The new year has started with an interesting universal nostalgia for the year 2016 – the last year, according to analysts, that life was fun (and Trumpless). ■ I’m all for looking back, and while packing for the men’s shows in Milan (starting today) and Paris (next Tuesday), I was curious what happened on previous 16 Januarys. ■ Coincidence or not, 16 January 2016 was particularly interesting. Highlight of the day: STEFANO PILATI for ZEGNA (see the hatty look above) which turned out to be the designer’s final collection for the brand. ■ Other fun shows that day included MARNI, ICEBERG, JIL SANDER, NEIL BARRETT and VERSACE, none of which show anymore this week, illustrating how sparse and thin the Milan schedule has become. More on this next week. 

I passed through Antwerp and saw this fantastic show at the local photo museum FOMU. It runs until 22 February, so if you can, go. ■ Curated by artist KATJA MATER, it explores the museum’s archive, unearthing some absolute gems, such as a sprawling 1983 fashion/art/erotica series called ‘Droits de Regards’ by MARIE-FRANÇOISE PLISSART (google the book!) and these foxy watch photos (above) by GEORGES FILLEUL from, possibly, the 1950s? ■ MATER has a particular interest in the notion of time, see also the title of the show, ‘No Longer Not Yet’.

And opening next week (the 22nd) at Thomas Dane Gallery in London, ‘Felicità’, a selection of (often never-before-seen) LUIGI GHIRRI’s photography – the Italian artist (1943–1992) whose tender images you’ll encounter once and won’t forget. ■ In a triumvirate of Italianness, the show is curated by director LUCA GUADAGNINO and his collaborator ALESSIO BOLZONI (who shot the original film posters for ‘Call Me By Your Name’, ‘Challengers’ and many other GUADAGNINO classics.)

Last night at Dover Street Market London, Dutch artists ARI VERSLUIS and ELLIE UYTTENBROEK signed the brand-new and very last printed edition of their seminal work ‘Exactitudes’. ■ After more than 30 years of mapping subcultures in eerie precision, they’re calling it quits. What a book! It includes some of the series (above) they shot for Fantastic Man eight years ago.

And just because it’s a nice snap: a pair of shoes from ICEBERG from the aforementioned 16 January 2016 show. ■ We’re off to fashion week! Curious what menswear will look like next winter, and what you and I will all be wearing…