From Prada’s intellectual archaeology to Zegna’s generational storytelling and Ralph Lauren’s triumphant Milan return, Milan Fashion Week Men’s A/W 2026 proved that impact is not defined by volume — but by vision
Despite a notably lean schedule — largely due to several Italian powerhouses such as Gucci and Fendi opting for co-ed shows — Milan Fashion Week Men’s Autumn/Winter 2026 delivered one of its most thoughtful editions in recent memory.
Rather than spectacle for spectacle’s sake, the season unfolded as a meditation on inheritance, transformation, memory and modern masculinity. From brands questioning how much of the past should be preserved, to others celebrating the sheer pleasure of dressing, Milan proved once again that menswear remains its intellectual stronghold.
Here, we round up the standout shows of Milan Fashion Week Men’s A/W 2026, witnessed runway-side as they happened.
Zegna A/W 2026: Fashion as Inheritance
Few shows captured the emotional core of the season as powerfully as Zegna.
This season carried symbolic weight: on 1 January, Edoardo and Angelo Zegna, fourth-generation members of the founding family, became co-CEOs of the house established more than a century ago by Ermenegildo Zegna.
Creative director Alessandro Sartori mirrored this generational shift through a deeply personal runway.
The Set
Milan’s Palazzo del Ghiaccio was transformed into an immense dressing room, complete with towering wardrobes filled not with costumes — but with garments from the real wardrobes of Gildo Zegna and his cousin Paolo Zegna.
The result was a living archive.
The Collection
Models emerged Narnia-style from closets, wearing looks defined by nostalgic ease and contemporary refinement:
- Heritage tweeds and Shetland wool
- Mohair gabardine in browns, anthracite greys and blacks
- Accents of sapphire blue and mustard yellow
Outerwear dominated:
- Roomy boxy overcoats with reduced double-breasted fastenings
- Suede utility jackets with a subtle 1970s spirit
Sartori described the collection as dégagé — effortless yet intentional.
“A garment is a vessel for memories,” he said. “Something that can be kept, reused and reinterpreted for generations.”
Zegna’s A/W 2026 collection was not just fashion — it was family history woven into fabric.
Prada A/W 2026: Archaeology of the Future
At Prada, co-creative directors Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons asked one of the most urgent questions of our time:
What do we keep from the past — and what must we leave behind?
A Concept of ‘Evolution, Not Erasure’
Simons described the collection as a form of archaeology — peeling back layers to uncover beauty worth preserving.
The OMA-designed set resembled a sliced Italian palazzo, hovering between destruction and reconstruction — a visual metaphor for the times we inhabit.
Runway Highlights
Prada reimagined menswear archetypes:
- The businessman’s shirt
- The double-breasted suit
- The raincoat
These were transformed through:
- Supersized cuffs layered beneath razor-slim tailoring
- Mackintosh coats with colourful overlays
- Sou’wester hats matched to outerwear
The political undertone was unmistakable.
“It’s an uncomfortable moment,” said Mrs Prada. “Who knows the future? So you must decide what to keep — and what you can transform.”
Prada A/W 2026 stood as one of the most intellectually rigorous collections of the season.
Paul Smith A/W 2026: The Archive Reawakened
At his Milan headquarters, Paul Smith delivered what many editors agreed was his strongest show in years.
The catalyst? A renewed dialogue with his own archive — over 5,000 garments housed in Nottingham — viewed through the eyes of his new head of menswear design, Sam Cotton.
Key Influences
- Late-1990s inside-out tailoring
- 1980s power shoulders
- New Romantic tricorne hats
- Botanical prints and glass bag charms
References ranged from corporate tailoring to Jean Cocteau’s surreal romanticism.
As Smith — who turns 80 this year — took his bow, the mood was celebratory. The message was clear: heritage doesn’t age when curiosity remains alive.
Setchu A/W 2026: A New Voice in Milan
Emerging talent remains rare in Milan — which made Setchu one of the week’s most vital presences.
Designed by Satoshi Kuwata, the Kyoto-born, Milan-based 2023 LVMH Prize winner, the show unfolded inside his new studio lined with tatami sleeping mats.
Japanese heritage surfaced through:
- Woven straw sliders and booties
- Basket-like textures
- Experimental garment construction
Setchu continues to bridge Japanese precision with Italian tailoring, offering Milan a refreshing new creative dialect.
Giorgio Armani A/W 2026: Legacy in Motion
The closing show of Milan Fashion Week Men’s carried exceptional emotion.
It was the first Giorgio Armani menswear show since the designer’s death in September, and the solo debut of Leo Dell’Orco, longtime head of menswear style at the Armani Group.
The Collection
Rather than reinvention, the collection embraced evolution:
- Lustrous collarless silk suiting
- Oversized trench coats
- Fluid tuxedos adorned with crystal brooches
The house described its signature cangiante silk — shimmering and ever-changing — as a metaphor for continuity through transformation.
A standout leather flight jacket, worn by Kit Butler, echoed the relaxed proportions of Armani’s 1980s archive — proving how modern the designer’s language remains.
When Dell’Orco took his bow, visibly emotional, the audience rose in applause.
Ralph Lauren Returns to Milan After 20 Years
One of the season’s most talked-about moments came from Ralph Lauren, who returned to Milan for the first time in two decades.
Rather than a spectacle, the designer opted for intimacy — hosting a salon-style presentation inside Palazzo Ralph Lauren, a historic Milanese villa.
The Vision
Shown back-to-back:
- Polo Ralph Lauren
- Ralph Lauren Purple Label
The collection explored:
- Preppy Americana
- Ranch-inspired workwear
- Old Hollywood evening tailoring
- Patched and repaired denim — now enjoying a street-style revival
Styled eclectically, looks often merged multiple worlds into one.
“I was drawn to tradition,” Lauren said, “but never bound by it.”
Closed by Tyson Beckford in tuxedo, cowboy hat and hiking boots, the message was unmistakable: Ralph Lauren remains timeless because it refuses to stand still.
Key Trends from Milan Fashion Week Men’s A/W 2026
- Heritage Reimagined: Archives used as inspiration, not limitation
- Generational Storytelling: Family legacies at Zegna and Armani
- Soft Power Tailoring: Relaxed silhouettes replacing rigidity
- Intellectual Menswear: Political and cultural reflection at Prada
- Craft & Longevity: Clothing designed to last, not expire
Milan Fashion Week Men’s A/W 2026 may have been lean in numbers — but it was rich in meaning.
In a moment defined by uncertainty, designers turned inward: to memory, inheritance, archives and identity. The result was a season less about trends, and more about why fashion matters at all.
From Prada’s philosophical interrogation to Zegna’s emotional lineage and Ralph Lauren’s warm nostalgia, Milan reminded the industry that menswear’s future lies not in erasing the past — but in understanding it.
“From generational legacies to modern reinvention, Milan Fashion Week Men’s A/W 2026 showed that the strongest fashion statements are the ones built to last.”
