Milan Fashion Week to mourn Armani_ welcome new stars
Milan Fashion Week opens Tuesday_ a feast of Italian style set to be dominated by the late Giorgio Armani's final collections and new faces at Gucci and Versace.
Prada_ Dolce & Gabbana_ Max Mara_ Fendi_ Roberto Cavalli_ Ferragamo and Bottega Veneta are among those showcasing their Spring/Summer 2026 women's collections throughout the week.
But the event will be overshadowed by the death this month of Armani_ the legendary 91-year-old head of a multi-billion-euro empire who helped put Milan on the fashion map.
Sunday's Giorgio Armani show was already going to be a grand affair_ the culmination of celebrations marking 50 years of the label beloved of the Hollywood A-list.
Staged at Milan's prestigious Pinacoteca di Brera art museum_ the show is now expected to act as a final tribute.
The museum is also hosting from September 24 until January 11 an anniversary exhibition of Armani's top 150 creations_ a project long in the making on which the designer worked "until the last minute"_ according to the group.
"We celebrate Milan Fashion Week in memory of one of its founders: Giorgio Armani_" the head of Italy's chamber of fashion_ Carlo Capasa_ said earlier this month.
He said Armani offered "creative_ entrepreneurial_ and human lessons" to the industry at a time of transformation_ "in which vision_ quality_ and consistency represent essential values."
New beginnings
But even as the Milan fashion world mourns its king_ this week will also see several hotly anticipated debuts_ notably Georgian designer Demna at Gucci.
After a decade at Balenciaga_ Demna is now charged with reversing a slump in sales at the Italian brand owned by French giant Kering -- arguably one of the toughest jobs in the luxury industry.
Gucci is not on the official catwalk calendar in Milan_ but a private event is scheduled for Tuesday evening.
"If I understand correctly_ it's a presentation_ a film that will be kind of Demna's vision_ how he interprets Gucci_" Kering's new chief executive_ Luca de Meo_ told reporters earlier this month.
"It's going to be something a little different. I haven't been allowed to watch it yet."
Meanwhile_ Dario Vitale is making his debut at Versace_ after taking over on April 1 from Donatella Versace_ who was creative director for nearly 30 years.
Again_ no catwalk show is scheduled for the flashy brand_ which was acquired by Prada just weeks after Vitale took over.
Instead_ on Friday night_ there will be an "intimate event_ revealing Dario Vitale's debut collection for the House. A unique unveiling_ embodying Versace's foundations and reflecting Vitale's new language"_ according to the programme.
Chinese confidence collapse
Other debuts include England's Louise Trotter_ presenting her first catwalk show for Kering brand Bottega Veneta_ and Italian Simone Bellotti for Jil Sander.
They are part of an industry-wide shake-up_ including at Dior and Chanel_ at a time when luxury brands are still struggling with slowing demand in China and global economic uncertainty.
Luca Solca_ a luxury sector analyst at Bernstein_ said there were small signs of an improvement in Chinese confidence_ with an uptick in in-store traffic over the summer.
But he noted that "with prices going up_ you need to give at least something new to consumers".
"I think that this unprecedented amount of change in creative responsibilities is responding to this imperative_" he told AFP.(AFP)