milano fashion week

Milano Fashion Week fur debate: activism, heritage and the youth paradox

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While activists push for elimination, younger consumers rediscover fur


The Milano Fashion Week fur debate intensified during the Fall/Winter 2026 shows, as activists renewed pressure for a complete ban while signs emerged of a generational return to fur.

On Sunday, 1st March, campaigners protested outside the show of Giorgio Armani — despite the fact that the Armani Group adopted a fur-free policy nearly a decade ago. The strategy was symbolic: activists are urging influential brands to pressure Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (CNMI) to exclude labels that still use fur. (Source: Fashion Network).

The demonstrations were coordinated under the umbrella of the Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade (CAFT), with banners reading “Milano Fashion Week Go Fur-Free” and chants directed at departing guests.

An animal rights activist participates in a demonstration at Milan Fashion Week FW26, holding signs that read 'Stop Fur' and 'Say to Fashion Week Stop Fur!' to protest the use of animal fur in the fashion industry.
Activists at Milano Fashion Week

The real target, however, is structural.

Unlike London or New York, Milan has not adopted a full fur-free policy. And, as long as powerful houses continue to defend their use, the issue remains open.

Among them is Fendi, owned by LVMH — a group that continues to invest in fur. Fendi’s historical identity is deeply rooted in fur craftsmanship, making the debate not only ethical but also cultural.

Inside the shows, the message was more nuanced. Newly appointed creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri presented “repurposed” furs — archival pieces reworked rather than newly produced garments.

Reworking fur can be interpreted in different ways.
Is it a transitional gesture?
A pragmatic response to sustainability concerns?
Or a way to preserve the aesthetic legitimacy of fur while softening its image?

One activist described it as potentially “a step forward,” yet warned that LVMH’s continued investment in fur production makes such gestures appear isolated — perhaps even a form of greenwashing.

And here lies the real contradiction.

Milano Fashion Week fur debate: when activism meets market demand


While activism gains visibility, parts of the market — particularly younger consumers — are showing renewed interest in fur garments.

Industry reports highlight a growing demand not only in luxury segments but also within vintage and heritage-driven consumption. The appeal seems less about status and more about narrative: coats reminiscent of mothers and grandmothers, archive silhouettes, timeless materials. (Source: Pambianco).

This is not simply nostalgia — it reflects a measurable shift in consumer interest.

For some young consumers, fur appears as durability, authenticity, longevity — the opposite of fast fashion. The ethical dimension, however, remains unresolved.

The question is no longer only whether fur should be banned.

The deeper question is whether fashion is capable of truly letting go of certain materials — or whether it will continuously reinterpret them under new labels: recycled, repurposed, heritage.

Final thoughts


Although fur farming has been banned in Italy since 2021, imported and repurposed fur remains visible on Milan’s runways, keeping the debate alive. At the European level, further regulatory discussions are underway regarding fur farming. Should legislation eventually restrict production, the debate may shift from moral pressure to structural transformation.

Until then, the Milano Fashion Week fur debate remains suspended between two forces:

  • public ethical activism
  • and a cultural fascination that refuses to disappear

Fur is no longer simply a material.
It has become a symbol of fashion’s difficulty in choosing between memory and change.

The real question may not be whether fur is trending again, but whether heritage, recycling and nostalgia are being used to soften — rather than resolve — an industry that has not fully transformed.

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Identity in focus at Milano Fashion Week FW26.27

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The power of a defined image, between reaffirmations and debuts


Between the reaffirmation of established designers and the uncertainty of high-profile debuts, Milano Fashion Week FW26.27 placed identity squarely in focus. The power of a defined image dominated the narrative, tempered by a distinct sense of pragmatism.

This is not a brand-by-brand breakdown. It’s an attempt to trace a few key ideas—and what they say about fashion right now.

