Milan Fashion Week champions artisanal craftsmanship_ creativity and quality materials

There was a great deal at stake during this edition of Milan Fashion Week. From the highly anticipated creative director debuts at brands like Gucci and Fendi to srutiny over the Armani brands_ now creatively managed by Pantaleo Dell'Orco and Silvana Armani following the founder's passing_ the event served as a litmus test for a revitalised fashion week.

The industry is navigating with increasing uncertainty. The consumer crisis_ a growing disinterest in logo-driven brands_ and ongoing global conflicts have been compounded by the war in Iran. An already complicated situation has become highly complex and difficult. Against this backdrop_ creativity and fashion have_ in some instances_ offered a return to aspiration and dreams.

The fashion week_ which took place from February 24 to March 2_ brought Milan to life with a total of 186 appointments_ including 54 physical shows_ six digital shows_ 89 presentations (nine of which were by appointment)_ and 37 events. The spotlight was boosted by the Olympic Games and the prior Sanremo festival_ which proved to be another significant platform for brands_ particularly Italian ones.

During the event_ the total economic impact from tourist spending was expected to exceed 217 million euros_ an increase of 17.7 percent compared to last year_ according to estimates from the Confcommercio Milano Study Centre. The expected number of visitors also grew to over 132_200 (+17.4 percent). Of these_ 55.3 percent were Italian and 44.7 percent were foreign. One hundred million euros will be allocated to shopping; 84.8 million to accommodation and dining; and 32.6 million to transport. The per capita tourist expenditure is 1_644 euros (+0.2 percent compared to 2025).

The estimate from the Study Centre of Confcommercio Milano_ Lodi_ Monza and Brianza (based on data from Istat_ Milan Police Headquarters_ Bank of Italy_ Banca Ifis) showed that of the total impact_ 120.5 million euros came from Italian visitors and 96.9 million euros from foreign visitors.

Emporio Armani focuses on gilets_ trench coats_ enveloping coats_ jackets_ suits and cardigans

Returning to the shows_ the Emporio Armani fashion show took place during a fashion week far from the splendour of past years. However_ it was full of good intentions and attentive buyers_ and passed the test with flying colours. Anticipation was high for the creative duo Silvana Armani_ responsible for womenswear_ and Leo Dell'Orco_ head of menswear. The two collections went hand in hand. “We had fun. We hope the result respects Mr Armani's style. I think it's more relaxed_ with some elements he might not have approved of. But that's okay_” explained Armani after the show.

The catwalk featured gilets_ trench coats_ enveloping coats_ jackets_ suits and cardigans. The collection also includes pleated Bermuda shorts and some denim pieces. Wide shirts worn over short trousers created a new take on the suit. Small crests referenced the world of clubs and the brand's history_ while crystal embroideries resembled raindrops.

Also from the house of Armani_ the Giorgio Armani collection gracefully surprised with each look. The women's ready-to-wear AW26 collection_ designed by Silvana Armani following her appointment as creative director after the founder's death_ was presented on Sunday.

There was no radical change_ but a precise creative direction that made its mark through continuity. The collection's signature conveyed a greater freedom of dress. It hinted at a desire to pamper women_ offering an elegance that was fluid_ enveloping_ and measured yet comfortable; assertive yet delicate.

The show_ named 'New Horizons'_ closed to the sound of the unreleased track “A costo di morire”. The song_ a 1967 Fausto Leali track_ was covered by Mina for the first time as a tribute to Giorgio Armani_ who passed away last September.

For Prada_ layering reflects personal and collective stories

Prada's AW26 collection promises to leave a mark on people's dressing habits. Indeed_ the collection by Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons encourages an embrace of the transformations that clothing facilitates throughout the day_ with each look encapsulating a multitude of identities.

Among the guests who attracted attention at the fashion show were Maude Apatow_ Nina Kraviz and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

Returning to the catwalk_ the layering of garments symbolically represents layers of stories_ both personal and collective_ of memories and experiences.

A cast of 15 women wore these ever-evolving clothes_ focusing attention on each of them. This allowed the audience to explore the infinite and changing facets of their character. An apparent simplification can_ paradoxically_ serve to convey complexity.

Pure yet wearable creativity seen in new Cavia collection

Pure yet wearable creativity was seen in the new collection from Cavia_ a brand founded by the talented designer Martina Boero. The idea was born during the first lockdown. Unable to go out_ the designer sought to express her creativity using materials she found at home.

This led to the creation of a fully sustainable project that uses only existing or recycled materials_ thereby reducing the environmental impact of new material production.

