MILAN – Dario Vitale’s debut show is sparking debate online. With commentators split between full-on praise, moderate interest for his unorthodox take on the brand’s sex-appeal and those who are already nostalgic about its old tropes, it is perhaps the most divisive Milan debut so far.

The secretive presentation format, dubbed by the house over the summer as an intimate affair, was in fact a proper runway show with few guests welcomed Friday night at the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana museum, whose vast collection of art includes a Medusa bust.

Previously Miu Miu’s ready-to-wear design director, Vitale said he challenged himself to embrace vivid colors, bold patterns — and all that the vast legacy of the Versace house has to offer — but done his way, rooted more in reality than fantasy.

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WWD pooled the first reactions from fashion historians, vintage connoisseurs and talent scouts. Here’s what they had to say.

Pamela Golbin, curator, author and fashion historian

Versace is always about the swagger —heels high, dresses tight, hair coiffed, the total look with an unmistakable boldness that commands attention and celebrates expansive audacity. After 15 years with the Prada group designing Miu Miu, Dario Vitale’s début collection at Versace offers a new paradigm for the Milanese house. More intimate, personal and intentionally restrained, Dario’s vision for both men and women evokes the ease and more quiet confidence of the everyday without forgetting the Versace “sexy”. With his wardrobe inspired by the visual vocabulary of 1980’s Versace, Vitale reveals the body in unexpected and unconventional ways. Dario offers a glimpse of how he dressed in his younger years — and how that style made him feel undeniably sexy. Layering, tailoring and low side cuts in linens and leather shape his sensual silhouettes. In the show notes for the collection, Dario Vitale offers this invitation to the reader, “Hurry, come quickly. The curtains are drawn, the wine is chilled…Wear something reckless, as though mocking propriety. Stay or go as you wish.”

Christos Garkinos, chief executive officer and founder of Covet by Christos

The new creative director of Versace Dario Vitale recently said: “I see my job as one of provoking a reaction — sometimes any kind of reaction; one that comes from something simple, not too contrived or complicated.” I think this collection will get a reaction indeed and I am of the side who loved it. It felt totally fresh and a jumpstart to a new direction for the brand. And yes, there were indeed codes represented like leather, new featured faces of the iconic Marilyn print, and great suiting. For me, Vitale showed a new way forward for the brand. I personally have been wanting to wear more Versace beyond the signature silks and now I have the opportunity.

Versace Spring 2026 Ready-to-Wear Collection at Milan Fashion Week Courtesy of Versacea

Cameron Silver, founder of Decades Inc.

The collection was fresh while being deeply rooted in the vintage icons of Gianni Versace. Because the brand has not had a particularly distinctive point of view for several seasons, Dario Vitale successfully mixed it up with very retro references, a youthful exuberance, and separated his point of view from his predecessor, Donatella. It was very casual, Miami-chic, and the glamor of the brand was diluted since evening looks didn’t appear on the runway. Vitale definitely paid homage to Gianni Versace’s heyday with the primary colored high-waisted jeans (straight out of Jeans Couture), belts with gilt hardware, passive scarf print references, and exaggerated shoulders. The codes of Versace are very strong and Vitale manipulated the familiar in a playful way. His Versace is quirky and sexy. This “nerd” element is distinctive and breaks way from the Gianni and Donatella eras.

Alexandra Van Houtte, founder and chief executive officer of Tagwalk

It’s a very ’80s wardrobe focus, it remains sexy which is the renowned Versace stamp but what’s interesting is that 48 percent of the whole collection has jackets whereas beforehand, dresses were the main pieces of the collection – 29 percent then versus 18 percent now. Overall, the collection contains 25 percent stripes, 21 percent of high waist [looks] and 32 percent leather.

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Anna Lottersberger, managing director and dean at Ferrari Fashion School

Dario Vitale has been flirting with the lascivious spirit of Versace — its mischievous glamour — without falling into a literal homage to the archive, and that’s something I appreciate. We can all sense his bourgeois “upbringings” in some of the volumes and styling, but the prints, metallic appliqués, inlaid leather patterns, knit variations, and shiny finishings reveal a compelling exploration of color and material. The show leaves me hungry for more.

Following New York and London, Milan will take its turn at trendsetting as the biggest designers unveil their spring-summer 2026 collections at the city’s annual fall Fashion Week. The event will see several anticipated debuts, starting with Demna’s first collection as artistic director of Gucci.

The house opened Milan Fashion Week with a screening of The Tiger, a film celebrating the Balenciaga defector’s first collection, La Famiglia, which was unveiled to everyone’s surprise a few hours earlier on social media. Directed by Spike Jonze and Halina Reijn, the short film stars Demi Moore as a Gucci heiress on the verge of a breakdown, joined by Edward Norton, Keke Palmer and Kendall Jenner. Its Hollywood-worthy cast gave the evening the feel of a world premiere.

