This season at Milan Fashion Week 2025, several major houses welcomed the debut of a crop of newly appointed creative directors for Spring/Summer 2026 collections. Aimee Yan reports
Bottega Veneta
Louise Trotter’s debut for Bottega Veneta continued the brand’s dialogue with craft, centreing on the house’s iconic Intrecciato weave. Trench coats and fur gowns played with the balance of strict menswear tailoring and fluid lines. A highlight was a cropped jacket crafted from recycled strips of colored fiberglass, fluttering with each movement in a display of both softness and elegance. All pieces reaffirm the brand’s dedication to artisanal excellence while framing “softness” and “functionality” as complementary forces.
Gucci
Gucci’s first show under Demna unfolded as a family drama, titled La Famiglia. Presented through the short film The Tiger, actors and models embodied characters ranging from movie stars and directors to style icons and women on the verge of a breakdown. Classic Gucci codes reappeared throughout: GG monogram, red-and-green stripes, horsebit details, and the sensual silhouettes of the Tom Ford era—all reframed in a new context. True to Demna’s style, irony remained a sharp undertone, keeping the presentation as intriguing as it was theatrical.
Jil Sander
At Milan Fashion Week 2025, Simone Bellotti made his Jil Sander debut with a collection shown at the brand’s Piazza Castello headquarters, marking its return to the venue after eight years. Staying true to the house’s minimalist DNA, the clean and structured pieces were elevated by details inspired by artists Richard Prince and Scheltens & Abbenes, whose works drew on trompe-l’oeil. On the surface, the garments appeared pared back, yet closer inspection revealed meticulous tailoring and refined materiality.
Versace
Versace entered a new chapter with Dario Vitale’s debut, the first collection in the house’s 47-year history not overseen by Gianni or Donatella. His vision carried strong retro energy: pop art motifs, bold colours, and graphic lines merged with signature house power. Shimmering and embellished patterns referenced the archive. Vitale positioned himself between homage and innovation, injecting new perspectives into Versace’s familiar codes.
Beyond the much-anticipated debut collections, this year’s Milan Fashion Week also marks several other milestone moments.
Fendi
This is the last collection by Silvia Venturini. Also, Fendi celebrated its centenary with a co-ed show combining menswear and womenswear, while Giorgio Armani was set to present a highly ceremonial anniversary runway. They infused the Spring/Summer 2026 season with a sense of vitality. The women’s collection opened with a beige coat set, followed by sheer blouses, satin patchwork skirts, and tulle skirt embellished with sequinned florals. For men, grey coats, utilitarian trousers, and more, emphasised function, softened by floral shirts and crocheted layers. Accessories carried on Fendi’s playful spirit, floral and plush bag charms refreshed classics like the Peekaboo and Spy Bag, reimagined through woven leather, beading, and mixed textures.
Giorgio Armani
For Giorgio Armani, this season marked a farewell. Following the designer’s passing in September, the house returned to Milan’s Pinacoteca di Brera – where Armani grew up – to present his final collection. Inspired by Milan and the island of Pantelleria, flowing fabrics and fluid lines conveyed images of earth, sea, and light. The palette transitioned from neutrals to midnight blues, with soft tailoring, shimmering evening wear, and ethereal gowns embodying Armani’s timeless aesthetic. Simultaneously, Emporio Armani presented a Spring/Summer 2026 line that fused clean tailoring with chiffon and airy skirts, a dialogue between masculine and feminine.
Also see: Highlights of New York Fashion Week for Spring/Summer 2026
