Milan Fashion Week SS26: Cavalli, Armani, Max Mara & More

How is it already the third full day of Milan Fashion Week! Crazy. Today is stacked with so many world famous fashion houses including Max Mara, Emporio Armani, Prada, Roberto Cavalli , Boss, and emerging designer Francesco Murano.

By the time I woke up this morning both Max Mara and Boss had already done their collections so I had to catch up immediately! Starting with Max Mara below...

Max Mara - September 25 @9:30am

Max Mara served up a treat this morning! Wow. Ian Griffiths delivered 47 crazily beautiful and crafted Ready-to-Wear looks!

The collection carried a cohesive and restrained neutral palette: beige, black, white, cream, and browns. It worked incredibly well. However some of the looks played with muted floral prints such as one kimono style coat (Look 9 - below) in a baby blue and white floral print which was beautiful. 

All models wore a beehive-style hairdo with a black headband, and makeup was very natural; the focus was clearly on the clothes. Even the footwear was kept casual - sandals, mules and flip-flop vibes - perfect for Spring/Summer! Of course the accessories were also pretty minimal which helped translate the collection from day to night or night to day. 

The clothes themselves were stunning. The first seven looks were office-wear-meets-brunch, with bespoke tailoring and accentuated silhouettes, there were puffed sleeves, cinched waists, and the classic elastic waistband shown throughout. 

Look 4

Look 4 (left) stood out the most for me, a perfectly fitted beige suit I’d 100% wear to an office. Wide-leg trousers, a cinched blazer, and a black base layer peeking through the sleeves that gave it depth. The flip-flops helped downplay the look, along with a casual black bag. It was so beautifully crafted!

Alex Consani (above) closed the show in a textured two-piece featuring a show-stopping (literally) skirt/trouser hybrid bottom and a cropped, cape-esque cardigan top. The waist was out, the figure on show, and an elasticated black waistband was placed on the stomach, perhaps to disrupt the silhouette and formalise the two pieces. It was event-ready but could easily be dressed down if separated. 

The collection was very much Max Mara, simplistic and elevated basics done in such a unique and tasteful way. That's the only way I can describe it! Brilliant use of creative freedom, very much wishing each piece wasn’t in the thousands. 

See the full collection here - https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2026-ready-to-wear/max-mara/slideshow/collection

Boss - September 25 @11:30am 

65 looks by Marco Falcioni. This collection was superb. I’ve said that many times during Milan Fashion week, but if it deserves it it deserves it! The collection was classic, modern and elegant in such a way that I kept being surprised by how chic and smooth the collection was flowing. The menswear flowed seamlessly side by side with the womenswear. Both complimenting one another, if you saw a couple both step out in head to toe SS26 Boss you would think they were the coolest couple ever. 

Boss’s SS26 was a masterclass in refined elegance, it was quiet luxury - with a bit of an edge. Under Marco Falcioni’s eye, the collection was a balance between polished tailoring and subtle surprise. 

The fabrics were so luxurious with crisp cottons, lightweight wools, and softly draped silks which very much dominated. Some pieces carried a faint sheen, but nothing tacky; it was all a muted and understated affair. The fabrics were all layered, textures intertwined as smooth panels were juxtaposed with pleats or darts, the tailoring was so precise and calculated with unstructured shoulders and sleek seams that allowed for movement.

Prints weren’t even visible, other than a few stripes, the few prints that appear feel as though they belong: quiet, elegant, barely there. It was the layering and accessorising that stole the show. 

My favourite look was 100% Look 53 (below) which featured a washed lilac corset style top, sheen silk waist element as well as black and orange belt, and wide leg brown trousers. Paired with a recurring highlight of the show - a head scarf. Tied neatly at the side. It was absurdly elegant, I need this exact ensemble immediately! 

Look 53

Most looks leaned solid or tone-on-tone, letting the styling and silhouette take the lead. The colour story is classic Boss: a well-curated neutrals palette. Black, ivory, beige, soft camel, touches of chalky white and light putty tones. Occasionally a deeper taupe or muted cocoa anchored a look, but nothing bright or overpowering.

From first to last look, the collection feels wholly coherent. The consistency in palette, cut, and material means you could mix nearly any two pieces and they’d converse. The understated tailoring vocabulary, blazer, trouser, dress - the core pieces we all wear - Boss nailed the classics this season.

It felt like the wardrobe of someone who knows how to live: work, dinner, travel, everything. SS26 Boss offers clothes you want to live in. It’s not flashy, but it’s never dull. 

See the full collection here - https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2026-ready-to-wear/hugo-boss/slideshow/collection

Emporio Armani - September 25 @3pm

Look 84

Following the recent passing of Giorgio Armani, many were left with complex emotions watching what marks his final direct influence on the fashion world. The Emporio Armani SS26 show debuted earlier today, while the Giorgio Armani runway is set to take place on Sunday 28th September at 7pm.

The 85-look Emporio collection featured refined tailoring, flawless silhouettes, and unexpected pops of colour. Closing with embellished mini dresses and skirts in soft lilac and faded pale blue with monochromatic beading that was delicate, yet eye -catching. The collection was successfully aimed at appealing to the younger audience Emporio Armani speaks to. It was clever, fresh, and perfectly Spring / Summer. 

