Become a Vogue Business Member to receive unlimited access to Member-only reporting and insights, our Beauty and TikTok Trend Trackers, Member-only newsletters and exclusive event invitations.
And we’re back! Summer is setting in and the fashion industry is once again gearing up for another runway season, kicking off Spring/Summer 2026 with the Pitti Uomo men’s trade show in Florence, swiftly followed by Milan Fashion Week Men’s. So, what’s in store?
Despite ongoing economic challenges, from the luxury slowdown to tariffs, the Italian menswear market is growing faster than its womenswear market, with Pitti and Milan remaining key springboards for contemporary and luxury players. The Italian men’s designer apparel market is expected to grow 2.6 per cent to €2.4 billion in 2025, and is projected to grow a further 2.8 per cent by 2026, according to Euromonitor forecasts. (The women’s designer apparel market, while much bigger, is expected to be worth $4 billion in 2025, and is projected to grow just 0.8 per cent to almost $4.08 billion by 2026, per Euromonitor.)
While Italy’s menswear market may hold potential, Pitti and Milan organisers have their work cut out drumming up excitement this season, as press and buyers eagerly await a blockbuster Paris Fashion Week Men’s and couture season filled with major brand shows and much-anticipated designer debuts at Celine and Dior. But with some strong guest appearances from Homme Plissé Issey Miyake at Pitti to Paul Smith in Milan, there’s still plenty to discover.
Pitti Uomo
There’s particular buzz around Pitti Uomo this season, which runs from 17 to 20 June, as Japanese label Issey Miyake is due to bring its Homme Plissé brand to Florence. The label will be the fair’s official guest of honour, following the likes of MM6 Maison Margiela and Paul Smith. Showing on 18 June at Villa Medicea della Petraia, a villa in the hills of Florence that used to belong to the Medici family, the brand will also mount an exhibition of its work. For now, spokespeople for the brand are tight-lipped on the details, but we can expect further information to be announced the morning of the show.
Young Tuscan designer Niccolò Pasqualetti will occupy the second Pitti guest designer slot, previously occupied by the likes of Setchu and Magliano. Pasqualetti has shown in Paris since AW23, and was a finalist for the LVMH Prize in 2024. “Having been born near Florence, I am particularly grateful for this opportunity to be able to return and present my work here,” the designer said following the announcement. “The codes of men’s clothing have always influenced my desire for precision, to create expressive details and to express a certain freedom in dressing.”
Pitti organisers are increasingly looking East for inspiration, following an attendance uptick in buyers and exhibitors from the Asia-Pacific region. South Korean technical label Post Archive Faction (PAF) and Japanese label Children of the Discordance will also show as guest designers, showing on Tuesday 17 and Thursday 19 June, respectively.
“I’m looking forward to seeing the latest collections from Homme Plissé Issey Miyake and Post Archive Faction,” says Nordstrom men’s fashion director Jian DeLeon. “They’re both proof that even though Pitti Uomo remains the vanguard in tailored menswear and quintessentially Italian style, the fair is aware of its global impact in expanding the overall menswear landscape.”
Elsewhere at Pitti, mainstays like Kiton and newer fixtures like Guess Jeans will exhibit and host community events across the weekend. Then, with a growing focus on performance labels, Danish premium cycling apparel brand Pas Normal will hold a bike ride on Wednesday. “The Post Archive Faction show and the Pas Normal ride out will be major highlights at Pitti,” says Terry Betts, buying director at fashion retailer End Clothing. “I’m excited to see two of our favourite partners showcase their unique worlds and communities to Florence, and I’m sure Issey Miyake will deliver something wonderful as the guest of honour.”
Milan Fashion Week Men’s
For a few seasons now, the Milan Fashion Week Men’s schedule has been pretty quiet, since major labels including Gucci, Versace, Moschino, JW Anderson and DSquared2 gradually shifted to co-ed shows or presentations post-pandemic. SS26 is no different. In fact, some buyers who typically attend Milan Fashion Week (MFW) are skipping this season, heading home for a break between Pitti and Paris Fashion Week Men’s.