When provocation becomes the only image


Gucci — the most anticipated debut was, undeniably, ugly. That familiar ugliness Demna carries with him. He essentially replicated the Balenciaga formula for Gucci: the same aesthetic of distortion, cynicism, and provocation. Even when accessing the archive — including references to Tom Ford — the repurposing felt superficial, almost careless. Executed in the cheapest way possible.

If his intention was to hold a mirror up to the contemporary landscape — to reflect the predominance of a gross aesthetic — then he succeeded. The image was brutally coherent.

But beyond that, what was the point?

The brand is experiencing a serious downturn. To reverse direction quickly, you think about what sells. And one thing has always sold, regardless of context: sex. Not refined sensuality, but its most literal and commercial iteration.
Perhaps it’s not even entirely his responsibility. Kering knows exactly what Demna’s vision is. So what did they expect? Is this the strategy? Is provocation the only remaining shortcut? 

When identity is in focus


On the other side of the spectrum, Prada was identitarian in a completely different way. Fifteen models and different versions of womanhood. By removing layers and adapting garments to diverse occasions, the show suggested that identity is not singular, but plural.

Innovative? Perhaps not radically. Layering is not new. But limiting the cast created clarity. And clarity, in today’s visual saturation, feels almost subversive. 
In our work with clients, we see how layering — though common in theory — is rarely mastered in practice. For women who rely on big names to legitimise experimentation, this might offer permission — and confidence.
However, the reminder that wardrobes, like women, can contain multitudes is powerful.

Dolce & Gabbana also returned to identity — their own. Sicily, devotion, sensuality. Their recurring codes, unapologetically reaffirmed. With Madonna in the front row, the message was amplified: heritage, spectacle, recognisability.

At Bottega Veneta, Louise Trotter’s debut was captivating. Brutalism softened by a hidden sensuality, grounded in the observation of Milanese women. Experimental craftsmanship, unexpected fabrics, bold silhouettes. A new direction — intellectual yet tactile. Here, identity was not nostalgia, but the construction of something new.

And then there is Antonio Marras. Marras remains Marras. Wearable poetry. A universe apart within the Milanese landscape. Fragments, intarsia, embroidery, striking red roses. Romantic, but never saccharine. His identity is so solid it does not need to shout. It simply persists.

Final reflections


Reaffirmations or debuts — identity in focus defined the season.

Perhaps this Fall/Winter 26 Milano Fashion Week wasn’t just about creativity.
It was about survival.

In a moment of market contraction and brand fatigue, identity becomes currency. 
The clearer the image, the stronger the grip.

But clarity built on shock is fragile.

The question is not who is louder.
It is who will still feel coherent in five years.

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Milano Fashion Week FW26.27: entertainment or pragmatism?

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Ready-to-wear: analysing what the point of fashion shows today is


Milano Fashion Week FW26.27 has just started, and with it a tension that feels impossible to ignore: entertainment or pragmatism.

For years, the runway has been a stage for spectacle — immersive sets, viral moments, emotional crescendos. But this season opens under a different mood. One that feels more rational. More measured. Perhaps more urgent.

The debut of Maria Grazia Chiuri at Fendi seems to crystallise this dichotomy. (Watch the video here).
A collection precise and controlled. Well-made, wearable garments. No excess. No overt dream. And no attempt to manufacture awe.

To Business of Fashion, she stated:
“I’m not an entertainment designer. It’s not important to create something for one shot, to surprise someone. Otherwise I would do a performance. This is another job.”

And she added:
“We have to be pragmatic. It’s time — it’s really time if we want to move to the future of this industry.”

Her words draw a clear line. Fashion design is not performance art. Surprise is not the goal. Pragmatism is not a compromise — it is a position.

Even trade headlines reflect this shift. Pambianco titled its coverage: “When pragmatism prevails over emotion.” A phrase that reads less like criticism and more like a diagnosis.

