While much of the Spring 2026 season felt lighter in tone, Milan’s standout shows didn’t shrink in impact. If anything, the pause between presentations gave designers room to deepen their storytelling and experiment with format—eschewing spectacle for intimacy, film for runway, and in many cases, play for polish.
This season, presentation became the playground. Whether it was Vivienne Westwood staging an outdoor caffetteria-turned-runway complete with gelato, or Setchu transforming a minimalist gallery into a quiet meditation on cultural fusion, designers leaned into setting and atmosphere to punctuate their ideas. Films, exhibitions, and deconstructed dialogues all found their place alongside the traditional catwalk. Across the board, there was a desire to connect—whether through tailoring, concept, or emotion.
Underpinning many collections was a deeper sensitivity—toward comfort, context, and climate. From the languid, bedroom-born elegance of Dolce & Gabbana to the kite-like aeration of Pronounce, the week embraced breathability as both design and philosophy. Designers leaned into gentler silhouettes, lighter fabrications, and looser codes of masculinity—suggesting that the Milan man of Spring 2026 doesn’t armor up, but softens down.
Prada led the week with a collection that reminded everyone of the power of restraint, bringing conceptual clarity and quiet strength to the fore. Pronounce delivered one of their strongest collections to date by transforming traditional Chinese kite construction into a breathable blueprint for summer style. Dolce & Gabbana took to the boudoir and turned it inside out, giving pyjamas a decadent update as daily dress. Meanwhile, Vivienne Westwood channeled modern dandyism with theatrical subversions that felt as personal as they did performative.
Rounding out the list, Setchu continued its poetic path of cross-cultural deconstruction, offering new expressions of function and form, while Dunhill shared the fifth spot thanks to its refined commitment to heritage updated for a modern man. Though less flashy than seasons past, these collections carried weight—showing that when designers choose to slow down, the results can land with lasting resonance.
Here are the Top 5 Fashion Shows from Milan Fashion Week’s Spring 2026 menswear season as chosen by The Impression’s Editor-in-Chief, Kenneth Richard–
5 (tie) – Dunhill
5 (tie) – Setchu
4 – Vivienne Westwood
3 – Dolce & Gabbana
2 – Pronounce
1 – Prada
