Italian Luxury Brands Pay Tribute to Giorgio Armani’s Legacy as New Beginnings Emerge

The 2026 Spring-Summer season of Milan Fashion Week was marked by a mix of somber tributes and celebratory debuts as the city’s luxury brands navigated a complex landscape of change and tradition. Amidst the glamour and high-stakes competition, several designers paid their respects to the late Giorgio Armani, the Italian fashion icon who passed away earlier this month.

The Armani show, held at the Pinacoteca di Brera museum, was a poignant tribute to the designer’s 50-year career. The solemn expressions on the models’ faces and the absence of the usual smiling faces were a departure from the brand’s signature style. The show featured floor-skimming gowns and smart jackets, as well as more relaxed but sophisticated looks, such as tunics and coats with mandarin collars. A live pianist performed, and the courtyard was filled with lit paper lanterns, creating a mood more solemn than any Armani show in recent history.

Among the attendees were Hollywood stars and longtime friends of Armani, including Cate Blanchett, Richard Gere, Glenn Close, Lauren Hutton, Samuel L. Jackson, the filmmaker Spike Lee, and designers Paul Smith and Dries Van Noten. All dressed in black tie, the guests were given T-shirts with a black and white photo of Armani as part of their invitations. After the show, they were invited to explore the museum, where over 120 of Armani’s designs were being exhibited for the first time, alongside works by Renaissance artists such as Caravaggio, Giovanni Bellini, and Raphael.

As the curtains closed on Armani’s final show, other luxury brands were busy unveiling their new collections. Gucci’s mononymic, rule-breaking designer Demna made a bold statement with his first looks for the brand, featuring an all-star cast in a short film. The film included actors Demi Moore, Edward Norton, and Elliot Page, as well as model Alex Consani. The evening premiere at the historical Palazzo Mezzanotte was attended by celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Serena Williams, and BTS member Jin, all dressed in their new Gucci attire.

In contrast, Simone Bellotti’s debut as the designer of Jil Sander was a more understated affair, with few celebrities in attendance. However, the American model Guinevere van Seenus stole the show, wearing a cropped long-sleeved blue top and a white knee-long skirt that paid homage to the brand’s eponymous founder. Bellotti spoke backstage about his vision for the brand, emphasizing the balance between classic formality and modern lightness.

Meanwhile, other luxury labels were busy showcasing their own unique styles. Silvia Venturini Fendi’s Fendi show featured top models holding desirable handbags, styled with joyful knits, eye-catching dresses, and sporty separates. The evening saw the opening of Fendi’s new flagship in the upscale Montenapoleone district, coinciding with the brand’s centennial year.

Prada’s co-creative directors, Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons, continued their mission to challenge the status quo with their new collection, which included bralettes, uniform-like shirts, and pinafores with deep-cut necklines. The collection, designed as “a response to the overload of contemporary culture,” included utilitarian jackets styled over loose dresses. The starry front row featured actors Carey Mulligan, Kerry Washington, Felicity Jones, and the South Korean boy band Enhypen.

Diesel designer Glenn Martens once again eschewed a traditional runway show, this time in favor of a self-described “egg hunt” around Milan. The project, revealed on Tuesday, involved models posing in clear, egg-shaped domes wearing a look from the new collection. Next to each was a QR code, and the idea was to trawl the city and collect them all. The first five people to do so were to be rewarded with a custom-made outfit.

Humor and whimsy were also on display at Moschino, Max Mara, and Sunnei. Adrian Appiolaza’s Moschino show featured upcycled materials, such as raffia recycled from plastics, and distinctive trompe-l’œil prints and the signature smiley symbol. Kooky bags came shaped like a supermarket pack of apples or a beach bucket. Max Mara’s Ian Griffiths took inspiration from Madame de Pompadour, adding flourishes to typically classic wardrobe items. The opening look was a belted dress-like trench coat with short sleeves made from swirls of fabric to resemble flowers.

Sunnei, the smaller, independent unisex label by Loris Messina and Simone Rizzo, hosted a fictional auction of its founders, intended to be a commentary on the commodification of creativity. The surprise announcement at the end of the day was that Messina and Rizzo would be exiting the company, and the show had marked a farewell of sorts for them.

As the week drew to a close, it was clear that Milan Fashion Week had seen a season of change and celebration, with new beginnings emerging alongside tributes to the past. The event took place against the backdrop of a broader cultural and political climate in Italy, where recent riots and strikes over the Gaza conflict had raised questions about the future of the “Made in Italy” luxury label.