From 80s retro to gilded glamour, the cast of The Devil Wears Prada 2 and the last collection Giorgio Armani designed before his passing, stylist Corina Gaffey scopes out the trends and takeaways to know from Milan’s spring/summer 2026 collections.
As the fashion week carousel rolls on from Milan to Paris, the Italian capital, once again, put on a stellar sartorial show. Style chatter focused on some noteworthy debuts at Italian fashion houses, mainly Demna at Gucci, Louise Trotter at Bottega and Dario Vitale at Versace. The colour collision that occurred at previous fashion weeks in New York and London continued with colour blocking and standout colour combinations aplenty. Designers, elsewhere, remixed 1980s looks, making them super covetable. Here’s what else was trending in Milan…
The 80s Called…
Forget 90s or Y2k inspo; designers looked back even further for inspiration, with 80s-tinted collections at the forefront on the catwalks of Versace, Fendi, and Missoni. Versace was fully 80s-coded, with relaxed tailoring in bright, cheery shades, styled head-to-toe, and giving off all the Miami Vice vibes.
Gatsby, But Make It Modern
If designers were getting retro with the 80s decade, at Ferragamo, Maximilian Davis went for a vintage-chic look. Davis’ collection featured signature styles from the chic decade, such as slinky slip dresses refreshed in interesting combos of chocolate and lemon, and drop-waisted dresses. Far from costume party chic, the looks were styled with contemporary accessories and sharp tailoring, proving the 1920s can work in the modern world.
Return To Glamour
Leave it to the house of Roberto Cavalli to bring the glamour. Gilded glamour, that is, with a collection entirely tinged with gold in the form of molten gold lame, metallic animal prints, and velvet. However, the Midas touch was also evident elsewhere, with gold-fringed dresses at Attico and silky gold gowns at Ferragamo. Although Gucci didn’t stage a show, it premiered a film called The Tiger instead. Walking the carpet for the premiere, Demi Moore donned a design from Demna’s upcoming Gucci collection for the occasion—an ornate, gilded gold gown that brought more glamour to Milan.
Pyjama Party
Following London’s boudoir-inspired collections at Simone Rocha and Erdem, the Italians also created their own versions, incorporating lacy lingerie styles. Dolce & Gabbana, who had the cast of The Devil Wears Prada 2 sitting front row, no less, showed striped PJs sets, while No.21 had too-chic-for-sleeping negligee dresses.
Colour Theory
Take note: come spring, we will all be wearing a lot of colour. Well, that’s if the majority of fashion week shows have their way. Continuing the love affair with bold shades were Versace, Bottega, and Fendi, each featuring bold, head-to-toe colours that clashed or were monochromatic. While cobalt blue might have dominated at London Fashion Week, it was the turn of sunny yellow’s reign at Milan, with it having a solid showing at Ferragamo, Fendi, and MM6 Maison Margiela.
Leather Weather
Despite the spring showing, leather pieces dominated the catwalks of Italian designers. But it wasn’t just one particular shade or silhouette; it ranged from sleeveless vests in deep tan at Versace, to buttery soft navy leather dresses at Bottega, to burgundy leather trenches at Sportmax.
Utility Chic
Prada’s first look—a longline, navy boiler suit—set the tone. And what followed was a series of utility-inspired ensembles in various forms. But let’s be real, this is Muiccia Prada and Raf Simons, utility dressing is never going to be just purely practical. The duo gave it a significant twist, with workman jackets layered over opera gloves and puffy skirts, or brightly hued shift dresses slipped under slouchy leather utility jackets.
Back To School
Crisp button-down shirts, shrunken cardigans and sleek pencil skirts brought a part preppy polish and part librarian chic to the Milan Fashion Week collections. More clean-lined and less sporty than the prep-school trend we are seeing this season, the Italian designers favoured sharpness and minimalism. Jil Sander embraced refinement with clean-lined grey tailoring, punctuated by colour blocking in fine-gauge knits. Fendi incorporated subtle sporting codes into perforated leather, crafting sleek polo shirts and pencil skirts.
Short Shorts
From bloomers to bikini bottoms, leg-baring short shorts made a playful appearance on the catwalks of Fendi, No.21 and Prada. No.21 went punky, pairing them with oversized blazers, flannel shirts, and chunky loafers, while Prada created purple bloomers, colour-clashing them with red shirting over bra tops.
Fringe & Shaggy Faux Fur
Muppet-coded faux fur jackets and fringing swayed down the catwalk, most notably at Bottega Veneta’s show, where creative director Louise Trotters made her debut. Playful yet polished, Trotter showed that fringing, texture, and colourful, fun, statement pieces can still be uber-sophisticated.
Layered Tailoring
If you’re a minimalist with a penchant for tailoring, how do you make it more impactful? Italian designers have the answer: layer up. But not just any layers – think muted pieces in tonal shades, sharp shoulders, buttoned-up trenches, all finished with sleek leather accessories a la Bottega, Ferragamo and Ferrari. The result? Subtle power dressing with maximum impact.
Giorgio Armani’s Tribute
It was a season of debuts and farewells, with the most poignant moment reserved for Giorgio Armani’s final show—the last collection Armani designed before his passing this month. A collection full of restraint and muted colours, it underscored his commitment to signature, timeless designs.
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