Stars packed the Palazzo Mezzanotte including, Gwyneth Paltrow, Valeria Golino, Anna Wintour, Alex Consani, Anna Ferzetti, Isabella Ferrari, and Jin from the group BTS. The pieces from La Famiglia, available from midnight yesterday evening in ten hand-picked Gucci boutiques, were already being worn by Paltrow (a monogrammed satin suit), Serena Williams (a black mermaid dress with feathers), and Lila Moss (a crocodile miniskirt and matching boots). Moore caused a sensation in a shimmering gold dress with a long train and a dazzling open back. The collection, made up of thirty-seven silhouettes, summons the house’s signatures—reinvented stripes, leather jackets worn on bare skin, larger-than-life feather coats, and unashamed sensuality—and Demna also didn’t skimp on nods to the house’s Tom Ford era in the 1990s. The Georgian designer also took the opportunity to present a brand new Gucci trunk.

As we know, Fashion Week is not only a showcase for the biggest names in fashion: it is also an irresistible showcase for celebrities, who crowd into the front rows of the most high-profile shows. Their attendance is a spectacle within the spectacle, much to the delight of fans and curious onlookers gathered in front of the most glamorous venues. On this first day, Alberta Ferretti gathered around her show a choice cast including Rocío Muñoz Morales, Cristina Marino, and Olivia Palermo.

On the third day of Milan Fashion Week, the sun was shining on the stars who illuminated the first fashion shows of the day. This time around, the standout was David Beckham—an ambassador for Boss, who was highly anticipated as a front row guest after he announced his arrival in Milan with a post on Instagram.

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Dressed in an elegant brown suit, the footballer captured attention alongside Aaron Pierre, Meghann Fahy, Fai Khadra and many other well-known faces. Max Mara opened Fashion Week’s third day, gathering celebrities like Paz Vega, Anna Ferzetti, Derek Blasberg, Maude Apatow, and many others. At Prada, we could see Kerry Washington, Bendetta Porcaroli, Emma Chamberlain, Carey Mulligan, Felicity Jones, and Elodie.

Below, find all the stars at Milan Fashion Week so far—day by day, fashion show by fashion show.

For an out-of-towner, IB Kamara sure can draw a crowd. Off-White was back in New York City today after a season in Paris and Kamara and co. made the most of their return, securing the roof of the New Design High School on the Lower East Side and commissioning local graffiti artists to tag its walls in a visual ode to the city’s five boroughs. It felt as much like an art opening as it did a fashion show. Or like a basketball game. Ellie the Elephant, the mascot for New York Liberty women’s team, with whom Off-White was collaborating, had a front-row seat.

Backstage, Kamara was talking about another NYC export, even bigger than graffiti: streetwear. Before he died, Virgil Abloh posited that “streetwear is dead.” Kamara believes differently, as he’s made clear over the last year in a trio of shows that covered similar ground, tapping into sport, biker, West African, and, yes, streetwear motifs. “I want to make sure the language is understood,” he explained backstage. “I’m realizing what my taste is, and I think this collection feels like a complete merge of my time here and me.”

It is a colorful, bold, playful kind of taste. Body-con leggings and sheer button-downs with shoulder pads, and second-skin knits—all in graphic color-blocking that made the clothes look built for speed. Topstitched denim with Swarovski crystal studded collars; hoodies and jeans airbrushed with the skyscrapers. “They’re clothes that are meant to not look like everything else,” he said. And he got that right.

Kamara named the collection “Fountain of Youth,” a nod to the New Design High School students who watched the show from the cafeteria and a tribute to the young Black pioneers who gave the world not just graffiti and streetwear, but also hip-hop. From that contingent, Busta Rhymes and Mary J. Blige were in the crowd. But the music that made such an impression at the show was by Kamara, and Azekel, Erik Bodin, and Yukimi Nagano, according to the press notes. The last song before the finale defied the Shazam app, but it was a quiet, beautiful banger.

By Claudia Chieppa and Hanna Rantala

MILAN (Reuters) -Thousands of mourners visited Milan’s fashion district on Saturday to pay their respects to Giorgio Armani, Italy’s most famous designer, who died this week at the age of 91, filing in silence past his coffin.

His wooden casket, with white roses placed on top, lay in the vast dark exhibition space at his company’s headquarters, where catwalk shows are held, surrounded by dozens of small lanterns on the floor.

The passing of Armani has sparked an outpouring of grief with tributes flowing in from Hollywood celebrities and ordinary people alike. Over a career spanning five decades, he built a business empire ranging from haute couture to home furnishing, with his name becoming synonymous with elegant simplicity.

“Everything he did in his life he did it out of passion,” said Pier Carlo Bertoglio, who travelled from nearby Lodi to the Armani offices, where the designer’s body is lying in state over the weekend before a private funeral on Monday.

“Everyone here today should testify to the love they have received from him.”

John Elkann, the scion of Italy’s prominent Agnelli family, and his wife Lavinia, were among the first visitors.

Elkann, who heads the Agnelli family’s investment vehicle Exor, had previously discussed a potential combination with Armani to create an Italian luxury goods conglomerate, including Exor-owned sports car maker Ferrari. The talks led nowhere.

Armani, who had no children, has put in place measures to ensure continuity and independence for his business, which he ran with trusted family members and long-time colleagues.

Early visitors also included Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala. Italy’s fashion capital, where Armani relocated with his family after World War Two, will hold a day of public mourning on Monday.

