Milan Fashion Week commenced today with a lineup of 186 events, including 54 live runway shows, signaling a period of creative renewal for the Italian fashion industry. A key focus of the week will be the debuts of several new creative directors, including Maria Grazia Chiuri at Fendi and Demna Gvasalia at Gucci.
Maria Grazia Chiuri will present her first collection for Fendi tomorrow at 2:00 PM local time. This marks her return to the brand, following a significant period at Dior. Simultaneously, the fashion world anticipates Demna Gvasalia’s inaugural runway show for Gucci, scheduled for February 25th, as reported by Reuters. This event is particularly noteworthy as it represents a major shift for both the designer and the iconic Italian fashion house.
Alongside these high-profile debuts, Meryll Rogge will also present her first collection for Marni on Thursday. Izumi Ogino will debut at Anteprima, while Silvana Armani and Leo Dell’Orco will co-design Emporio Armani’s show. The week also features the arrival of Pieter Mulier at Alaïa, as noted in recent industry reports.
The Milan Fashion Week schedule includes both established houses and emerging designers. Newcomers Casa Preti, Max Zara Sterk, Simon Cracker, Notify The Truth and Venerdì Pomeriggio will present live shows, while Edis Pala, I Am Isigo, Ivan Delogu Senses, and Uni Form will showcase their collections digitally. Act N°1, Fila, and Gcds, celebrating its tenth anniversary, are also returning to the calendar.
Carlo Capasa, president of the CNMI-Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, emphasized the significance of this season, stating that the February 2026 Milan Fashion Week represents “a phase of great creative renewal, marked by debuts, new brands and important changes in the artistic directions.” He further highlighted the event’s connection to the upcoming Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Games, positioning fashion as a bridge between culture and international dialogue.
Beyond the runway shows, presentations will feature brands such as Afraa, Alberta Ferretti, Alice Yu, and Avavav. Palazzo Morando will host Fashion Hub, a platform dedicated to emerging creatives, with support from the MAECI-Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale and Agenzia ICE. Curated by Sara Sozzani Maino, Fashion Hub will showcase collections from designers including Cavia, Dennj, and Lapacifico.