I’ll be saving my full analysis until after the Giorgio Armani collection is released, as a way to honour his brilliant, creative mind one last time through both of his namesake labels.

See the full collection here - https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2026-ready-to-wear/emporio-armani/slideshow/collection

Francesco Murano - September 25 @ 7pm 

Murano is well known for his masterful knowledge of technical precision and his clever eye for elegance. He has dressed some amazingly impressive celebrities, including Beyoncé. I had complete faith he would bring exactly what he is good at this season, and that he did. 

The entire 27 look collection remained exactly his niche, refined elegance, there was a miniscule colour palette including mainly white and black with a few neutral tones sprinkled in. Each piece was luxurious and oozed opulence. Every look was sophisticatedly sculpted and moved very fluidly as the models graced the runway.

Every look held a clean silhouette, constructed in light, sheer materials with soft drapery which was occasionally offset with sharp tailoring in jackets or trousers. (Look 25 & 26) Monochrome hues dominated, with blacks, whites and muted neutrals underscored by subtle structure and volume shifts. The collection’s strength lay in contrast: between rigidity and flow, minimalism and detail, classic shapes and new forms.

Overall, Murano delivered a refined, cohesive vision that felt thoughtful, wearable, and quietly confident - a promising step forward for his emerging name.

See the full collection here - https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2026-ready-to-wear/francesco-murano/slideshow/collection

Roberto Cavalli - September 25 @8pm 

Look 27

I was excited to see what Fausto Puglisi had in store this season, and as a self-proclaimed gold girl, I’d now like to personally thank him for channelling my dreams into one hell of a collection. It was fiercely feminine, powerful, and unapologetically gold.

The 40-look collection offered a wide variety of silhouettes, but each look shared three core elements: strong, eye-catching shapes, a tight and cohesive gold-toned palette, and an undeniable elegance. Roberto Cavalli has had such a powerful comeback since Puglisi stepped in as Creative Director.

Models walked out onto a glitter-lined floor that stretched up the walls and across the entire catwalk - a setup that mirrored the central colour theme and instantly set the tone. A few of the looks used a material I’m personally not a fan of - that crinkled gold tin-foil looking fabric. It’s shiny and, more often than not, looks tacky. 

That said, Look 4 worked surprisingly well: a long maxi dress with black lace detailing that gave the fabric some needed contrast and depth. But just a few looks later, Look 7 transported me right back to my usual dislike with a gold trench and jumpsuit combo that felt cheap and costume-y. Hated it. There were a handful of other “filler” looks, using that same solid gold fabric that just felt underdone.

But when the gold hit, it really hit. If the garment - whether dress, trousers, belt, blazer, trench, blouse, necklace, or shoe, wasn’t entirely gold, it was threaded with gold, appliquéd in gold, beaded in gold, or accessorised in it. You get the gist.

My favourite looks: 2, 4, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 24, 25, 27, 28,  29, 33, 36, 39 

Some silhouettes felt very 80s-inspired -  especially Look 27 (above), one of my absolute favourites. A striped gold floaty shirt, semi-tucked into flared trousers, cinched with a wide gold belt featuring a big buckle. The fabric had this stunning sheen that feels floaty and mysterious in the best way. It’s unique, luxurious, and dramatic. I’m obsessed (though I imagine silver lovers may feel differently).

These floaty shirt-and-trouser combos were a staple of the collection - always belted, always fabulous. I also adored the gold-wash denim jeans in Look 15 (left) and their sister, Look 16: crisp white trousers detailed with a muted golden leopard print. The collection was impressively cohesive from start to finish.

However craftsmanship really shone through with the gowns. My personal favourite? Look 28 (above!) A black sheer long-sleeve dress, completely covered in gold lace-style detailing. The gold strands dripping from the wrists were breathtaking. There’s panelling, a tie-up detail, an open back… it's my dream dress. Other honourable mentions go to Look 39, which featured heavy gold embellishment with silver branch-like accents, and Look 40,  a floaty, minimal champagne-tinted silk gown that closed the show with quiet glamour.

I think you get the idea. As a gold girl, this collection spoke volumes to me. From the moment the show began, and as I scrolled through, realising no other colours were coming - I was speechless. Not many designers can pull off a fully monochromatic collection, and while there were a few misses, the majority was pure gold perfection. I want more.

See the full collection here - https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2026-ready-to-wear/roberto-cavalli/slideshow/collection

What's to come -

What a day! Prada, Max Mara, Boss, Emporio Armani, Francesco Murano, and Roberto Cavalli all delivered standout collections, and that’s why they made it into this post. Prada even deserved its own blog post, which I highly recommend if you want a deep dive into Miuccia’s latest innovations with Raf Simons.

I was genuinely impressed by today’s talent, and honestly a little overwhelmed trying to capture it all - but it was too good not to share! I hope you enjoyed the roundup and maybe even learned something new. Tomorrow promises a quieter schedule, with Blumarine and Tod’s catching my eye, so we can pace ourselves before the next big fashion wave hits on Saturday!

With love,

Mimi x