Though he was absent from his show, Giorgio Armani brought down the curtain on the Milan menswear Spring 2026 season with class, delivering a pure and polished collection clearly influenced by time spent on his island home, Pantelleria.
The invitation and the set were a light sea blue, like the Mediterranean surrounding Pantelleria, Italy’s southernmost island located between Sicily and Tunisia.
Though Giorgio worked a full range of his famed non-colors from light cement, soft mud or pale slate as well as beautiful bright hues – like pure violets or Clongowes Wood purple.
Rarely has a Giorgio Armani collection been constructed with such light fabrics: whisper-thin silks, airy linens, or almost transparent knits.
He opened the action in his Tadao Ando-designed show space in South Milan with the first of a half dozen boy-and-girl couples, debuting in loose pants and wide-lapel or shawl-collar double-breasted coats.
Nothing tight in this collection, where most of the trousers had reverse pleats, and jackets were all cut very roomy. The mood was so relaxed that half the belts were made of rope or braided leather.
A sense of Caribbean cool as well, with rum plantation owner three-piece white linen suits, planter’s loose-weave hats, and raffia caps and sandals.
The designer also played brilliantly with leather: paper leather as trenches or jerkins, woven vitello as suede cardigans, or languid lambskin bomber jackets.
What felt new were the jacquard prints in a rich selection of styles including zigzags, painted weaves, waves and ikat motifs, before climaxing with two couples in deconstructed tuxedos who both looked the picture of modern elegance.
And leave it to Armani to have the smartest front row of the season, with brainy thespians like White Lotus star Jason Isaacs, master actor Giancarlo Esposito, The Handmaid’s Tale’s Max Minghella, alongside noted dancer Sergio Bernal Alonso and happening London chef Jackson Boxer.
On Friday, the house took the unprecedented measure of announcing that Armani was “convalescing at home” and would miss both the Emporio show on Saturday and today’s signature show. In his place, his right-hand man, Leo Dell’Orco, took the bow at both shows.
“It’s normal that I sometimes take a bow. I have done it before with Giorgio. We just want him to rest and be back soon,” noted Dell’Orco with a modest smile.
One suspects, if the master were present, this elegant show would probably have received a stricter edit, maybe rambled a little less. That said, the mood was surprisingly positive, enhanced by the bouncy soundtrack that included an elegiac tropical tune, Amazonia by Jesus Escalante, and Ti Voglio Bene by René Aubry. And the models clearly looked like they loved the clothes, as if they didn’t want to take them off. Always a good sign.
“We wanted fresh, and I think we achieved that. Jackets were each different from each other. Everything that bit lighter, and pants looser with teardrop pleats. Pajamas that you wear easily during the day. Remember, I have been here for 45 years. I think in that time we all learnt a little,” added Dell’Orco.
Next stop is Paris haute couture, where the Italian fashion emperor is scheduled to present Armani Privé on Tuesday, July 8.
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