5 things to expect from Milan Fashion Week FW26 Women's Looking forward to another week of big debuts
With the Milan Cortina Olympics behind us and the Sanremo Festival about to begin, this Fashion Week will have to roll up its sleeves to earn the attention of the press and insiders. Fortunately, it can count on the participation of brands and designers everyone is talking about, such as Demna at Gucci or Meryll Rogge, the new creative director of Marni. With the certainty that this time fashion insiders will head home earlier than usual - Sanremo has encouraged many brands to show during daytime hours - Milan is preparing to kick off an alternative Fashion Week. One in which, hopefully, new talents will be able to find the right space to shine.
Here, then, are 5 things to expect from Milan Fashion Week FW26 Women's.
Major debuts
Three of the most relevant names in Italian fashion are ready to welcome a new era. Fendi, after Silvia Venturini Fendi’s farewell to the atelier, is now in the hands of Maria Grazia Chiuri, who will try to bring some of the magic she managed to evoke at Dior to Rome; Marni, which has now said goodbye to the exhilarating imagination of former creative director Francesco Risso, is now entrusted to Belgian designer Meryll Rogge; finally, Gucci has already discovered Demna’s imagery, but this time it will be seen applied on the runway. In short, let’s get ready.
The semifinalists
The LVMH Prize, one of the most coveted awards for young designers worldwide, includes among its semifinalists this year two designers who will present at Milan Fashion Week. The first is Luca Lin, founder and creative director of ACT N1; the second is Galib Gassanoff, founder and creative director of Institution. Both gender-fluid and both rooted in an extremely practical approach to design, Lin and Gassanoff have been named among the twenty most relevant emerging designers of 2026.
Louise Trotter’s second act
The first collection by Louise Trotter for Bottega Veneta left everyone speechless. Especially because, as the first show post-Matthieu Blazy, expectations were extremely high for the British designer. Exuberant textures, bright colors, and stunning accessories lit up the runway last September, announcing the arrival of a creative director with very clear goals for the House of Intrecciato. We eagerly await discovering the second chapter of Trotter’s creative direction at Bottega Veneta.
A new arrival
Lace, bows, and a small pink and blue paper house are the only clues shared by Venerdì Pomeriggio ahead of its debut at Milan Fashion Week. The brand, created by former Vivetta founder and creative director Vivetta Ponti, is genderless and draws inspiration from the world of interior design to evoke a sense of intimacy and authenticity in every capsule. The project also aims for full sustainability, producing in Italy exclusively using deadstock materials.
Marco Rambaldi’s active fashion
Every season, Marco Rambaldi manages to establish his name within Italian fashion. The fusion of crochet craftsmanship and punk imagination has made the brand an icon for new generations, although one of Rambaldi’s most interesting qualities is his constant activism on the runway. From casting choices to graphics, from the show’s creative direction to the designer’s own public stances, Marco Rambaldi’s shows always have the power to feel current and authentic.
