ease in the air, which translated into a newfound nonchalance. Coats were roomy today, and dresses delicate. The knitwear was outstanding. The sturdy boots worn throughout added a punchy note. For the rest, it was business as usual: beautifully made stuff that's appealing for the madame but also for the mademoiselle.