“Milan is full of Armani ‘signs’, it would be impossible to forget him,” Sala said. “His biggest legacy to the city I reckon is his profound belief in work as a means of self-realisation.”

People queued silently under the trees that line the cul-de-sac where the Armani offices, designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando, sit across from the Armani/Silos, a museum opened in 2015 to mark 40 years of his career and where the Armani Prive haute couture collections of the past 20 years are currently on display.

Visitors included fellow designer Donatella Versace, who arrived dressed in black carrying a bouquet of white orchids, Oscar-winning film director Gabriele Salvatores and actress Maria Grazia Cucinotta.

“Where I grew up in China, Armani’s name is equal to Italian (style),” said Jonah Liu, who stood in the crowd sporting an Armani t-shirt and holding a small bunch of white daisies.

“He turned Italian elegance into a global fashion grammar … I’m obliged to come here to pay my tribute to him.”

In line with Armani’s wishes, a separate entry was reserved for group staff.

“I’m one of his employees, so I’m sincerely attached to him,” said Alessandra Caccavo, wiping away the tears.

“He made sure we never wanted for anything … he was exceptional, so hospitable, … we would always see him in the offices, which means a lot when you think who he was.”

(Writing by Valentina Za: Editing by Sharon Singleton, Alexandra Hudson)

Thousands of mourners paid homage Saturday to Italian fashion legend Giorgio Armani, who died this week aged 91, as his coffin was put on public display in Milan.

Italian fashion icon Donatella Versace was among those who filed past Armani’s closed casket at the headquarters of his multi-billion-euro lifestyle company, which marked its 50th anniversary this year.

Adorned with a bouquet of white roses, the designer’s closed wooden casket was laid out in a darkened room lit by paper candles, an image of Armani shown on a big screen.

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The Italian died Thursday after months of fragile health and will be laid to rest at a private funeral on Monday.

Hundreds of people queued up for the start of the two-day public viewing at the Teatro Armani, the company’s minimalist but luxurious headquarters in Milan.

Among the first mourners through the door was a large group of Armani staff, all in black mourning wear and black sunglasses.

“It’s so emotional,” said Silvia Albonetti, an Emporio Armani saleswoman. “He was an incredible man… sometimes curt, but human.”.

Tributes have flooded in for Armani from across the fashion industry and also Hollywood, where his understated but exquisitely tailored creations were beloved of the A-list.

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Ferrari chairman John Elkann was also among the mourners on Saturday, many of whom were greeted by the coffin by Armani’s partner Pantaleo Dell’Orco.

Throughout his remarkable career, Armani kept top-to-bottom control of his company as it moved from fashion into luxury hotels, cosmetics, accessories and interiors.

When he died, he was one of the richest men in the world, with a net worth estimated at $11.8 billion, according to Forbes magazine.

“Every fashion show was pure magic,” fashion student Pietro Angeleri, 20, told AFP as he queued to pay his last respects.

“No one has managed to make women stand out like he did. He will be missed.”

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– Liver problems –

The company has not revealed the cause of Armani’s death, but Italy’s Corriere della Sera newspaper reported Saturday he had been suffering from liver failure.

He was hospitalised with viral bronchopneumonia in June in Milan, it said, which left him weakened, even if he seemed to recover.

Armani cancelled his menswear show in Milan due to health reasons, and also missed the Paris Armani Prive show on doctors’ orders.

After his 91st birthday on July 11, which he celebrated with a small family party, long-standing problems with his liver returned, Corriere said.

He had kept working almost to the end, finalising outfits for the show celebrating the company’s 50th anniversary at Milan Fashion Week at the end of the month — which will now act as his final farewell.

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– ‘End of an era’ –

Born in Piacenza in northern Italy, the young Armani first enrolled in medical school but moved into fashion after a stint as a window dresser at a Milan department store.

By 1973, Armani had opened his own Milan design studio and created his debut eponymous collection in 1975.

The city, which adopted him as its own, has declared the day of his funeral a day of mourning, although the ceremony itself is strictly private.

Armani “represented our city”, said Fanny Bucci, a 55-year-old local who visited the coffin on Saturday. “It’s the end of an era.”

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The designer was credited with inventing red-carpet fashion after he opened an office in Los Angeles in 1983 with the aim of dressing celebrities, and said cinema provided him with a constant source of inspiration.

“He reinforced the image of Italian design. And I saw pictures of him as a child in China — he was the first Italian I knew,” said Chinese student Jonah Liu, 29, wearing a t-shirt adorned with Armani’s image.

Armani had no children, and his death leaves a question mark over the future of his empire.

In his final interview published just days before his death, he namechecked Dell’Orco, who heads Armani’s men’s style office, among family and close friends to whom he was gradually transferring responsibility.

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His nieces Roberta and Silvana Armani work for the group, while his nephew Andrea Camerana is a board member.

In their statement marking his death, his family and employees committed “to protecting what he built and to carrying his company forward in his memory”.

The public viewing will last all day Saturday and all day Sunday at the Teatro, a former Nestle chocolate factory where Armani showcased his creations.

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