Calvin Klein underwear takes centre stage at Milan men's fashion week

Calvin Klein underwear - that waistband status symbol of the 1990s - is back. The heritage of this American brand is clearly on the mind of menswear creative director Italo Zucchelli - his last collection featured the logo of the brand's perfumes on sweatshirts - but he's exploring it in a way which refuses to give into an easy retro approach.

That the company bought back the licence of the underwear at the end of 2012 only makes the theme of the brand's latest collection, shown in Milan on Sunday, more relevant.

The show put vests, pants and undershirts at the centre of a strong show. The first section used the buff colour of neutral underwear on vests worn over T-shirts but also bombers, sweatshirts, tuxedo trousers and double-breasted jackets with crisp shoulderpads.

Mid-thigh loose shorts, similar to boxers, were paired with cycling shorts which poked out from under the hem. There were quilted blouson jackets and cagoule shapes. These pieces were later repeated in a darker brown colour. Strikingly plain from print or fuss, the clothes were faithful to the codes of Calvin Klein menswear that Zucchelli has been developing since he took over from Klein in 2003: masculine, sporty and minimalist.

Observers noted the influence of the original set of minimalist designers in the 1990s such as Helmut Lang and, of course, Klein himself. This was made more explicit as the show developed - the addition of shiny PVC jackets in red, yellow and orange had the clean, zesty futurism popular during the decade. In Zucchelli's hands, though, it felt more like a 2015-appropriate redesign than a straightforward homage. The shapes are modern - a simple, cropped hooded jacket, or a boxy sweatshirt - and related to ones that are in men's wardrobes today. The delicate balance between then and now is what made the collection ring true.

Vivienne Westwood Man was also on the schedule on Saturday. The collection, which is designed by Westwood and her husband, Andreas Kronthaler, was once again used as a way to expose an issue - this time, cruelty to pigs through factory farming. Several models wore pig noses and T-shirts had the silhouette of a pig as a logo. Away from the cause that comes with every Westwood show, the clothes were a mix of the brand's punk heritage, more sporty pieces - joggers and hooded tops were included - well-cut tailoring and vibrant print, all the things that the Westwood customer comes into store for. The duo has a talent for fashion even if it sometimes seems their interests lie elsewhere.

The fitted fine knit sweater and wider-legged tailored trouser is emerging as the silhouette of the Milan shows. Presentations from Jil Sander and Marni included both and, at Ferragamo, the collection brought sportswear and smarter pieces together - with a luxe, laidback riviera feel the result. Colours were natural, with rust and duck egg blue dominating, and a soft trench shape was pushed for outerwear. The brand's luggage was supersized, with large holdalls carried by some models. The shows continue .