Lake Como is the most visually composed of all Italian resort destinations — the lake, the villas, the mountains, the small towns of Varenna and Bellagio and Menaggio. The wardrobe that belongs here is one that responds to the landscape's specific quality: Italian in its restraint, natural in its materials, considered without being formal.

For the lake and the boats. The ferry between Bellagio and Varenna, the private boat across to Villa Balbianello, the morning on the water — white PP linen over natural swim shorts or linen shorts, leather deck shoes. The lake's cool water and the mountain backdrop make the natural fabric choice straightforward.

For Bellagio. The lanes of Bellagio — the aperitivo bars above the lake, the silk shops, the views from the Punta Spartivento — reward a composed wardrobe without formality. A PP linen shirt in white or oyster with linen trousers and leather loafers. The Italian summer aesthetic at Como rewards the natural fabric that Italian fashion has always understood.

For the villa gardens. The gardens of Villa Carlotta, Villa Melzi, Villa Monastero — these are formal outdoor spaces that reward a considered wardrobe. A PP linen shirt in a composed colourway, linen trousers, leather shoes. The garden context is one of the more formally dressed outdoor occasions the Italian lakes produce.

For the evening. The restaurant terraces above the lake, the hotel dining rooms of the Grand Hotel Tremezzo and Villa d'Este — Lake Como's evenings are among the most formally observed of any Italian resort destination. A navy PP linen shirt tucked into natural linen trousers with leather shoes, or a PP linen blazer over a white PP linen shirt for the most composed occasions.

What to Wear in Lake Como  ·  What to Wear in Portofino  ·  Men's Linen Collection