Milan Fashion Week Goes Practical
Milan Fashion Week Fall 2026 shows are earning retailer praise for renewed focus on craftsmanship and layered styling, with collections spotlighting artful tailoring, rich textures, and inventive combinations. Fresh starts at Gucci, Fendi, and Marni under new creative directors are setting the tone for practical glamour over fleeting trends. The season signals a shift toward personally expressive, adaptable fashion.
The wave of creative director changes saw some of the most anticipated debuts of the season. Demna Gvasalia took the helm at Gucci, Maria Grazia Chiuri presented her first solo vision for Fendi, and Meryll Rogge unveiled her new direction for Marni. These shifts followed a year of at least 29 notable creative director changes across the industry in 2025. Demna's premiere for Gucci, dubbed “Gucci Primavera,” was a sensual reset for the brand, channeling the provocative glamour of the Tom Ford era. The collection featured skintight trousers, sheer mini-dresses, and thin logo belts in a show that closed with supermodel Kate Moss. At Fendi, Maria Grazia Chiuri’s debut as sole creative director was guided by the mantra “Meno Io, Più Noi/Less I, More Us,” emphasizing fashion as a collaborative art. The collection celebrated the house's craftsmanship, spotlighting reimagined Baguette bags and featuring a collaboration with the estate of visual artist Mirella Bentivoglio. Meryll Rogge, only the third creative director in Marni's history, dove into the brand's 1990s archives for her first collection. The result was a co-ed show that shifted focus from the brand's more recent extravagant prints to its foundational codes of minimalist tailoring and rich fabrics. The theme of layering was intellectually explored at Prada, where just 15 models, including Bella Hadid, made four separate walks down the runway. Each appearance featured a newly arranged outfit, peeling back layers to reveal what lay beneath and reflecting the complexity of modern dressing. This turn towards wearable, lasting fashion comes as the Italian industry shows signs of recovery after a difficult 2025 that saw textile and apparel production fall. Analysts note a broader market polarization where consumers, feeling alienated by years of aggressive price hikes, are rewarding brands that offer better value. The week’s commercial importance remains undeniable, solidifying Milan's role as a global fashion hub. The Fall 2026 shows were projected to generate an economic impact of over €200 million for the city, attracting an estimated 130,000 attendees, a 17% increase in visitors.
