The Fall/Winter 2026 menswear season kicks off today in Florence, with men’s trade show Pitti Uomo, before we head north for Milan Fashion Week Men’s. With some exciting guest designers, an influx of international talent, and some returning big names, there’s plenty in store this season.
“Florence and Milan continue to confirm themselves as central cities for creative fashion and menswear, places where identity, experimentation and industry engage in constant dialogue,”says Carlo Capasa, president of Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (CNMI). “Menswear is a sector of great importance for the Italian fashion system, and, within the context of the broader challenges facing the industry, it is showing signs of greater resilience. This does not yet represent a full recovery, but rather a softening of the contraction and a relatively more solid export performance compared to other segments.”
Here are the season’s brands, shows and events to note.
Pitti Uomo
Pitti Uomo returns for its 109th edition from January 13 to 16, bringing together over 750 brands from across the world. The fair’s theme this season is “motion”, to reflect how menswear is constantly in flux, intersecting with everything from performance to travel to everyday life.
Paris-based designer Hed Mayner will take one of three guest designer slots this season, bringing his architectural silhouettes to Florence for the first time. Mayner, who launched his eponymous brand in 2015, debuted on the Paris Fashion Week Men’s schedule in 2017, before winning the Karl Lagerfeld Award at the 2019 LVMH Prize. Previous guest designers include Martine Rose and Raf Simons.
“Hed never ceases to surprise us with the delicate balance he achieves in every piece, without any apparent effort, through contrasts: poetry and comfort, freedom and precision, intellect and craftsmanship,” Francesca Tacconi, special events coordinator of the fair’s parent company Pitti Immagine, said in a statement. “For all these reasons and more, we can’t wait to welcome Hed Mayner to Pitti Uomo this January and discover the project he is creating for his Florentine debut.”
Gradually, Pitti Uomo has expanded its exhibitor lineup to welcome design talent from outside Europe, especially Japan. LVMH Prize 2023 winner Setchu’s Satoshi Kuwata made his runway debut at Pitti in January 2025, while Issey Miyake staged an impressive show at last summer’s fair, in Villa Medicea della Petraia. However, this season, there’s an influx of emerging Japanese talent.
The remaining two guest designer slots will go to poetic Japanese menswear designer Shinyakozuka and LVMH Prize 2025 winner Soshiotsuki. Launched in 2015, the former is a sizable business with around 50 stockists in Japan and 20 globally; Wednesday evening will mark its first outing in Europe, after a decade showing in Tokyo. Then, Soshiotsuki, known for his East-meets-West tailoring, will show at 3pm on Thursday. This Pitti show will be the next step in the designer’s mission to scale further in the West, after inking a strategic deal with brand incubator Tomorrow last November and a major Zara collaboration at the end of last year.
On Tuesday afternoon, family-run Italian mill Vitale Barberis Canonico will collaborate with Sebiro Sanpo, organizers of the Japanese Suit Walk, to bring the event to the streets of Florence. Around 100 influencers will walk through the city showcasing suits made with the mill’s renowned fabrics — it’s set to be quite the spectacle.
Elsewhere, Pitti mainstay Brunello Cucinelli will hold several events across the schedule, including a dinner, a presentation and a talk from Mr. Cucinelli, in collaboration with Mr Porter. The fair will also launch its HiBeauty fragrance space, designed for buyers looking to incorporate fragrance into their fashion concept store assortments.
The variety across mass, luxury and premium brands at Pitti Uomo is also attracting buyers. “Considering the many buyers who have confirmed their presence in Florence next week, coming from all over the world, we expect them to target ‘the product’ in the truest sense of the word,” says Pitti Immagine chief sales and development officer Antonio Cristaudo, meaning buyers want to invest in good-value clothing over high-priced avant-garde pieces. “Pitti Uomo fills the gap left by luxury brands, offering high-quality products with a strong quality-price ratio, which I think is what select retailers are looking for.”
Milan Fashion Week Men’s
Then, onto Milan. Running from January 16 to 20, Milan Fashion Week (MFW) Men’s will feature 18 physical shows and 36 presentations for FW26. With the backdrop of the Winter Olympics in nearby Cortina d’Ampezzo, a cameo from American style stalwart Ralph Lauren, the return of megabrand Zegna and a rich presentation schedule, there’s plenty to see and do.
