Milan: Made in Italy dazzles with Emporio Armani, Moschino and Roberto Cavalli

Milan Fashion Week, dedicated to women’s ready-to-wear for spring/summer 2026, cast the spotlight on the heavyweights of Made in Italy on Thursday. In the afternoon, following Max Mara and Prada, it was the turn of Emporio Armani, Moschino and Roberto Cavalli to make their voices heard, loud and clear. They delivered three major collections, each showcasing every facet of their talent, from delicacy and humour to a conceptual approach and opulence.

Emotions ran high at Emporio Armani. Backstage, Leo Dell’Orco, Giorgio Armani’s right-hand man, discreetly greeted a few guests. As the lights dimmed and the first models emerged, wearing the latest creations by the couturier, who passed away on September 4, the audience was swept up in the magic. A suspended moment, with the presence of “King Giorgio” palpable in the air.

For this final collection devoted to his younger line, the couturier imagined a distinctly summery wardrobe, all softness and finesse, with whisper-light outfits in sandy hues or bleached by the sun. The collection was cut with ethnic details, inviting journeys to faraway lands. Think Ikat fabrics, roomy, ankle-cinched harem trousers, kimono-style fastenings and obi belts, crocheted raffia caps, nomadic bags and slippers reminiscent of Arabian babouches.

Redingotes, airy pyjama sets, small coats in greige linen, long skirts in ultra-light crinkled cotton, openwork knits, diaphanous dresses in silk, chiffon or crêpe cascading along the body, satin short suits and other sheer tops made up this elegant collection designed for the heat. Everything exuded lightness and comfort.

Jackets and tops were slit vertically at the back, while loose, flowing or baggy trousers completed the wardrobe. And let’s not forget the gilet, the season’s centrepiece, offered in various versions, including a sexy, low-cut top for evening. After dark, the Emporio woman shedded the jacket to go without a top, wearing only a bra or a bikini top sparkling with rhinestones.

Huge, hand-held straw hats and belts made of leather cords or braided rope completed the quintessentially Armani silhouette. As the models took a final lap of the catwalk, hands joined in applause, the entire room rose to its feet for a long ovation.

“Niente”: This is the title of the sixth collection designed by Adrian Appiolaza for Moschino. The word was simply displayed on a white T-shirt. How do you make something new out of nothing, or almost nothing, using only what already exists? For next summer, the designer delved deeper into this essential question for today’s fashion, drawing inspiration, among other things, from Arte Povera, the Italian art movement of the 1960s, whose anarchic and ironic spirit he channels.

With this in mind, the designer recycled anything and everything, as evidenced, among other whimsical touches, by gift boxes stacked on a model’s head and worn as a hat.

Beyond the trompe-l’œil effects and the expected patchwork looks—such as a dress composed of end-of-roll strips from different fabrics, a skirt displaying old shorts and colourful T-shirts compressed and fixed like an abstract canvas, or a ruffled coat created by amassing a myriad of beige-hued textile samples—the designer worked across several registers.

Starting with humour, which he handles so deftly, particularly when it comes to accessories. In this collection, every object fit to become the next “It bag”. Think an iron pot, a beach bucket, a brick, or even a Kraft paper parcel bearing the Moschino logo and stamped ‘fragile’. Also worth noting was a delightful clutch illuminated by a jovial “Ciao!” in neon pink, and punchy hedgehog sandals covered in rubber spikes.

References to Arte Povera are numerous. First and foremost in the neutral palette, which dominated the collection with minimalist outfits in shades of beige and brown, recalling the colours of cardboard or hessian, materials characteristic of the era’s artists for their collages. There was also newspaper, which appeared here, crumpled, in a pair of trousers, as well as in a dress and a shirt. A very chic suit with a tight, mid-length skirt was cut from large sacks usually used to transport goods.

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A radical change of style at Roberto Cavalli, which rounds off the third day of Milan Fashion Week in style with a vibrant, high-shine collection. This season, creative director Fausto Puglisi took his inspiration from gold, whose gleam suffuses the collection. From the mini-dress crocheted in metallic gold thread, to the tight-fitting look in laminated stretch, to the peplum dress in pleated lamé, the wardrobe sparkles with myriad reflections.

Fil coupé, dévoré, coated lace, liquid jersey, shimmering fabrics, and three-dimensional jacquards, the designer did not stint on precious materials to craft regal looks, with a nod to Antiquity.

Silhouettes were fluid, light and sensual, alive with shimmering effects. Even lace shirts and python trousers glinted with gold. The result was a flamboyant collection that sparkled from every angle.