As the youngsters would best put it: Let him cook. Alberto Caliri is a (fashion) chef that knows his way around the Missoni kitchen and the ingredients of its best recipes by heart.

The designer has been at the brand for two decades before being handed its creative direction first in 2021, and then again last year following Filippo Grazioli’s two-year tenure. 

In times when companies are chasing the surprise effect with new appointments at their creative helm, Caliri makes the case for continuity and consistency across womenswear, menswear and home lines. But that doesn’t mean his work lacks novelty: The veteran designer is spearheading a subtle evolution at the storied house, which is no easy task. After all, how to sell a new Missoni piece to consumers who likely already have a fair share of zigzags and stripes sitting in their closets, passed down by mothers or borrowed from friends? 

Apparently, by addressing that very familiar ritual. Rather than courting only new generations of customers, Caliri is looking at Missoni with a straightforward and cross-generational approach, hinged on quietly updating the fit and finishing of wardrobe archetypes and dusting off a certain bourgeois appeal rooted in the brand.

In the resort 2026 lineup, knitted polo shirts that could have belonged to a grandfather were retooled as minidresses, appearing next to ‘60s-inspired dresses that channeled a youthful yet sophisticated mood. Easy and breezy ankle-length options added to the laidback, polished attitude, which also ran through cashmere cardigans worked in a 3D technique, finer-gauge patterned knits and pleated skirts and dresses beaming with Lurex threads, or featuring tiny sequins embedded in their weft.

Even in its apparent simplicity, there were plenty of covetable items in this versatile collection, especially in those looks that veered the most from the house’s signature patterns. A long-sleeved dress boasting an diagonal motif was very Missoni without the need for zigzags; the archival Oriental Garden print made for a refreshing addition on dresses and bowling shirts, while a knitted bomber jacket and matching shorts ensemble provided a modern suit that would appeal to young women and make their mothers wish to borrow from them for once.