Milan Fashion Week: Our Recap

Big debuts, brand overhauls and Italian craftsmanship set the tone for the latest edition of Milan Fashion Week.

For Spring/Summer 2026, brands envisioned streamlined silhouettes that shook traditional minimalism and reimagined modern luxury. Designers forwent the classic runway, revisiting how brands showcase their work. And, as it happens in every major fashion capital, the city teemed with buzz as celebrities and industry leaders touched down to discover the very best from the seven-day event. 

By Mayra Peralta

Diesel staged an egg hunt in the streets of Milan

With Glenn Martens at the helm, Diesel has built a reputation for bridging fashion and art through spectacle and innovation. Building upon a portfolio of unconventional shows, this season, Diesel set up an egg hunt across Milan. Large transparent egg-shaped capsules, installed in various spots in the city, displayed models dressed in distressed styles, raglan sleeve coats and Diesel’s signature denim.

The idea invites people to rethink how public spaces can contribute to the democratization of art and fashion. “This is Diesel for the people, a collection discovered by the public at the same time as everyone else,” said Martens in a press statement. “Fashion is a game, everyone gets to be on the front row.”

Fendi goes playful 

Texture juxtaposition, intense color and floral motifs that for once carried a sense of novelty defined Silvia Venturini Fendi’s vision for Fendi Spring/Summer 2026. The designer’s latest collection unveiling invited showgoers to a vibrant and playful setup dreamed of by industrial designer Marc Newson. Dressed in brightly-colored ensembles and vacation-ready sets, models strutted down a color block runway flanked by A-listers of all fields and generations. To name a few, American actress Hilary Duff, Syrian actor Moatasem Al Nahar, Lebanese actress Daniella Rahme and K-pop star Bang Chan sat front row for the occasion.

On the runway, the Fendi woman embraced sportswear-infused details as she sojourned in cosmopolitan cities, stepped out for business meetings and indulged in summer leisure. 

She was chic and playful, but retained the brand’s refinement, as she explored the fluidity between everyday luxury and craftsmanship.

More on Fendi.com

Bottega Veneta welcomes Louise Trotter

British designer Louise Trotter looked back on Bottega Veneta’s history for her creative director debut. Her retrospective journey spanned the brand’s cofounder Renzo Zengiaro’s fascination with the Intrecciato pattern, a symbol of the Maison, as well as first female creative director Laura Braggion’s creative codes. At the core of Trotter’s inaugural collection, however, was the craftsmanship and attention to detail that Bottega Veneta is so celebrated for. 

Trotter sent chic officewear, voluminous pieces made of recycled fiberglass and leather staples down the runway. Movement and reinvention—Trotter revamped classic leather goods for the runway—merged for an exploration of duality, where the Intrecciato becomes a metaphor for joining forces and embracing collaborative efforts. “Collaboration and connectivity run throughout this house and its history, from its beginnings to what it is now,” said Trotter. “It’s about different places, different people, male and female – individual parts and stories intertwined to make a stronger whole.”

More on BottegaVeneta.com

Demna kicked off his Gucci tenure with a short film

For his first collection at the helm of Gucci, Georgian designer Demna Gvasalia skipped traditional runways and opted for a visual format. The short film, titled The Tiger, showcased Demna’s vision for the Italian giant, presenting a collection of characters grouped as the Gucci famiglia. Demi Moore, Edward Norton, Ed Harris, Elliot Page and Keke Palmer, among others, starred in the feature, which premiered on September 25 at Palazzo Mezzanotte. 

Echoing the film, the red carpet event saw friends and ambassadors, from Indian actress Alia Bhatt to film star Demi Moore, arrive in looks taken straight from Demna’s new collection. Sculptural forms, maximalist fashion and rich textures, from animal print to sequined dresses, painted a bold and irreverent image of the new Gucci—one that is audacious, modern and sexy in the best possible way. 

More on Gucci.com

Versace steps into a new era

Stepping into a new chapter as part of Prada Group, Versace welcomed Dario Vitale as creative lead. A private event at Pinacoteca Ambrosiana marked the occasion. The presentation was a trip down memory lane, unearthing the design elements and aesthetics that identified Versace under Gianni Versace’s creative direction. 

The idea translated into '80s-leaning silhouettes, color blocking, and unrestrained layering. Sharp shoulders, draping and skin-baring details, as well as Versace’s signature patterns, adorned models as they walked down the runway, sexy, unbothered and effortlessly cool. After all, as the brand shared through a statement, that’s the foundation of the Versace brand and what has shaped its identity. 

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Prada responds to the “overload of contemporary culture”  

Loyal to their conceptual runways and modernist inspirations, Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons questioned the state of fashion with their Spring/Summer 2026 collection.  Prompting women to rethink constraints in dressing, the runway explored juxtaposition and liberation. Prada reimagined femininity with uniforms resembling protective overalls,  asymmetrical skirts, tailored essentials and contrasting lingerie-inspired sets. 

Irreverent, smart and unconventional, the Prada woman dresses in response to “the overload of contemporary culture.” The color palette is all-embracing, ranging from muted hues and pastels to bold yellows, fuchsia and neon green. The silhouettes oscillate between appealing and unorthodox, unflattering even. Ultimately, that’s where the creative dialogue between Simons and Prada lies at, in the contrasts, fluctuations and ability to respond and adapt to the moment.

More on Prada.com