MILAN, Italy — Angela Missoni, who this year celebrates her twentieth anniversary as creative director of her family's brand, looked particularly effervescent backstage today. She was clearly happy with the collection. Indeed, the joyful colours, the melting patterns and general sense of wearable art all felt quintessentially Missoni. The pervading ease and the sophisticated nonchalance of the whole endeavour spelt Missoni with a fresh twist out loud.

The collection was in fact however the usual tour around the masculine wardrobe, using knit as a medium to deconstruct both shapes and codes. Ottavio Missoni, the founder, is always a reference here, but probably this time it was more Ottavio the grandson than the grandpa. The press notes mentioned construction sites in Japan as an inspiration: decidedly esoteric and, frankly, a tad too much as an explanation for a series of typical Missoni jacquards splashed all over everything. In fact, it was just easy clothes, à la Missoni. As simple as that.