Published
June 12, 2026
Italy opens the menswear season amid a still highly uncertain climate, defined by a persistently complex economic and geopolitical backdrop. The programme features two unmissable events: Pitti Uomo, taking place from June 16–19 in Florence, followed by Milan Fashion Week from June 19–23. This season, the two showcases dedicated to the Spring–Summer 2027 collections once again bank on major international names to headline the bill, with Simone Rocha and Thom Browne to the fore.
For its 110th edition, Pitti Uomo announces 720 exhibitors, 44% from abroad- slightly up on the 700 in January 2026, but 30 fewer than the 750 in June 2025. The guest of honour, Simone Rocha’s show, is hotly anticipated. The Irish designer will show on June 18 at 5pm at the Teatro della Pergola, fusing her poetic vision- exploring recurring themes of Ireland, Hong Kong, art and family- with the city’s historic backdrop. Simone Rocha’s designs also feature in the fair’s “The Pool” campaign.
The world’s leading men’s fashion fair returns to the spotlight with four guest designers. Alongside Simone Rocha, Florence will host the Japanese brand DSM Kei Ninomiya- the first label under the Dover Street Market umbrella, designed by Kei Ninomiya, acclaimed for his conceptual approach and already at the helm of Noir Kei Ninomiya, his label nurtured under the aegis of Comme des Garçons; the South Korean brand JiyongKim, named after designer Jiyong Kim, already lauded by international critics after distinguishing himself among the top talents at the 2024 LVMH Prize; and, finally, Copenhagen-based Sunflower, which will stage a show-event on June 17 at 7pm on the terrace of the Teatro del Maggio Musicale.
International creativity will also be in the spotlight thanks to the confirmation of the “Code Korea” project, created in collaboration with the Korea Creative Content Agency; the J Quality presentations, which bring together the best of Japanese manufacturing excellence; and China Wave, which showcases the finest contemporary Chinese menswear selected by the China National Garment Association. There will also be a selection of Spanish brands promoted by ICEX, not to mention the French labels present thanks to the renewed collaboration between Promas French Menswear Fédération and DEFI. However, the Scandinavian Manifesto collective, organised in collaboration with the Danish CIFF trade show in Copenhagen, will not return; this time, CIFF has opted for a presentation-party in Milan during Men’s Fashion Week.
In addition, British designer William Palmer, fresh from winning the I:C Pitti Immagine Award at the latest edition of the ITS International Talent Support competition in Trieste, has been invited to this edition of Pitti Uomo. Palmer will present his collection “The Brief Exposure,” imbued with the typical humour of the British working class and a radical embrace of public exposure, with a special installation in the Sala delle Nazioni.
In this edition, Pitti Uomo is placing greater emphasis on AI. The fair is introducing Hyperscout, a new AI-based matchmaking service developed in partnership with the Dutch company of the same name. The system analyses data and interactions generated during recent editions of the fair to build accurate profiles of retailers and brands, suggesting strategic matches that create a network of profiled contacts rooted in each brand’s real DNA. In June, the advanced Hyperscout pilot will be available in preview to a select group of 200 exhibitors, who will be able to test features such as AI matchmaking, competitor discovery, and the exploration of new markets.
Additionally, at 10:00am on June 18, in the Sala della Scherma, the GOOS Index will be officially presented. This intelligence tool positions itself as the first structured index dedicated to mapping the entire sustainability supply chain in the fashion sector, bringing together over 1,000 organisations and 3,000 decision-makers from more than 70 countries, distributed across 10 categories that cover the entire fashion ecosystem.
At Pitti Uomo 110, the exhibition will be divided into five sections: Fantastic Classic (formal menswear), Futuro Maschile (contemporary, research-driven menswear), Dynamic Attitude (sports and streetwear), Superstyling (new genderless silhouettes and cuts), and I Go Out (progressive outdoor, blending fashion and lifestyle). In this edition, however, I Go Out undergoes a radical transformation, thanks to a collaboration with the avant-garde outdoor magazine Vanish. The result is “Outopia,” a visionary experience- at the Sala della Ronda- that explores the fusion of performance, fashion, and nature.
