July 24 (Bloomberg) -- Global warming zeitgeist has made it to men's fashion, if the runways of Milan are any measure.

Fashion executives and store buyers are stocking slimmer, lighter suits next spring made of high-performance fabrics that repel water and don't wrinkle, they said at shows during the last week of June. Some can even recharge your iPod. Favorite color: a pale, pearly gray.

``The world is a lot warmer, so you need to buy a suit that you can wear 10 months out of the year,'' said Colby McWilliams, men's fashion director for Neiman Marcus Group Inc., based in Dallas. ``What we're seeing in the spring is the technology in the fabrics to make the suits more comfortable and low- maintenance.''

For the truly ``green'' conscious, Ermenegildo Zegna SpA, known for its luxury men's suits, presented a sporty jacket with solar panels on the collar that can recharge a mobile phone or an iPod. The $750 coat, something James Bond might be proud to wear, will be in stores in November.

``We haven't solved the problem of global warming, but the Solar Jacket shows there are steps one can take in the right direction,'' said Gildo Zegna, chief executive officer of Ermenegildo Zegna.

The solar panels detach and can be used independently. Five hours of sunshine can recharge just about any portable electronic device, Zegna said. Available as a bomber jacket or in longer styles, the coat was developed in partnership with Starnberg, Germany-based Interactive Wear AG, a maker of wearable electronics. It comes with adaptors for different devices.

Extra `Juice'

``This is truly a solution for the guy on the run, who loves his gadgets and can always use a little extra `juice,' especially if it is `green,''' said Tom Kalenderian, general merchandise manager for men's wear at Barney's, the New York chain owned by Jones Apparel Group Inc. that Fast Retailing Co. and Isthithmar PJSC, the Dubai investment firm, have bid to buy.

On a more conventional note, Brioni Roman Style SpA showed cocktail jackets for evening, including one in silk stitched with real silver threads to be worn either with tuxedo pants or jeans. Brioni also presented a water-repellent wool trench coat that can be wadded up into a ball without wrinkling and an unlined jacket that packs like a shirt.

``Brioni was one of the first to do a lightweight silk jacket, which is easy to wear in the summer,'' McWilliams said. ``It's the new smoking jacket, but not as formal.''

More Gray

Light-gray tones and quality fabrics were key elements of Tom Ford's collection, which will make its debut in five U.S. stores of Neiman Marcus and London's Harrod's in February, the first time his $3,400 suits and made-to-measure variations will be available outside the former Gucci designer's Madison Avenue boutique in New York.

The department stores are buying more from U.K. men's wear label Bamford & Sons, including its line of organic clothing made from naturally grown cottons and ecological leathers, which are tanned with vegetable dyes without chemicals.

``Back-to-nature is big,'' said Tommy Fazio, men's fashion director for Bergdorf Goodman, part of Neiman Marcus Group. ``We are seeing a big shift into eco-friendly fabrics.''

Men should shop for two-button suits and flat-front trousers, buyers said, eschewing three-button styles that have been a wardrobe staple for years. Stores are also selling three- button models that ``roll'' to two, leaving the top button unbuttoned.

Sexy Two-Buttons

``The two-button is sexy,'' said Kalenderian. ``It makes men look narrower and taller.''

Jacket lengths are moving shorter and lapels are slimmer, with the exception of Tom Ford, who showed wider lapels.

``A long jacket doesn't look right anymore, and the lapels have narrowed,'' Gold said. Double side vents and trimmer styles are preferable, he added.

Weekend gear including sporty shoes, sandals and getaway bags are also expected to be top-selling items as more and more people travel for pleasure or escape to country houses, the buyers said.

``We are selling a lot more messenger bags and shoulder bags for the city,'' Barney's Kalenderian said. ``Things men never would have bought 10 years ago.''

To contact the reporter on this story: Sara Gay Forden in Milan at sforden@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: July 24, 2007 00:04 EDT