'Brosiery' and 'mantyhose' take off as men seek the warmth, comfort... and 'fashion statement' of patterned tights
By DAISY DUMAS
Last updated at 11:57 PM on 6th March 2012

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If you thought men in tights was a sartorial statement best left to medieval jesters, think again.

The underwear staple for women is making its way into wardrobes of the opposite sex - and the look is gaining popularity.

If any were in doubt as to the strength of the trend, it even has its own name: Mantyhose.

Brosiery, anyone? Emilio Cavallini's sales of unisex pantyhose have been strong, with men wearing tights for style as much as warmth

Italian design house Emilio Cavallini has designed a range of tights that it says are unisex and the styles are being snapped up by men, who make up two to three per cent, or 20- to 30,000 - of the company's customers.

Costing $27, the tights, made from a mix of cotton and nylon, were launched in June 2009, reports WWD.

Speaking to the fashion newspaper, the company's vice president, Francesco Cavallini said: 'When we started our online shop we noticed that a lot of tights sized medium-large were being purchased by men.