'Le Chant des formes' is a winter collection conceived as a visual and material song. Characterised by irregular lines_ chromatic contrasts and vibrant textures_ the garments are a hymn to manual workmanship and intentional imperfections.

At the heart of the collection is hand-made multicoloured knitwear_ worked in mohair and warm yarns_ capable of creating soft_ three-dimensional_ almost pictorial surfaces. Each stitch carries a different rhythm; each colour variation becomes an emotional accent.

Daniela Gregis_ the Bergamo-based brand_ delivered another strong performance on the catwalk. For AW26_ the collection featured deconstructed suits and elegant wool culottes with turned-up hems_ worn with crisp silk shorts. Three-piece velvet looks were presented for both men and women. There were also plays on layering with wool_ velvet_ silk and cotton. On the feet were flat velvet shoes or black or brown leather clogs worn with short wool socks over tights. Sinuous trousers and long skirts gave rhythm to wool pullovers_ which grazed glasses held by a chain_ almost like a necklace.

Marta Bortolotti_ daughter of founder Daniela Gregis_ skilfully interpreted the quality of the fabrics with creativity_ translating the collection into wearable_ elegant and warm pieces.

On the catwalk at the Oratorio della Passione_ next to the historic Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio_ was_ as always_ Benedetta Barzini. The acclaimed 1970s model remains an interesting face in her mature years.

Among other 'excellent' debuts was Demna for Gucci

“This first show of mine for Gucci introduces a universe of people_ archetypes_ consumers and dress codes destined to inspire my creative language for the future. It is a beginning_ but already mature and full of intention_” Demna wrote in a letter.

However_ it is well known that numbers are what count. In this complicated moment_ sales data matter. Gucci's recent history_ after incredible season-on-season growth_ has come to a halt. In 2025_ with around 40 percent of sales_ Gucci remains the main key to understanding the performance of the Kering group. In 2025_ the house recorded a 19 percent decline on a comparable basis.

The logo and the brand's history_ while important and significant_ are not enough on their own. The creative direction and the label's language must learn to speak again to an 'old' clientele and a new one. This new customer is increasingly less sensitive to brand names and more distracted by a thousand other appeals. A strong_ clear identity is needed. What emerges from luxury analyses and reports is that buyers make no concessions to anyone. This is especially true for those who believe they can win easily with their name_ history and logo.

Certainly_ Kate Moss returning to the catwalk at 52 to close Demna's long-awaited Gucci debut makes a statement. She wore a sparkling black dress with a deep neckline at the back. This is even more so when the neckline reveals a thong with the double G in white gold_ studded with ten carats of diamonds. The sensuality of the seamless minidress in pure hosiery fabric_ worn with a femme fatale attitude_ also helps. All this adds to the brand's openness to multiple ways of dressing. This is a politically correct and sound approach to avoid displeasing anyone. The same jackets are alternated with skirts_ legging-trousers and trousers_ “casually crossing the office_ the bar and everything in between_” as the press release states.

“This collection_ and more generally my vision for Gucci_ is based on a principle of pragmatism. It is about creating desirable and authentic objects capable of accompanying different people_ enriching their daily lives and making them feel good. Products that exist and assert themselves for what they are_ without the need for pseudo-intellectual justifications_” explains the brand's creative director.

In a few months_ the luxury giant Kering will assess the desirability of these items and see if its 'flagship' brand is back on track. Meanwhile_ a selection from the Gucci Spring collection is now available in selected boutiques and online_ ahead of the official launch from July 2026. For women_ horsebit pumps are priced at 950 euros; a Gucci trademark crystal ring at 350 euros; a biker jacket with Web detail at 6_900 euros; an oversized T-shirt in light silk at 820 euros; and a large Bamboo tote bag at 3_600 euros_ to give an idea.

Designer Maria Grazia Chiuri made her return to Fendi_ presenting a sensual and delicate collection in Milan_ featuring furs and leathers worked like lace. An established designer with a past at Dior and Valentino_ Chiuri returned to Fendi 35 years after her debut at the Roman house. This first autumn/winter co-ed collection featured black_ white and green furs_ attracting the attention of animal rights groups.

Indeed_ fashion week was also the scene of anti-fur protests by the Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade (Caft)_ which is calling on the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (CNMI) to adopt a fur-free policy. “The protests are part of a growing global campaign launched on January 8 by the Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade (Caft)_ which calls on the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (CNMI) to adopt a fur-free policy_” Caft explained in a statement.

