Designers cite a breakdown of fashion world rules.

A strict four-week-a-year cycle once guided fashion capitals, covering menswear and womenswear and the spring/summer fall/winter calendars. Now, designers are deciding to invest elsewhere to grab consumer attention.

Gucci and Giorgio Armani are both skipping the menswear cycle for next winter in Milan and offering coed shows in February, while maintaining a presence this month with other events. Armani opened an exhibit at his Silos museum of portraits by French photographer Charles Freger.

Gucci is hosting a performance on the closing day at its Gucci Hub.

Miuccia Prada observes a world becoming more “difficult, dangerous, boiling” and interpreting it through fashion.

Her latest collection had a strong military silhouette, but offset with whimsical details.

“It came out naturally,” Prada said.

“I didn’t know that I wanted to do it, but the only thing I had in mind was military.”

Prada’s looks mostly were done in black and navy, starting with elegant men’s suits first shown with the jacket casually opened, worn shirtless and having slightly cropped trousers that revealed bare ankles.

Yet the collection had more than one mood, alternating between the disciplined feel of double-breasted jackets fastened closed with a triple belt and the rock ‘n’ roll of bare chests adorned with chunky male necklaces under open jackets.

Ever playful, Prada softened the military looks with fuzzy, colourful patches on the shoulders, like epaulettes, and tufts of coloured fur accents peeking out of caps.

Prints on shirts included lightning bolts and beating hearts placed with anatomical correctness, Prada’s nod to cheesy horror films.

The soundtrack included harder-rock versions of music from the Rocky Horror Picture Show and The Addams Family.

Prada said she wasn’t necessarily a fan, but was fascinated that the writer who created Frankenstein’s monster, Mary Shelley, initially had to publish under her husband’s name.

The designer punctuated the show with looks for women, including tailored suits with external bustiers, cocktail dresses with elegant necklines and romantic full skirts with crystal accents.

A cargo dress in fitted black was paired with a furry, red safari hat.

Want more stories like this? Sign up here. Follow STYLE on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter