Milan Fashion Week kicks off Tuesday, offering a feast of Italian style that will be dominated by two major events - the late Giorgio Armani's final collections and the highly anticipated debuts at Gucci and Versace.
Throughout the week, fashion powerhouses including Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, Max Mara, Fendi, Roberto Cavalli, Ferragamo, and Bottega Veneta will showcase their Spring/Summer 2026 women's collections.
A Tribute To Giorgio Armani
This season is overshadowed by the recent death of Giorgio Armani, the legendary 91-year-old designer who helped cement Milan's status as a global fashion capital.
Sunday's Giorgio Armani show was already planned as a major event, closing out celebrations marking the label's 50th anniversary. Now, staged at Milan's prestigious Pinacoteca di Brera art museum, it is expected to serve as a moving final tribute.
The museum is also hosting a retrospective of Armani's top 150 creations, running from September 24 to January 11 - a project on which the designer worked "until the last minute", according to the fashion house.
"We celebrate Milan Fashion Week in memory of one of its founders: Giorgio Armani," said Carlo Capasa, head of Italy's Chamber of Fashion. Armani, he added, left behind "creative, entrepreneurial, and human lessons" for an industry in transformation, where "vision, quality, and consistency represent essential values."
Anticipated Debuts At Milan Fashion Week
Even as Milan mourns its fashion king, this week marks several closely watched debuts - most notably that of Georgian designer Demna at Gucci.
After a decade of redefining Balenciaga, Demna is now tasked with revitalizing Gucci, which has seen a slowdown in sales under parent company Kering. The house is skipping the official Milan Fashion Week catwalk schedule, opting instead for a private presentation on Tuesday evening.
"If I understand correctly, it's a presentation, a film that will be Demna's vision - how he interprets Gucci," said Kering's new CEO, Luca de Meo. "It's going to be something a little different. I haven't been allowed to watch it yet."
Versace, too, will see a fresh chapter as Dario Vitale unveils his first collection since taking over from Donatella Versace in April, following her nearly 30-year tenure. Rather than a traditional show, the brand, acquired by Prada earlier this year, will host an "intimate event" Friday night to introduce Vitale's new vision for the house.
Other debuts this season include England's Louise Trotter at Bottega Veneta and Italian designer Simone Bellotti at Jil Sander, both adding to an industry-wide shake-up that includes recent changes at Dior and Chanel.
The Market Challenge
All these creative shifts come at a time of global uncertainty and sluggish luxury sales, particularly in China.
Bernstein luxury analyst Luca Solca notes small signs of recovery, with an uptick in in-store traffic over the summer. "With prices going up, you need to give at least something new to consumers," he said.
He concluded by explaining that the unprecedented amount of change in creative leadership is a response to this.
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