Ahead of Milan Fashion Week Men’s, Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (CNMI) president Carlo Capasa asked the fashion community to “bring the energy” this season, despite the challenges of the luxury slowdown. Brands delivered: Jordanluca staged a surprise fashion show wedding; Prada threw out the rule book; Dunhill threw an opulent, star-studded soirée; and maximalist trends from bold outerwear to fur emerged as key for the season.
Here are the key takeaways from Milan Fashion Week Men’s Autumn/Winter 2025.
The ‘mega-independents’ presented a new mood
As Vogue Runway’s Luke Leitch puts it, there was a willingness to “both appreciate and undermine convention” in Milan this season, as designers explored less conventional styles and injected a sense of freedom into their collections.
We sort of knew what to expect from the Prada set from the branded piece of scaffolding enclosed in the invite, but entering the Fondazione Prada for the Men’s AW25 show, guests were greeted by a mind-boggling three-storey scaffolding structure. A complex empty shell, which designers Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons filled with a rugged, eclectic collection this season, featuring slouchy denim, fur-collared coats, fur pelt vests, patchworked distressed-leather suiting, scuffed-toe cowboy boots and plenty of plaid. Following on from their questioning of the algorithm last season, the designers continued to rebel against the homogenisation of culture. “It’s creativity without overthinking,” Mrs Prada said post-show. “We were interested in the idea of instinct, in the notion of protecting and valuing our human instinct, and liberating creativity.”
Dolce Gabbana also presented a diverse, full wardrobe this season, to take their customer from day to night. The show was entitled ‘Paparazzi’, and models were snapped by photographers as they emerged onto the runway. In contrast to their usual focus on tailoring, the first portion of the show presented a casual mood, with laid-back denim, fur jackets and duffle bags, before the eveningwear finale, featuring heavy-duty diamond brooches, three-piece satin suits and cummerbunds.
At Emporio Armani on Saturday night, which many noted as a highlight, the 111 look show spanned colourful skiwear, tweed tailoring, leopard print fur, embroidered velvet and various shades of leather, with influences from Italy to China. Likewise, Giorgio Armani show presented a fuller wardrobe this season, moving beyond just tailoring to incorporate ski and casualwear, before a sparkling eveningwear finale.
“A lot of brands are thinking, ‘Let’s give the consumer what they desire from what we do’ — the proper suiting, the proper outerwear, the proper knitwear,” says journalist and designer Edward Buchanan. “We are in a very difficult time. Consumers are not shopping. So I think if you have a brand and you have the possibility to hit all those areas, it makes sense.”
The show schedule did feel a little sparse this season, with notable absences from Gucci, Fendi, Moschino and DSquared2. “Along with Armani, it was Prada and Dolce Gabbana who propped up Milan this week,” says Leitch. “Dolce’s paparazzi-themed show was clever, fun and super direct, while Prada’s show was super-cerebral and atmospheric. Milan’s mega-independents really stood up this season, creating a canopy under which the rest of the schedule could carry on.”
Brands explored new formats to surprise and delight
With fewer big shows to rush to, brands took advantage of editors’ and buyers’ extra time this season, exploring new formats and redefining the concept of a fashion show.
On Saturday, guests at Jordanluca’s AW25 show were surprised to learn they were attending designers Luca Marchetto and Jordan Bowen’s wedding, as well as their runway presentation. (In hindsight, the signs were there: the invite was a packet of tissues, there was a giant wedding cake outside and a soundtrack featuring remixes of the ‘Wedding March’, played by a live band.) After the final look, the designers, who founded their label in 2018, were given away by their respective parents, before the wedding celebrant explained they were tying the knot. Editors sniffled on the front row as the duo exchanged their vows. Of course, the moment went viral, covered by every outlet, and garnering over 21,000 likes on Vogue Runway’s Instagram over the weekend.
Dunhill continued its soirée format, this time held in the opulent members’ club Società del Giardino, with guests sitting at small tables, nibbling British cucumber sandwiches and sipping champagne to the sound of a string quartet during the show. Attendees including Bridgerton’s Regé-Jean Page, Industry’s Harry Lawtey and Rivals star Alex Hassell. Lucky Blue Smith closed the show, and guests were invited to stick around after the finale to admire the garments up close.
MSGM eschewed the show format this season, instead hosting a techno party at club District 247 on Saturday night. As crowds built up outside, the brand shot the lookbook during the party, which it’s been drip-feeding on social media ever since. “I decided to organise a party instead of a fashion show because I wanted to capture a moment in time, almost like a documentary on the apparent need for narcissistic exposure and self-expression among younger generations,” says MSGM founder Massimo Giorgetti. “My goal was to create a space where art, music, fashion and real life could meet and blend in a meaningful way. This choice allowed me to stay closer to the community, keep costs down and use the party as a foundation for a broader cultural project [the lookbook].”
