The 5 best moments of Milan Fashion Week Women's SS26 The generational shift in industry begins in Milan

In a season where the truly outstanding shows were those of independent designers (Galib Gassanoff, Marco Rambaldi, and Francesco Murano were certainly the freshest) the news was dominated by the many debuts and plot twists that dotted the week. Farewells, rumors of upcoming departures, and eagerly awaited new creative directors dominated the collective mind of the industry at a time when one could hardly imagine a darker crisis. It can indeed be said that the entire week unfolded under the sign of Demna's Gucci, which brought to the city not only a rethinking of now stale orders but also a more theatrical and self-satisfied visual style – effectively a complete break from the quiet luxury the industry had settled into over the past seasons.

Here then are the 5 best moments of Milan Fashion Week Women's SS26

1. The new Versace

Did you like it or not? Regardless of how the show seemed to you, its purpose was twofold: to reset Versace's codes first and foremost and to elicit a reaction. Dario Vitale's debut seems to have been well-received by critics who were able to decode it and also by the more Internet-savvy members of the audience who recognized among the cast Agustìn della Corte from the Netflix series Olympo, and in the audience Wesley Glouchkov, one of the most famous fitness influencers online, wearing a backless t-shirt that will undoubtedly be a hit with his target audience. The rest of the Internet may have been taken aback by the collection's lack of glamour, perhaps by the strong color contrasts, or perhaps by the pants that so emphasized the models' "sensitive areas." But in any case, the goal was achieved: Versace has been reset, and the public is undoubtedly discussing it animatedly.

2. Louis Trotter reinterprets Bottega Veneta

At the opposite extreme of debuts, there was the new Bottega Veneta by Louise Trotter. With deep wisdom, Trotter decided not to abruptly cut ties with the past but to manage the transition with great grace. The difference between her eye and that of Mathieu Blazy was evident, but opting for a smooth and shock-free handover proved to be a winning choice. The polyester horsehair dresses were fascinating, as were the suede ensembles with matching bags. Hers was nonetheless a cumulative approach to the work of her predecessors: she built upon it without denying it. Those thirsty for novelty will have to wait for the next seasons, where Trotter will undoubtedly steer the brand toward even more personal territories.

3. Sunnei at auction

Loris Messina and Simone Rizzo are leaving Sunnei, and they announce it with a show organized like an auction where they are the ones being sold. The idea is brilliant, and the departure of the two from Sunnei is deeply regretted since for nearly a decade, they defined a certain type of "Milanese identity" as well as an era when their brand represented a popular novelty for Milanese Millennials. This show and the collection that accompanied it were, in essence, the best swan song we could have expected. However, it’s impossible not to notice that for some Milanese fashion lovers, with their creative direction, an era is coming to an end.

4. Miranda Priestly at Dolce&Gabbana

In a season where the links between fashion and cinema have grown ever tighter, with runway shows turning into film premieres, presentations becoming short films, and trailers announcing the next creative director debuts, Dolce&Gabbana brought reality and fiction together. In a plot twist already viral, Meryl Streep and Stanley Tucci arrived at the designers' show in the roles of Miranda Priestly and Nigel from The Devil Wears Prada, attending the runway as part of the film's shooting. A reality-fiction short circuit that has sent hype for the upcoming film release through the roof.

5. Farewell to Giorgio Armani

Giorgio Armani's funeral may have been held privately, but the show that closed yesterday's fashion week had the power and solemnity of the most sublime requiem mass. All the muses and big names from the past and present who had linked their names to Armani were present: from Richard Gere and Lauren Hutton to Cate Blanchett; even Dries Van Noten made an unexpected appearance, along with virtually the entire Milanese industry elite. Armani's last (posthumous) collection made us bitterly regret a genius who was revered in Milan but perhaps taken for granted: we were all convinced he would always be with us, that he would never leave. And now that he’s truly gone, there’s an unavoidable void. The farewell that fashion paid him, celebrating his last show, was worthy of a giant like him.