Perhaps Chiuri was not appointed to entertain. And if Fendi had been looking for spectacle, they would not have chosen her. This feels deliberate. Which brings us to a larger question: what is the point of a fashion show today?

If the majority of consumers buy mass-market clothing, how many will ever wear garments conceived for the runway? If fashion shows are no longer primarily about dressing bodies, what are they about?

Narrative? Positioning? Investor reassurance? Cultural relevance?

Final thoughts


If Chiuri is right, perhaps the point is viability. Not to create a viral moment. Not to chase wonder for its own sake. But to demonstrate that these clothes can exist in the real world — and sustain a house, a workforce, a business model.

The show becomes less fantasy, more proof of concept. But can a fashion show be matter-of-fact and still matter? Or is pragmatism itself becoming a kind of statement — a deliberate anti-spectacle in a spectacle-saturated world?

If the industry truly stands at a turning point — “it’s time,” as Chiuri says — then perhaps a rational debut is not the absence of vision. Perhaps it is a recalibration.

As the Milano Fashion Week FW26 begins, that tension — entertainment or pragmatism — feels less theoretical and more structural.

But maybe the real question is not whether fashion should entertain or be pragmatic. 

Maybe the question is: what does responsibility look like on a runway today?

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Fashion weeks are mirrors: Notes on Milano Fashion Week SS26

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Creativity and new directions in a time of uncertainty


Fashion weeks are mirrors. They don’t just display clothes—they reflect the tensions, aspirations, and anxieties of our times. This Spring/Summer 26 season in Milan, themes of escape, utility, and transformation emerged, reflecting an industry grappling with its role.

And so, following our examination of these overarching tensions at Milano Fashion Week SS26, we now share some notes on the collections that defined the season. 

The collections: A spectrum of responses


Diesel: Glenn Martens moved beyond the traditional catwalk, staging a scavenger hunt across the city with looks hidden in giant plastic eggs. This playful, decentralised show challenged the conventional fashion week format.

Jil Sander: Simone Bellotti’s debut focused on 90s minimalism. A remarkably clean choice that showcased the body through cuts inspired by Lucio Fontana. Indeed, the house described it as “a balance between classicism and modernity.”

Marras: The show was a poetic journey interweaving literature, art, and fashion. Inspired by a Sardinian sojourn imagined for the Bloomsbury Group, models paraded among salt flats with books tucked inside. The collection, in soft, whispered colours, featured lines that were either flowing and fluid, or androgynous and structured, shaping a universe that blended cultures.

Fendi: The collection emphasised leggerezza (lightness), colour, and an essentiality that embraced both the feminine and the masculine. It stood out as a conceptual and material dialogue, particularly in pieces woven from multiple colours, showcasing exceptional craftsmanship and technical skill.

Prada: Offered a proposition for dressing in uncertain times with an accent on colours. Can vintage be modern? The answer was a masterclass in layering volumes and colours into contemporary uniforms. The collection was described as a “response to uncertainty—clothes that can transform, change and adapt,” granting the wearer “autonomy” and designed with “meaning and utility” for surviving the modern world.

Moschino: Creative director Adrian Appiolaza asked, “What if value doesn’t come from cost but from really going deep into creative ideas?” Inspired by Arte Povera and the brand’s native irony, the collection found preciousness in humble materials like jute, championing reuse, recycling, and upcycling.

Dolce & Gabbana: As the cast of The Devil Wears Prada entered the show, the line between reality and cinema blurred. The knowing giggles shared between Anna Wintour and Miranda Priestley (Meryl Streep) were a noteworthy moment. But we wondered why an entire collection focused on pyjamas, which isn’t even a new concept. 

Bottega Veneta: Under the new creative direction of Louise Trotter, the brand saw a strong debut. She worked masterfully with volumes and three-dimensional textures intrinsic to the brand, developing a rich and sophisticated minimalism.

