The lingerie trend, which has endured for a few seasons, first with panties, then corsetry and bodysuits, has continued for SS26. Now, designers have turned their attention to the bra. Plunge and balconette bras made an appearance across many shows, including embellished ones at Jil Sander, colourful plunge bras at Fendi, loose, silk bras at Prada and lacy styles at The Attico.
In terms of new designers, all eyes were on Francesco Murano and Institution by Galib Gassanoff this season, both of whom were discovered by Fondazione Sozzani. Murano and Gassanoff presented their sophomore collections on schedule, each with their unique take on draping and fabrication. “We all know this is a very delicate moment, especially for emerging and smaller brands, but I’m satisfied and confident about the direction my brand is taking,” Murano said post-show. “It’s the result of years of work carried out with passion, dedication, and care. For me, it’s essential to build a solid foundation for the brand’s future.”
“While the overall mood this week included a lightness in fabrications and silhouettes, there was also a sense of nostalgia, youthfulness and romance woven throughout — all carried with a feeling of cautious optimism — despite the rainy weather!” Kahn says.
A path forward for Made in Italy
While the tone of this season felt optimistic, and industry insiders largely responded well to the debuts, it’s not all rosy in Milan. On Tuesday morning, Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana held an opening breakfast, where executives including OTB’s Renzo Rosso, Moncler’s Remo Ruffini, Max Mara’s Luigi Maramotti, Prada Group’s Lorenzo Bertelli and Zegna’s Gildo Zegna were candid about the challenges Italian fashion is facing today — from a slowdown in retail sales and store traffic to the ethical issues plaguing the Made in Italy supply chain. In the last 18 months, three of Milan’s most prominent luxury labels have been placed under judicial administration over concerns of unethical labour practices in their supply chains, from third-party suppliers.