Many of Milan’s leading brands, including Prada, Dolce Gabbana, Tod’s, Canali, Etro and Bally, will host runway shows. Zegna, one of Milan’s biggest menswear brands by revenue, will return on Friday afternoon, after a one-off show in Dubai for SS26. DSquared2 is also coming home on Friday night, following a two-season pause off the back of its high-octane FW25 anniversary show last February. Chinese label Pronounce will celebrate 10 years with a Saturday show, while Chinese sportswear label Li-Ning will make an unexpected runway debut on Saturday, with a show that “celebrates movement”.
Ralph Lauren will return to the Milan runway schedule, more than 20 years since his European runway debut in the city in 2002, for an intimate, one-off menswear show on Friday evening at the marble palazzo the brand has called home since 1999. While the brand has successfully focused on scaling its womenswear arm in recent years, menswear remains its biggest business.
“Ralph Lauren has presented only two menswear runway shows before — back in 2002 and 2006 — so it’s going to be a thrill to get to see his third on the opening day of Milan,” Vogue’s chief international correspondent Luke Leitch says. “Prada is an almost-default Milan highlight; in part, because it sets the tone for its womenswear collection that follows the month after, but also because it will typically contain a radical gesture or two.” Leitch also notes Dolce Gabbana and Zegna as expected highlights, along with British representatives Paul Smith, Saul Nash and Dunhill.
“In Milan, I’m looking forward to seeing the season’s creative direction and color palettes at Zegna and Canali, and also the ever-evolving technical fabrics from Stone Island — all of which are key brands for our customers coming into FW26,” says Mr Porter buying director Daniel Todd. “The team will also be seeking out exciting, new brands to bring on in future seasons across both Pitti and Milan, to complement our global customer.”
Once again, Gucci and Bottega Veneta are bypassing men’s fashion week, instead opting for co-ed shows in February. Emporio Armani is also restructuring its calendar, folding menswear into its womenswear shows starting this season. Giorgio Armani will present its first men’s show since the passing of Mr. Armani in September. “Leo Dell’Orco, who worked alongside Armani from 1977 onwards, is now captaining menswear, and I would expect that this collection will be very much in line with the founder’s style and vision,” Leitch says.
Beyond the shows
Shows aside, MFW Men’s attendees will be busy indulging in a rich presentation schedule for FW26, featuring Brunello Cucinelli, Loro Piana and Canali. “The most eagerly awaited presentation is Brunello Cucinelli, which remains the true lifestyle brand in terms of style and consistency,” says Tiziana Fausti, owner of 10 Corso Como. “It is also interesting to note that there are many brands — especially among the new names — that focus heavily on garment performance, a theme that’s become increasingly important in recent years.” These labels include Stone Island, which has created a large-scale installation with visual media artist Ken-Tonio Yamamoto, as the backdrop to its new prototype collection, made up of 100 pieces in 100 different hues, using the brand’s air-blown lamination-on-knit technique. Ferragamo will return to the men’s calendar for the first time since 2019, with a footwear-focused presentation on Sunday.
As Leitch puts it, “there will be a fair bit of Winter Olympics brouhaha to drift through” this season. EA7, the Giorgio Armani-founded sportswear brand, will host an event at its Milan store during MFW Men’s, connected to its role as official partner and outfitter of the Italian team for Milano Cortina 2026. Meanwhile, French label K-Way will present a three-day event, Montagna Milano: The Alpine Club in Town, in collaboration with Vogue and GQ; open to the public, the event will include panels, workshops and après-ski experiences. French premium label The Frankie Shop will transport select attendees from fashion week to Cortina for an après-ski evening to celebrate its skiwear collection.
With a heady mix of refined tailoring, performance wear and ski, this season’s MFW Men’s reflects the menswear consumer of today, and their diverse needs, Fausti says. “For FW26, as always, we are looking for products with a distinctive trademark. Clients are seeking pieces that combine technical innovation with refined design: functional outerwear, cutting-edge fabrics, and construction focused on comfort and versatility.”
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