Milan is getting ready to turn the heads of broke starlets and cash-strapped actresses eyeing their next Mercedes. So grab your sunglasses and your best jaded stare: Milan Fashion Week is back from September 23 to 29, and this edition promises to be as chaotic as a fashionista’s wardrobe during an existential crisis.
Between a cascade of highly anticipated debuts and Giorgio Armani’s 50th anniversary (yes, already!), it’ll be hard to keep up. Let’s hope Pinault is kind enough to lend us his jet again only for the right journalists, of course. By the way, I was the only one on board last time.
Brace yourself for a tsunami of new faces at the helm of major houses!
Dario Vitale is landing at Versace, Simone Bellotti takes the wheel at Jil Sander, Louise Trotter shows up at Bottega Veneta, and chic surprise Demna is swapping Balenciaga for Gucci. Yes, that Demna, with his post-apocalyptic-sociological aesthetic, is unpacking his bags in Italy.
His first Gucci show? September 23 at exactly 7 p.m. Well… more of an artsy teaser than a full runway show a “Hey, it’s me” moment while waiting for the big March reveal. At Gucci, everything’s hush-hush radio silence and sideways glances galore.
Versace, minus the bling:
No glitter, no runway for Vitale this season. His arrival is set to be low-key, more “private café therapy” than glitzy spectacle. As a result, the brand is playing shy and skipping the official schedule.
Louise Trotter, always Bottega-cool, is set to show on September 28 at 5 p.m. (earlier than usual because, why not), while Bellotti makes his debut at Jil Sander on the morning of the 24th enough to wake even the most exhausted fashionistas.
Marni, freshly handed over to Meryll Rogge, is playing it under-the-radar this season: no show, just secret appointments in a showroom. But don’t worry, Rogge plans a proper runway comeback in February for Fall 2026.
In Paris, too, everything’s up in the air:
New creative directors everywhere Chanel, Balenciaga, Loewe, Mugler, Margiela, Dior… Even Jean Paul Gaultier is winking at us from the archives. It’s hard to know where to look (or strut).
The king turns 50 (career-wise):
At 91, Giorgio Armani shows no signs of slowing down. For his 50th career anniversary, he’s ditching his usual sleepy Sunday morning slot for an exceptional evening show on September 28 in the elegant courtyard of Palazzo Brera. Yes, really.
As a bonus, a retrospective of 150 archival looks will be on display at the Brera Art Gallery a first for this museum, which usually leans more toward canvas than couture. And since all of that deserves a free evening, the Sustainable Fashion Awards have been pushed to Saturday.
– Emporio Armani will run a double show on September 25.
– The London-based Knwls girls hit the scene on the 24th at 8 p.m.
– Indian designer Dhruv Kapoor shifts from menswear to womenswear—because why choose.
– The Attico returns for its one and only show of the year on the 26th.
– Boss does the same on the 25th.
Comebacks? Stella Jean, Calcaterra, and Federico Cina are making theirs. Philipp Plein, on the other hand, is skipping class at least for now.
Fendi celebrates its 100th birthday and doesn’t want to pick sides: men + women = a single co-ed show, still under Silvia Venturini Fendi’s direction.
Prada, as always, stays faithful to its 2 p.m. time slot on the 25th. Max Mara, Ferrari, Alberta Ferretti, and Roberto Cavalli are also on board. In short: get your (luxury) sneakers ready your calendar’s about to blow up.
FM