Versace: Now part of the Prada Group, Dario Vitale debuted with a Miu Miu-ish touch. Colours and a mix of prints, bold and flirty tailoring for a modern 80s-inspired Versace.

Final thoughts: Fashion weeks are mirrors


In conclusion, we take these notes on the Milano Fashion Week SS26 partly for ourselves — to trace the currents shaping the industry and what we might expect next. And yes, we intentionally skipped Demna’s Gucci, because we simply don’t get the point.

Italy’s heritage of craftsmanship, design, and quality remains a source of immense pride. Yet, fashion cannot be considered in isolation. In fact, the central issue is not any single brand or show; it is systemic. It is capitalism — a pattern repeating across industries worldwide. But why does everyone ignore it?

Fashion weeks are mirrors. The SS26 season proves that creativity is not dead — it’s restless, searching, sometimes playful, sometimes profound. Yet behind the spectacle, fashion continues to wrestle with questions of value, responsibility, and purpose. Until those deeper contradictions are addressed, each season will remain both a dazzling act of imagination and a stark reminder of the system that contains it.

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Aesthetics and anxieties at Milano Fashion Week SS26

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The fashion week unfolds between creative visions, the rising cost of luxury, and a crisis of relevance


Dedicated to one of its founding figures, Giorgio Armani, Milano Fashion Week SS26 opened in a climate of stark contrasts: aesthetics and creative visions on one side, mounting industry anxieties on the other. This tension was formalised on 24 September. The Camera Moda gathered Italy’s top fashion executives at Casa Cipriani to defend the future of Made in Italy. Figures including Luigi Maramotti (Max Mara), Renzo Rosso (OTB), Remo Ruffini (Moncler), Alfonso Dolce (Dolce & Gabbana), Gildo Zegna, and Lorenzo Bertelli (Prada) joined Carlo Capasa, the institution’s president, to advocate for safeguarding the national value chain through creativity, sustainability, and stricter regulation.

While the debuts at Gucci, Jil Sander, Bottega Veneta, and Versace generated excitement, this edition also encapsulates the heritage of Italian fashion alongside its most pressing challenges.

The atmosphere is vibrant, with buyers searching for direction and designers striving to deliver it. Yet beneath the surface, unease is palpable. Deep economic instability, no clear plan B for Trump tariffs, sit alongside the persistent shadow of labour exploitation, with high-profile investigations still haunting several luxury houses. 

“We have an immense know-how that goes back a long way and we want to defend what our predecessors built,” Gildo Zegna stressed, pointing to the need for production control in volatile markets. Renzo Rosso, meanwhile, reiterated OTB’s pillars of “creativity, sustainability, and technology.” He warned that without creativity, “a product is nothing more than an object.”

But there is also tension in the narrative. Industry leaders call for optimism, even warning that “negativity impacts store traffic,” as Rosso put it. At the same time, Lorenzo Bertelli identified inequality as the greatest threat to the sector. Luigi Maramotti’s observed that “the consumer is confused” in a world where Europe’s sustainability efforts are undermined by divergent standards elsewhere.

The contradictions cut deep. Carlo Capasa defended the industry against accusations of widespread illegality. He cited Istat figures that suggest around 2–3% of production involves irregular labour. Still, he acknowledged the need of a new legislation to regulate and protect the supply chain. That is “the basis for saving the industry.”

And yet, a striking admission lingers. A while back, Miuccia Prada said:

“Fashion is for when you do not have problems. The moment someone has a health problem or there is a war, fashion is certainly not relevant.”

That perspective clashes with the industry’s insistence on optimism as a survival strategy. In a world marked by war in Ukraine and genocide in Gaza, fashion’s plea to “stay positive” risks sounding disconnected.  And with this background, whether NY, London, Milano, or Paris, we are all on the same boat.

The shows go on, between aesthetics and anxieties. But the fundamental question remains: what is fashion’s responsibility in the face of a crisis of relevance, inequality, and value acknowledged by its own leaders?

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