Milan Fashion Week AW26 trend report: Fancy footwear, animal print, luxe lingerie
Though the sun might finally be shining after what feels like months of constant doom and gloom, Fashion Month is already foreshadowing the colder weather ahead. Over the past three weeks, across New York, London and Milan, notable designer names have taken to the runway to showcase AW26 collections, and we’d be lying if we said we weren’t a little bit sad to say goodbye to cosy outfit weather. Milan Fashion Week always brings a plethora of ensemble inspiration, home to some of the world's most acclaimed maisons, including Gucci, Fendi, Bottega Veneta, Etro, Armani and many, many more. A dreamscape of quintessential Italian design, Milan Fashion Week was ripe with wonder this season, pushing boundaries in ways only the style-obsessed can truly appreciate. From star-studded celebs sitting front row, to modelling royalty taking to the catwalk and Demna Gvasalia making his debut as Gucci’s Creative Director, MFW AW26 was far from boring. Though it’s a little hard to comprehend dressing in fluffy fur coats and woolly knits when we’re finally able to leave the house sans tights and thermal layering, it doesn't hurt to be prepared for the inevitable. From fancy footwear at Prada to the return of the baker boy hat at Emporio Armani, here are just a few notable trends on our radar from Milan’s Autumn/Winter 2026 debut. FANCY FOOTWEARIf there’s one thing Prada does exceptionally well, it's creating fancy footwear that belongs in a museum. Co-creative directors Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons joined forces once again to show a genuinely dreamy collection, but it seems all eyes gravitated to the footwear. Feathered lace-up boots and beaded pointed-toe pumps in wasabi green stole the show, while a particular pair of lemon yellow boots, beaded with an intricate floral pattern, had FROW showgoers gasping for air. Diesel also made a strong case for fun footwear, shimmery metallics and coloured buckles completing double denim ensembles.UNDERWEAR AS OUTERWEARFor those who still can’t get enough of the style sphere's beloved ‘underwear as outerwear’ trend, rest assured it’s sticking around for the seasons ahead. Marni, Gucci, Elisabetta Franchi and Fendi and all adopted the aesthetic for AW26, proving no matter the weather, a flash of lingerie will always reign supreme. Championing bralettes and micro mini shorts that may as well fall under the knicker category was a fan favourite for many, both Fendi and Gucci reminding everyone that styling a sheer luxe layer over barely anything is the key to nailing sensual Italian prowess.CHUNKY KNIT ROLL NECKSKeeping cosy in the colder months has never been chicer thanks to MM6, Tods and Emporio Armani. Chunky roll neck sweaters and dresses were both prominent on the catwalks of the aforementioned, styled to perfection with pleated mini skirts, flouncy skirts and structured tailoring. HERO HEADWEARAs far as accessories go, hats of all kinds were by far the most notable in Milan this season. Cosy cashmere beanies matched feathered overcoats at Bottega Veneta, while Emporio Armani made a strong case for the return of the Baker Boy hat. It’s been a while since we’ve seen headwear make a mark, and for those of us who have more bad than good hair days throughout autumn and winter, we couldn’t be more thankful. FLASHES OF FLORAL AND AN ABUNDANCE OF ANIMAL PRINTPrint lovers can rest easy knowing two of the world's most notable printed patterns are sticking around for yet another year. Knitted cardigans, micro mini dresses and statement coats covered in florals and various animal prints added a vibrant pop to Diesel, Philipp Plein, Marni and Fendi.
