Last season, Paris was the epicentre of the debut; this time, it is the turn of Milan, which will see three major firsts over the course of the city’s fashion week, which begins today (25 February 2026). At Fendi, Maria Grazia Chiuri will make her debut as creative director of Fendi after departing Dior last March (there, she was the first woman to head up the Parisian house). The appointment marks a homecoming of sorts: the Italian designer began her career at Fendi, working in the accessories department for a decade after joining in 1989, before heading to Valentino. She takes over from Silvia Venturini Fendi, who oversaw the house’s mens- and womenswear collections after the exit of Kim Jones in October 2024.
Meanwhile at Gucci, former Balenciaga designer Demna will hold his first runway show for the Italian house, following a star-studded short film shown last season as an introduction to his tenure. Taking place on Friday, expect the same sort of spectacle which defined his time at Balenciaga, where runway shows took place in whirling snow globes, mud-filled pits, or a surreal reimagining of the European Parliament. Finally, at Marni, Belgian designer Meryll Rogge will take over from Francesco Risso, showing on Thursday.
Elsewhere, expect the usual roster of Italian megabrands, from Giorgio Armani and Max Mara to Bottega Veneta and Prada, who will all show over the course of the week. Here, the Wallpaper* editors on the ground will be offering a real-time look at the highlights of Milan Fashion Week A/W 2026 – from behind-the-scenes glimpses to access to the shows, presentations and parties. Stay tuned.
Jack Moss is Wallpaper’s Fashion & Beauty Features Director, reporting for the magazine’s digital and print editions – from international runway shows to profiling the style world’s leading figures.
Jason Hughes is Wallpaper’s Fashion & Creative Director, overseeing all style content – from fashion and beauty to watches and jewellery – as well as leading the visual direction of the magazine.
India is a writer and editor based in London, specialising in fashion, beauty, arts, interiors and culture. She is a regular Wallpaper* contributor.
Moncler Grenoble presents The Beyond Performance Exhibit
While the style set was still at London Fashion Week, Milan was at the tail end of its spell hosting this year’s Olympic Winter Games – at Moncler Grenoble the two worlds collide in spectacular fashion. Weeks on from unveiling its A/W 2026 collection in Aspen, Colorado, Moncler Grenoble have once again taken the mountain to Milan – transforming a typical Milanese courtyard at the Portrait Milano Hotel into a tranquil alpine trail for its Beyond Performance Exhibit. Before becoming the last word in designer collaborations, the brand started life crafting technical performance-wear for life and work on the slopes, a legacy the Grenoble collection continues today. The display features a selection of ski suits and accessories, as well as numerous iterations of their signature, perennially useful, puffer jackets. India Jarvis
At Jil Sander, Simone Bellotti channels the idea of ‘home’
Opening Milan Fashion Week this morning, Simone Bellotti returned to Jil Sander’s Milanese headquarters to show his sophomore collection for the brand (his debut last season saw the former Bally creative director return to the Gabellini Sheppard-designed space). For A/W 2026, the sparse white-walled space had been transformed by a rust-coloured carpet – a nod to the collection’s thematic starting point, the idea of ‘home’ (‘welcome home, where it all begins,’ started the accompanying notes).
Channelling the idea of ‘an emotional space where one lives, feels safe and belongs to’, and soundtracked by a Chiara Barzini poem on home read by Kim Gordon, it led to a highly desirable collection which moved away from the severe rigour and restraint of last season with clothing that was about ‘flow, flou [and] movement’. This was largely achieved through intriguing pattern-cutting, whereby curved seams disrupted and puckered tailoring and outerwear, while leather skirts were sliced down their front or folded at the waistline.
Elsewhere, flashes of colour and pattern (from electric blue to leopard print) met fabrics evocative of interiors, inspired by Bellotti’s father’s career as an upholsterer. The designer said he wanted the clothing to feel like it had an ‘agency of its own’: ‘the question this season is whether abandon can convey restraint’. Jack Moss
