At a Glance
- Dsquared2, Emporio Armani and Ralph Lauren leaned into Olympic themes for Fall-Winter 2026-27 menswear.
- Prada debuted foldable origami hats and modular capes while Zegna pushed long, versatile jackets.
- Dolce & Gabbana faced social-media backlash for an all-white runway cast.
- Why it matters: The collections show how global events and social debates instantly shape luxury fashion.
Milan Fashion Week closed Monday with designers wrapping the Olympic spirit around tailored coats, ski-boot stilettos and red-carpet jewels. From cheeky Canadian nods to patrician American style, the Fall-Winter 2026-27 menswear shows proved that sport, politics and craftsmanship share the same catwalk.
Olympic spirit takes center stage
Dsquared2, founded by Canadian twins Dean and Dan Caten, staged a faux-snow set where actor Hudson Williams opened in a ripped double-denim jacket and sparkly racing number. The brand, not appointed as Team Canada’s official outfitter, still mined Olympic imagery with an intarsia gold medal on a ski sweater and a hybrid women’s heel that snaps into a ski boot at the ankle. A men’s version offered the same mash-up.
Ralph Lauren presented a more traditional view of winter sport inside a Milan palazzo. Patterned knits, fleece jackets and layered puffers referenced the label’s heritage as it prepares to dress Team USA.
- Celebrity guests included Nick Jonas, Tom Hiddleston and Noah Schnapp.
- Founder Ralph Lauren said designers absorb world events: “You feel the vibrations… and if you are sensitive to that, you develop an ear or a feel for the clothes that you think you’re going to do the next season.”
Emporio Armani, meanwhile, staged an in-store parade of Team Italia uniforms.
Prada folds, Zegna endures
Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons focused on collapsible men’s hats-berets to fedoras-that flatten origami-style and clip onto coats. A modular cape fit over jackets, while dress shirts featured T-shirt necklines and back buttons. Exaggerated cuffs protruded from slim car coats.
“That’s fashion,” Miuccia Prada said of the ultra-slim silhouette. “Talking about intellectual honesty, we are working for a brand that sells expensive clothes to possibly rich people, and so you have to deal with beauty, elegance, to understand what is believable.”
At Zegna, creative director Alessandro Sartori pushed wardrobe longevity. A longer, voluminous jacket with square shoulders can be worn single-breasted, double-breasted or casually closed via three horizontal buttons that reverse on hidden fasteners.
- The family firm controls about 60% of its supply chain, a point of pride amid Italy’s ongoing supply-chain scandal.
- A nearly century-old Zegna jacket displayed behind glass underscored the legacy push.
“Our customers are collectors, and not just fashionistas,” Sartori said. “I want people to collect pieces like watches.”
Jewelry and lapel gems
Men’s jewelry moved front and center on several runways:
- Dolce & Gabbana paired evening suits with big floral lapel pins, ornate gold brooches embedded with watches and dangling chains.
- Giorgio Armani kept pins subtle.
- Prada used lapis lazuli and tiger’s-eye cufflinks to fasten elongated sleeves, plus mismatched sculptural earrings.
Diversity debate flares again
Ghanaian designer Victor Hart debuted with the Afrofashion Association’s support, presenting statuesque denim fused with industrial belting. While Milan fashion saw a post-2020 diversity push, critics say progress has slowed.
Dolce & Gabbana, still recovering from 2018 ads deemed anti-Asian, showed an all-white cast Saturday. Social-media reaction was swift:
- French TikToker Elias Medini labeled it “fifty shades of white.”
- Influencer Hanan Besovic (@ideservecouture) wrote, “having a cast of all white models in 2026 is diabolical.”
Sustainability on the fringe
Fifteen-year-old label Simon Cracker, which creates upcycled garments, remains one of the few houses that can claim credible sustainability on the Milan schedule. Most bigger brands limited eco-messaging, even as the International Olympic Committee touts green goals for the Feb. 6-22 Games.
Key Takeaways
- Olympic tie-ins delivered the week’s most viral moments, from Dsquared2’s ski-boot stilettos to Ralph Lauren’s patriotic knits.
- Prada’s origami hats and Zegna’s convertible jackets signal a new focus on modular, multi-use design.
- Diversity and casting practices remain contentious, with at least one major brand facing public backlash.
- Sustainability stayed on the margins despite growing consumer pressure.
