Milan Fashion Week is always a spectacle of heritage houses and boundary-pushing design, and this season was no exception. From power tailoring and seductive sheers to playful bursts of color and a return to preppy polish, the runways offered a kaleidoscope of ideas that set the tone for Spring/Summer 2026.
Here are the standout trends that defined this fashion week.
MFW SS26 Fabric Trends:
Chiffon and Sheer Delicacy
Ethereal chiffon dresses and transparent layers floated across collections, offering a soft counterpoint to Milan’s sharp tailoring. Sheer blouses, gossamer skirts, and barely-there overlays exuded sensuality without being overt, proving that transparency continues to be one of the strongest statements in SS26 fashion.
All About Texture: Fringe and Sequins
Italian designers doubled down on tactile details, from swingy fringes that brought movement to every step to sequins that glittered under show lights. The effect was maximalist yet refined — a reminder that texture can be the ultimate luxury.
Luxe Fur Coats and Glamour
Milan reminded us that outerwear doesn’t have to fade with the warmer months. Plush fur coats strode down the catwalks, reimagined in bold colors, cropped silhouettes, and dramatic collars. Styled with eveningwear or sleepwear alike, the look was less about necessity and more about unapologetic glamour.
MFW SS26 Silhouette Trends:
The Preppy Revival
Milan’s designers put a refined twist on collegiate dressing, giving us what we’ll call “librarian chic.” Think sweaters knotted over shoulders, pinstriped blazers, knee-length pencil skirts, and shrunken cardigans. It’s an intelligent, slightly nostalgic trend that feels both polished and modern.
Bras as Tops
Milan leaned into skin-baring confidence, with lingerie-inspired bras doubling as tops. Paired with tailored trousers, midi skirts, or under open blazers, the look balanced sensuality with sophistication. It’s a continuation of the underwear-as-outerwear movement, dialed up for spring.
Layers, Layers, Layers
From sharply tailored blazers stacked over vests and shirts to airy trench coats layered over lace and chiffon dressing, layering was a key styling note. Both structured and fluid interpretations appeared, proving that warm-weather dressing can still be about depth and dimension.
MFW SS26 Color Trends:
Candy Colors
This season’s palette was unapologetically playful. Bright reds, juicy oranges, sunshine yellows, grassy greens, vibrant blues, sugared purples, and bubblegum pinks lit up the runways in both head-to-toe looks and unexpected accents. The candy shop spectrum signals a mood of optimism and bold self-expression.
Shades of Grey
While brights dominated, grey quietly emerged as the new neutral. Tailored suits, lace and leather, and both minimalist and maximalist dresses in slate, dove, and ash tones offered a sophisticated counterbalance to louder hues. It’s Milan’s answer to “quiet luxury” dressing — subtle, chic, and endlessly versatile.
Metallic Shine
Designers injected drama into their collections with liquid gold skirts, lurex-injected threading, and silver separates. Whether in full metallic looks or as shimmering accents, the trend brought a sense of nightlife-ready decadence to SS26.
