MILAN – A host of debuts at marquee fashion houses and Giorgio Armani’s celebrations for his company’s 50th anniversary are building anticipation for the upcoming edition of Milan Fashion Week, planned for Sept. 23 to 29.

The spring 2026 season boasts one of the highest concentrations of designer debuts in recent history. In Milan, Dario Vitale is to share his vision for Versace; Simone Bellotti for Jil Sander; Louise Trotter for Bottega Veneta, and Demna for Gucci.

Not all are embracing the runway format, though.

Gucci has earmarked Sept. 23 at 7.00 p.m. CET to unveil the Georgian’s first designs. As reported, Demna’s first show for the Italian brand will be next March, with his September presentation more of a reminder of Gucci’s foundations. Rumors have swirled in Milan about the exact format of the upcoming showcase, but Gucci has been mum about details.

Similarly, Vitale’s Versace debut will be an intimate affair rather than a runway show, as first reported by WWD on Tuesday, which explains why the brand isn’t featured on the preliminary schedule, which does not include yet Milan Fashion Week events. According to sources, the Versace event planned for Sept. 26 is expected to include a video component.

Meanwhile, Trotter’s runways show for Bottega Veneta is scheduled for Sept. 28 at 5.00 p.m. CET, slightly earlier than the brand’s usual evening spot, and Bellotti’s for Jil Sander in the morning of Sept. 24.

Missing from the provisional calendar is Marni, now under the lead of Meryll Rogge, named creative director of the OTB-owned brand this month.

Contacted by WWD, a Marni spokesperson said that the spring 2026 collection, conceived by the in-house design studio, will be presented to buyers through private showroom appointments.

Rogge’s vision for the Italian brand will be unveiled for the fall-winter 2026 season, with her runway debut planned for February 2026’s Milan Fashion Week.

As reported, Paris Fashion Week is also chockablock with creative directors’ debuts, at Chanel, Balenciaga, Loewe, Mugler, Jean Paul Gaultier, Maison Margiela, Carven, as well as Jonathan Anderson’s seminal womenswear collection for Dior after his menswear debut in June.

As many Italian houses embrace new creative chapters, Armani will mark the 50th anniversary of his business.

Switching its traditional Sunday morning spot for a nighttime runway show on Sept. 28, the Giorgio Armani spring 2026 collection will be exceptionally paraded in the courtyard of honor of Palazzo Brera, the 17th-century landmark home to the Pinacoteca, the Biblioteca Nazionale Braidense library and the Brera Academy.

The Pinacoteca di Brera Museum will also host an exhibition retracing five decades of Giorgio Armani fashion through 150 archival looks, marking the first time the cultural institution has hosted a fashion exhibit. As reported, the fashion house will also unveil a digital project called Armani/Archivio on Aug. 30 during the Venice Film Festival filled with a meticulous catalogue of all Giorgio Armani collections to date.

The Giorgio Armani show on Sunday is one of the reasons why Camera della Moda moved the CNMI Sustainable Fashion Awards up one day to Saturday night from its usual spot.

In addition, the Italian designer, who turned 91 this month, will host two Emporio Armani shows on Sept. 25.

A newcomer to the Milan Fashion Week calendar, London-based KNWLS is planning an 8.00 p.m. show on Sept. 24, as reported, while Indian designer Dhruv Kapoor, who has presented his collections in Milan for the past few years now, traditionally as part of the June and January men’s showcases, is moving to the women’s calendar. 

In keeping with their single show per year strategy, The Attico girls Giorgia Tordini and Gilda Ambrosio are staging their third runway display on Sept. 26 and Boss is similarly mounting a show on Sept. 25 for its once-a-year event in Milan.

Other brands coming back to the schedule include Stella Jean, Calcaterra and Federico Cina, while Philipp Plein is currently missing from the lineup.

Fendi is once again mounting a coed show in September designed by Silvia Venturini Fendi, artistic director of accessories and menswear collections, to continue celebrating its centennial. The brand is also facing changes in its creative direction after the departure of Kim Jones last year.

Prada retains its usual 2.00 p.m. spot on Thursday, Sept. 25. Among others, Max Mara, Ferrari, Alberta Ferretti and Roberto Cavalli are also not changing their slots.

The closing day, Sept. 29, is dedicated to digital presentations, with Italian brand Meincorp by Lorenzo Sala and Ukrainian brand Nadya Dyzak, formerly showing at London Fashion Week, joining the Milan schedule for the first time.

The Milan Fashion Week’s full schedule, including presentations and events, will be unveiled in September.