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“Curiosity, anticipation, and energy — that’s the current mood in Milan,” says Vogue Runway’s Tiziana Cardini from the Italian fashion capital, when I ask her what she expects for Spring/Summer 2026.
It checks out. After a few seasons of anticipation, it’s crunch time for some of Milan’s megabrands this season, with designer debuts at Gucci, Bottega Veneta, Jil Sander and Versace set to command a lot of attention.
“There is a real sense of excitement for Milan Fashion Week (MFW) this season, in particular with all the designer debuts,” says Net-a-Porter chief buying and merchandising officer Brigitte Chartrand. “I’m looking forward to not only the collections themselves, but also the staging and production, which seem to get more creative each season.”
MFW will feature 55 physical shows and 67 presentations this season, including the aforementioned debuts, plus mainstays such as Prada, Fendi, Ferragamo and Dolce Gabbana. David Koma will stage his sophomore show at Blumarine. And several labels, including Boss, Calcaterra, Federico Cina, Stella Jean and The Attico, will return to the calendar after one or two seasons off. Giorgio Armani will close out the week in what promises to be an emotional show, following the passing of its founder earlier this month.
“This edition of Milan Fashion Week will be held in memory of one of its founding figures, Giorgio Armani,” says Carlo Capasa, president of Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (CNMI). “His legacy — creative, entrepreneurial, and human — remains invaluable in these transformative times for fashion, where vision, quality, and coherence are the core values.”
Diesel will kick off the week on Tuesday afternoon, with a typically immersive, public-facing concept to accompany the show. Post-show, the brand will stage an egg hunt around Milan, with models encased in transparent eggs wearing their looks from the show. Members of the public can win prizes such as 1DR bags for being among the first to find the eggs.
The first debut is Demna’s Gucci, which will be unveiled in a much-anticipated intimate presentation on Tuesday night, for a select few fashion insiders. Turbulence at the house continued last week, as CEO Stefano Cantino exited, to be replaced by Kering deputy CEO Francesca Bellettini, who is now Gucci CEO and president. Rumours continue to swirl around the format and concept of the presentation. But with Demna, it’s good to expect the unexpected.
Next, Simone Bellotti will present his first collection for Jil Sander on Wednesday, which Chartrand is particularly eager to see after the designer’s well-received turn at Bally. “I’m hoping for a fresh take that still carries the influence of Jil — fluid materials, a touch of ’90s minimalism and refined layering and styling,” she says.
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Louise Trotter will make her debut at Bottega Veneta on Saturday, after some subtle hints at her vision for the house at the Venice Film Festival, worn by brand ambassador Jacob Elordi. Bottega is opting for a show over an intimate affair, which has become de rigueur among debuting designers of late. “[Trotter’s] black and white campaign already captivated me,” says Vogue Italia contributing editor Giorgia Feroldi. “I can’t wait to see the show.”
“I’m bracing for excellent, consistent, and hopefully surprising shows [from the debuts] — because really, what else should we expect? Bellotti, Trotter and Demna are seasoned pros, fully in command of their craft,” Cardini says.
Unlike the others, Versace’s Dario Vitale joins the house from underneath Miuccia Prada at Miu Miu, and still has something to prove. “[It] makes him the real wild card, capable of surprising us brilliantly,” Cardini says, “– or not at all.” There’s been much speculation about when and how the designer will debut his first collection (like Trotter, he gave us a preview during the Venice Film Festival with Julia Roberts and Amanda Seyfried’s outfit swap). Like Gucci, the house will stage an intimate event on Friday, with details currently under wraps.
Dario Vitale invited Eileen Myles, Collier Schorr and Steven Meisel to join him for a Versace teaser campaign. Here’s an exclusive look.
Elsewhere, London brand Knwls will make its Milan debut, for a special show and party on Wednesday night. Indian streetwear label Dhruv Kapoor will show in Milan for the first time on Tuesday.
For fashion film enthusiasts, Vogue Italia and Kering will unveil public event Cinemoda Club, screening 36 iconic films across three historic Milanese cinemas, from 25-27 September. Titles include everything from Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette to 8½ by Federico Fellini. “We decided to launch Cinemoda Club in order to get closer and closer to our audience in real life,” says Vogue Italia head of editorial content, Francesca Ragazzi. “And we couldn’t think of a better occasion to watch a movie together through the lens of fashion, than fashion week!” Ragazzi is personally looking forward to watching Rapsodia Satanica from year 1915. "It was the last film directed by Nino Oxilia, and is one of the greatest masterpieces of early Italian cinema,” she says.
New brands to watch
The debuts are dominating the discourse, but there’s plenty more to take in this MFW.
“I feel very proud to see, edition after edition, more and more new brands joining the established ones; this represents and supports the vitality of the sector even at a time of change and transition such as the one we are currently facing,” CNMI’s Capasa says.
Cardini is watching designers like Francesco Murano, Galib Gassanoff, Giuseppe di Morabito and Lorenzo Seghezzi — who are shaping the next chapter of Milan’s creative landscape. “Their momentum adds an extra layer of intrigue to a season that promises both star power and surprise discoveries,” she says.
Milan’s recent influx of new names is partly thanks to gallery and incubator Fondazione Sozzani. Editors advise you to pay attention to Fondazione’s initiatives. “Events in Milan, often overlooked during the rush of shows, are actually great at spotlighting smaller independent brands and interesting concepts,” Feroldi says. “Fondazione Sozzani, with its new space in the north of Milan, is doing a wonderful job at that.”
Reece Crisp, buying and creative director at London concept store LN-CC, is keen for fresh ideas for his customers. “I’m looking for a spark. Newness. Trend. Direction. Fashion weeks have been somewhat flat [lately], so I’m hoping for big things [this MFW].”
Milan’s growing cultural significance is also driving energy across the city, Cardini adds. “The city isn’t just drawing fashion insiders anymore; it’s fast becoming a hotspot for tourists and international elite investors with deep pockets. New restaurants seem to pop up overnight, and cultural happenings are multiplying like mushrooms after the rain. In short: Milan is buzzing, and the season will be busy.”
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