New names or returning brands at the fair include 030, Abarca Shoes, Bellwood, Bepositive, Born Outside, Castaner, Clabry, Colony Clothing, Danward, Dickies, Domozero, Frescobol Carioca x La Marzocco, Gazzarrini, Gogutsa, Guanabana Handmade, Harber London, Hestern, Kappy Design, Kavki, Ketta, Kimusso, Luca Faloni, Mappina Milano, Max’n Chester, Mayser, Mimir, Mismo, Mosso Sunwear, Murphy & Nye, Neude, One Node, Original Penguin, Outrails, Pampeano, Pier Sicilia, Piumha Studio, Private White V.C., Pro-Keds International, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Refrigiwear, Ses Palma, Signigt, Soarin, Soloio, Sombrero Life, Sundek, The White Briefs, VTR, Wax London, and Zifei Wang.
Milan Fashion Week, for its part, inevitably has a lower profile this season, clearly affected by the crisis, with 75 events (compared to 81 a year ago): 44 presentations, 15 events, and 16 shows (plus Ralph Lauren, staging a double show), in addition to seven digital shows broadcast on the final morning, June 23 (two more than the June 2025 edition), thus recording a slight quantitative decline but gaining in terms of the international significance of the individual shows.
The most prestigious and highly anticipated debut of this edition is that of Thom Browne, who makes his first appearance on the official Milan fashion show calendar on June 22 on Corso Venezia. Alongside him, Ralph Lauren (who will show on June 19 on Via San Barnaba) further cements Milan’s status as a crucial runway for the heavyweights of American fashion. Sir Paul Smith has also been confirmed. He will show at Viale Umbria 95 at 5pm on June 20.
With Zegna having opted for Malibu- after Dubai- to present its new summer collection in a défilé, and several brands choosing to unveil their men’s and women’s collections in co-ed format at Women’s Fashion Week in September, the Milan menswear calendar no longer features some of the big Made in Italy names. Remaining on the schedule are the Dolce & Gabbana show on the 20th at 12:30pm and Prada on June 21 at 2pm.
Giorgio Armani. Compared to June 2025- when the designer was forced to skip the in-person event while convalescing, leaving the stage to Leo Dell’Orco- June 22 marks a highly anticipated special initiative. For the first time, Pantaleo Dell’Orco and Silvana Armani will co-present the Giorgio Armani Men’s Spring/Summer 2027 collection, which will be accompanied by a selection from the Women’s Cruise line.
Making their debut on the runway calendar are the brands Garcias, a men’s fashion label founded by Colombian designer Nicolas Martin Garcia, whose style blends Latin, Italian, and American influences; Danish designer Martin Quad, from Copenhagen, with his blend of tradition, deconstruction, and innovation; and Japanese label Shinyakozuka, which creates “picturesque scenes” to wear. Notable among the presentations is the return to the calendar of historic Italian tailoring and fabric houses such as Caruso, Massimo Alba, and Piacenza 1733.
Notable absences compared to last year include the Portuguese brands David Catalán and Miguel Vieira, which last year staged physical shows thanks to CNMI’s support of the Sozzani Foundation, as well as Fiorucci and PDF, both very active in June 2025 with high-impact street shows and events, but which have opted for off-calendar strategies this season.
Before heading to Paris, the exhibitions “The Gentleman- Men’s Style and Jewellery” (Palazzo Morando), which traces the evolution of men’s aesthetics through the centuries by analysing jewellery as a status symbol, and “Giovanni Gastel. Rewind” (Palazzo Citterio), an unmissable tribute to the master of Italian fashion photography, are worth a look. Not to mention “Anselm Kiefer. The Alchemists” (Palazzo Reale) and “Cao Fei. Dash” (Fondazione Prada), two major contemporary art exhibitions that will serve as the backdrop for the influx of international guests and insiders.
A series of parties, open to the public or by invitation, will enliven the city as usual, including CIFF “Nordic Signatures” at 10 Corso Como, a special selection of Nordic fashion brands and designers. On June 19, the Breakfast Preview and the opening cocktail reception (by invitation, 6:00–9:00pm) will take place, while over the weekend of June 20 and 21, the Project Room will be fully open to the public. Another highlight is Laud End Praud- “Queer Cosmo”: on June 20, Base Milano (Via Tortona) will host this major multidisciplinary event open to the public, conceived by Vanadio23. Talks, performances, and DJ sets will culminate at 7:00pm with a collective show of capsule collections inspired by the planets (designed by Simon Cracker, Pecoranera, Bergie, and others).
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