Key trends: Fur and thrift store fashion
Love it or hate it, fur has quickly emerged as a dominant menswear trend for AW25. From fur pelts, vests, coats and collars at Prada and Dolce Gabbana, to leopard print fur at Emporio Armani and MSGM, and fur scarves at Giorgio Armani, the bold style was present across the collections this season. Elsewhere, designers incorporated countryside codes, from plaids at Prada, Zegna, MSGM, Magliano and Woolrich (Leitch notes Woolrich’s presentation as a highlight) to tartan suits at Dunhill.
“The focus on casual style reflects a broader cultural shift towards practicality and comfort without compromising on design. Denim, jersey and plaid speak to a desire for approachable yet elevated pieces that fit seamlessly into a modern wardrobe,” says Sophie Jordan, menswear buying director at Mytheresa. “Prada and Dolce exemplify this balance with their relaxed yet polished interpretations, making these styles resonate with men looking for wearability paired with a sense of fashion-forward identity.”
As predicted, menswear designers are also using clever styling tricks and accessories to inject personal style into more minimal tailoring. Layering has been a key trend, with monochromatic looks (think full-brown suiting with a brown shirt and a brown tie) at Zegna, Armani and Dolce Gabbana to contrasting layers, like Dunhill’s contrasting layered shirting, Prada’s chintzy florals contrasted by fur and bright satin trousers. Neckties in a range of fabric are a major trend for the upcoming season, adding some flair to suits at Zegna, Dunhill and Giorgio Armani.
Outerwear continues to dominate Milan, Jordan adds, with bold, impactful designs taking centre stage. “A thrift store-inspired aesthetic — faux fur, tweed, oversized fits and peacoats — emerged as a fresh direction. Military influences also stood out, with flight jackets and aviator shearling styles from brands like Our Legacy, CP Company and Brioni offering versatile and functional options.”
Brands also leaned into luxury skiwear this season. Both Emporio and Giorgio Armani presented ski collections within their shows, while Woolrich featured plenty of ski-ready outwear. PDF was inspired by snowboarders and presented painted Napapijri snowboarding jackets as well as slouchy trousers alongside its day-to-day streetwear.
Exciting debuts and solid continuations
With fewer shows to rush to, buyers and press also had more time to explore new or emerging brands this season in Milan. And there were some interesting debuts to take in.
Mytheresa’s Jordan notes being able to visit Turkish designer Unit Benan, whom she feels is “entering a new chapter”. “The collection showcased meticulous attention to detail with luxurious fabrics, modern yet timeless cuts, and a focus on wardrobe-building pieces that epitomise understated luxury,” she says.
Emerging streetwear label PDF made its Milan debut with a high-energy show on Friday night. There were huge crowds outside, models audibly chanted backstage before the show, and before the finale, graffiti artists stormed the set and graffitied and tagged the white brick wall in the centre of the space. Then, designer Domenico Formichetti crowd-surfed, held up by the models and members of the audience. Italian footballer Moise Kean, Spanish DJ and model Sita Abellán, and NFL star Alvin Kamara walked the runway, while attendees included Corteiz founder Clint 419 along with Italian rappers and musicians Ghali, Tony Effe, Gaia and Pyrex.
London designer Saul Nash made his Milan debut on Sunday afternoon. The designer and choreographer is known for his dance-based shows, but held a more traditional runway show this season, so that attendees could “focus on the clothes”, he says. The collection featured pieces from Nash’s new Lululemon menswear collaboration, as the booming athleisure label takes aim at the menswear market. The collection includes gym bags, windbreakers, compression tops and leggings, with subtle plays on the Lululemon logo. “I’ve had a great response to the show, the collection reached a much wider audience than I expected, even in Asia,” Nash said post-show. “I would definitely show in Milan again, it feels like the right place for where my brand is at right now.” Leitch thinks so, too: “I think Saul Nash made a good job of his Milan debut, and I hope he can stick around for a few seasons to keep London represented.”
“The younger designers have been highlights for me this season,” Buchanan says, noting rising Italian talent Mordecai as one of his favourite shows, alongside Saul Nash.
“This week, as is often the case in complex moments, has called on both major and emerging brands to send out a strong message of passion for fashion,” CNMI’s Capasa says, reflecting on the season. “There is an urgent need to put creativity back at the centre, together with the authenticity that guarantees the rebirth of a true desire for fashion. Sometimes this has meant breaking some rules, putting creativity before marketing and working more freely to maintain the energy that makes this industry unique.”
Update 21/1/25: This story was updated to add description of the Emporio Armani and Giorgio Armani shows.
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