The week will feature 15 physical shows, 41 presentations and 17 events, with tentpole shows from Prada and Giorgio Armani on Sunday 22 and Monday 23 June, respectively. Some new labels are also joining the show schedule. London menswear stalwart Paul Smith — who typically shows in Paris — will make his Milan debut on Saturday evening, following his Pitti Uomo guest designer show for SS25. London-based Emirati menswear label Qasimi and Japanese label Setchu are also joining the show roster, the latter of which made a well-received debut as guest designer at Pitti Uomo in January.
“I’m looking forward to seeing the continued development of Satoshi Kuwata’s Setchu, who was one of Pitti Uomo’s featured designers last year,” DeLeon says. “It’s great that he’ll be joined in Milan by Sir Paul Smith, who is moving his show from Paris this season.”
For many, presentations are the draw of MFW Men’s. Chinese label Uma Wang joins the presentation schedule on Friday, while on Sunday, Bally makes its return. The latter is undergoing a creative transition following the departure of creative director Simone Bellotti, and is yet to name a successor (Bellotti was appointed creative director of Jil Sander in March).
Elsewhere, Vivienne Westwood will present menswear in Milan on Sunday 22 June, the first time the brand has presented menswear exclusively since 2017. The company appears to be investing in lines outside of the brand’s main collection: this Milan outing follows the label’s first bridal show during Barcelona Bridal Week in May.
“It’s notable that both Paul Smith and Vivienne Westwood – arguably the two greatest indie brands in British fashion - are both bringing their menswear to Milan this season,” says Vogue Runway’s Luke Leitch. “Westwood’s shows here used to be hilarious – I will never forget the beyond Zoolanderness of xxx homeless collection – and also contain some epic looks. It was a pity when they folded menswear into the old Red line and shifted it to London about a decade ago, and I can’t wait to see what Andreas Kronthaler has cooked up for this presentation.”
Amid the shifting show and presentation landscape, some brands are exploring new formats this season. CP Company will stage a special video installation entitled Behind the Seams on Saturday 21 June to celebrate the brand’s community and technical heritage. While rising star Magliano, usually a staple of the show calendar, will present a short film at a ‘Cinemagliano’ screening on Saturday evening, in lieu of a show.
With an average of three to four shows a day, there’s plenty of time to visit and discover new labels for SS26, buyers agree. “Despite a sparse show calendar, there is still plenty of action expected in Milan. While I love going to the shows, I also enjoy the opportunity to visit showrooms and get up close and personal with the product — and there is no shortage of showrooms in Milan,” DeLeon says. “I’m looking forward to seeing the latest collections from Our Legacy, Ralph Lauren Purple Label and Canali, among many others. But I also believe that as a fashion capital, there’s much to be learnt about trends in retail, consumer behaviour and cultural sentiment, which can only be gleaned from visiting Milan and understanding it in a modern context, rather than what shows up on social media or online.”
“More so than ever, this season is about discovery for us and ensuring End stays at the forefront of launching names,” End’s Betts says. “It’s what our community constantly tells us they want to see more, so we’re out here hunting, as well as in Paris, Seoul and Tokyo.”
This season, Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (CNMI) has collaborated with talent incubator and events space Fondazione Sozzani to spotlight new talents, like handmade headwear and accessory label Agglomerati and Italian artisanal menswear designer Matteo Lamandini. “In a phase of profound transformation in our industry, Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana is intent on taking action focused on the future,” said CNMI president Carlo Capasa in a press conference ahead of MFW. “This is why, alongside the big names underpinning Milano Fashion Week, we have created a space at Fondazione Sozzani to host shows and presentations by new brands, along with activities open to the public, in a hands-on initiative in support of the creativity at the heart of our system.”
Comments, questions or feedback? Email us at feedback@voguebusiness.com.