Redemption's aristopunk

From Chiuri's sensuality to Redemption's aristopunk collection_ creative director Gabriele Bebe Moratti's work expressed a balance between meticulous_ elegant tailoring and late-seventies punk-rock influences. Moratti used delicate materials such as lurex georgette_ devoré velvets and hammered satins_ juxtaposing them with more substantial and intensely worked fabrics like brocades_ sequins_ embroidered tweeds and eco-leather. The colour palette plays with a mix of purple and red alongside classic black and white_ illuminated by metallic accents.

The collection's protagonists were both long and short dresses. They were fluid and sensual_ characterised by deep necklines at both the front and back.

The Tod_s women's AW26/27 collection focuses entirely on craftsmanship_ paying homage to its excellence through a choral performance where gesture is the protagonist. Alongside Tod_s artisans_ masters of various arts work live_ demonstrating the know-how that defines the excellence of 'Made in Italy'.

Tod_s creative director_ Matteo Tamburini_ envisions a wardrobe where artisanal know-how and the quality of materials_ the result of meticulous research and selection_ are central. Leather is the absolute protagonist_ reflecting a synthesis of tradition and modernity. Saddlery workmanship_ precise stitching and hand-finishing meet lightness and material depth.

In ready-to-wear_ ample_ enveloping volumes contrast with more fitted garments featuring shortened sleeves and defined waists. Iconic pieces like the trench coat and peacoat are reinterpreted with sartorial tailoring. A quilted bomber jacket in soft_ antiqued calfskin completes the wardrobe. Scarf dresses in graphic patchworks conclude the story. The palette includes intense natural tones_ burnt caramel_ ginger and chocolate_ juxtaposed with graphic black and white accents.

Marco Rambaldi's collection was also interesting. Sartorial codes were subverted with minimal yet radical interventions_ such as revealing the internal construction of trousers_ skirts and jackets_ thus creating a new classic.

Traditional animal prints are reimagined as a multifaceted and heterogeneous fauna disguised as a Dalmatian_ the oldest of companion animals. In knitwear_ the idea of the proper suit is desecrated and reinvented in two directions. The matryoshka twinset_ where a second trompe-l'oeil twinset is hidden under a heart-patterned cardigan_ and the tracksuit_ the least classic of suits. The collection is thus based on the idea of layering and return.

Crochet returns to its basic element_ the doily. It is enlarged to show off its constituent details or veiled like the most scandalous of notions. This season_ Lineapelle once again accompanies the collection as a common thread_ integrating naturally into our universe through leather: suede and enveloping_ or lived-in and protective.

The footwear_ created in collaboration with Hispanitas_ combines Italian vision and Spanish craftsmanship in an emotional elegance made of clean lines_ material details and plural femininity.

Staying on the theme of footwear_ Santoni presented its Aurora women's AW26 collection during Milan Fashion Week. It is inspired by the subtle light that precedes the dawn_ slowly emerging to reveal the essence of things. In this slow_ precious light that frames the winter landscape of the Marche region_ the brand's homeland_ a harmonious encounter between essentiality and luxury is born.

The protagonist of the collection is Velatura_ a hand-colouring technique that embodies the brand's quintessence. The colour is applied layer by layer to achieve unexpected depth_ subtle vibrations and a tonal richness that enhances the natural character of the leather. Among the models proposed for the next cold season_ the Sibille pump and the new Ira Double Buckle stand out_ a sophisticated reinterpretation of one of the brand's male icons.

'Made in Italy' is once again the protagonist in the collaboration between Springa and Gaia Segattini Knotwear. The project stems from the meeting of two brands that share the same vision: excellent 'Made in Italy' workmanship_ conscious recovery of resources and a creative approach to the product.

Springa_ an Italian brand specialising in autoclave-vulcanised trainers_ bases its DNA on experimentation_ upcycling and limited-edition collaborations.

Gaia Segattini Knotwear_ a pop knitwear brand with production in the Marche region_ works exclusively with deadstock yarns_ making each creation by nature unique and non-replicable. From this affinity comes an unprecedented project: a vulcanised knitwear trainer_ the first of its kind_ which combines manufacturing expertise_ sustainability and a strong expressive personality.

The sole is handmade from natural rubber and vulcanised in an autoclave in Puglia using Springa's exclusive process. The upper is made from knitted panels of regenerated cotton from production waste from the Marche supply chain.

Completing the design_ a detachable side pompom introduces a playful note that recalls the knitwear brand's playful spirit. Recovery_ excellent 'Made in Italy' workmanship and pop expressiveness thus converge in a product that redefines the concept of the contemporary trainer.