Milan Fashion Week AW26 opened with one of the season’s most closely watched debuts. As Maria Grazia Chiuri stepped into her new role at Fendi, anticipation was in the air, and it did not disappoint. The focus remained firmly on cut, material and proportion – the elements that determine whether clothes endure beyond a single news cycle.
The silhouette was the first clue. Jackets were structured but not rigid, shaped through the body without clinging to it. Trousers fell long and clean, sometimes brushing the shoe. Coats carried weight without looking burdensome. The effect was controlled but not severe.
It marked a departure from the extremes that have defined much of the past decade in menswear – whether oversized streetwear or sharply cropped tailoring. Here, proportion felt considered rather than reactive. The clothes suggested confidence without the need for overstatement.
Fabric did much of the talking. Leather, long central to the house’s identity, appeared lighter and more pliable than expected, at times almost reading as suiting cloth. Knitwear layered under outerwear added dimension. Shearling was present, but sparingly. Nothing felt excessive.
Notably absent was heavy branding. The emphasis lay in construction: how a sleeve curves, how a coat hangs from the shoulder, and how different textures interact under movement. In a market still adjusting after years of logo-driven growth, that restraint felt intentional.
There were also shifts in how masculinity was framed. Some looks incorporated softer drape, looser collars, and fluid layering. Yet the collection avoided theatrical gestures around gender. Instead, it allowed the garments themselves to suggest a broader range of expression.
The palette reinforced this approach. Black dominated, punctuated by ivory and pale blue. The limited colour range kept attention on surface and shape. Nothing distracted from the workmanship.
Menswear is currently in a transitional phase. The hype cycle that once propelled sneakers and graphic hoodies has slowed. Traditional business tailoring no longer feels like a universal template. Designers are searching for a middle ground – clothing that signals taste and maturity without appearing conservative.
Fendi’s answer at AW26 proposed that evolution in menswear comes through adjustment: refining the shoulder, relaxing the trouser, reworking leather so it behaves differently on the body. These are small moves, but collectively they point toward something larger – a wardrobe built on intention rather than impulse.
