A Serenade to Paris
Review of Magliano Fall 2026 Men’s Fashion Show
By Angela Baidoo
In the notes accompanying Luca Magliano’s first show in Paris recognition was paid to the ‘Elegance of the Provincia’ translated to mean the outskirts in Italian. Summing up the essence of Magliano for anyone still unfamiliar with the brand.
From the very beginning the designer’s eye for eclectic wardrobe staples has stood on the peripherals of wearability (when taken at face value), ever since his first collection for spring 2022. Twisted trouser waistbands, towel skirts, and inside-out outerwear marked the designer out for his bravery in pushing for a new way to think about ‘Made In Italy’. Which it must be concluded comes partly from his independence as a brand, so long may it continue.
THE COLLECTION
THE VIBE
Method in the Mix, Analogue, Unplugged from Expectation
Opening proceedings was a hypnotic whistle performance (an analogue show soundtrack that feels like a foreign concept in 2026) representing the shows ‘Unplugged’ theme. An Instagram post of the musical sheets with a hand-written note by composer Aase Nielsen read “Ideas can be repeated…Ideas can be whistled at any time.” Tying in with Magliano’s own assertion that this sound should frame his fall collection for the way it “articulates something intimate as it comes from within, and in the same ‘breath’ can have collective reverberations that carry the sound, and ideas, further than expected.
Consistently speaking of updating what we think of when the term ‘Made in Italy’ is uttered, this teetering on the outside edges has enabled the designer the space to create a brand that can’t be pinned down. Calling it a ‘Visual crasis (mix in Greek)’ that rejects palatable design ideals, this collection was a combination of wardrobe staples ‘infatuated’ with cinematic gesture. In his past work classic tailoring and decorative knit ‘wardrobe staples’ have also featured, but for example, the latter from fall 2025 was deliberately made dusty then overlaid as a contrast with diamond-shaped Swarovski crystals. For clothes that look and feel worn-in, not out, there is always a clear distinction for the designer.
Magliano’s work can sometimes be misconstrued as overly complicated or sobering, due to his sustained use of a thoughtful, muted palette (which some may read as sombre), as well as the pushing and pulling of form to offer a new function. The new luxury of Made in Italy is ‘rough and agitated’ according to the designer, renouncing the past few seasons of accepting it as best consumed silently. Referring to trousers as disobedient, the waistbands are twisted to almost ‘strangle’ the wearer. Polyester is redirected into a complex structure mimicking shearling. Asymmetric off-the-shoulder knits feature bunched-up sleeve hems and necklines, while the proportions of jackets slip southwards. And gestures around the waist – an undone buckle, a sweater wrapped around a belt, and double-gathered detail on a utility jacket – work together to become new sartorial suggestions for the everyday Italian.
A white suit closing the show was deliberately dusty and pre-soiled, a detail seen at Prada only a week earlier. Here it was less of a gimmick and more in keeping with the mission to create clothes that urgently need to stand out if they are to continue serving a purpose in what all will acknowledge is an overcrowded market for emerging talent.
THE DIRECTION
THE QUOTE
We wanted to recreate intimacy. And we wanted also to do a serenade to Paris. We want to be loved by Paris somehow. So, we wanted to offer something romantic, but without the use of language, going beyond the language battle. This is where the whistle came in.
Luca Magliano, Creative Director, Magliano
THE WRAP UP
In Luca Magliano’s unplugged world, the designer has decided to go analogue. Presenting a collection that will resonate with those who live offline and in the real-world.
Tired of slick, glossy takes on the sartorial, the designers commitment to reframe ‘Made in Italy’ – a term loaded with deep rooted connotations of perfection, quality, and craftsmanship, as well as the upholding of traditional ideals around what constitutes ‘good design’ – has meant challenging convention through thoughtful agitation. This will keep Magliano’s character-driven clothes in the conversation whenever we consider where the future of Italian fashion lies.
