Milan Fashion Week and Winter Olympics clash: 162 events scheduled, debuts at Fendi and Marni

The fashion week dedicated to womenswear for autumn/winter 2026 is scheduled from February 24 to March 2. Debuts include Maria Grazia Chiuri for Fendi and Meryll Rogge for Marni. Demna, at Gucci, will present his first catwalk show after unveiling his debut collection for the Kering-owned brand last September, titled “Gucci La famiglia”.

The Emporio Armani show, which combines the men's and women's collections, marks another debut for Silvana Armani. Following the Parisian haute couture shows, she is designing her first collection for the brand with Leo Dell'Orco.

The fashion week's presentation conference was held February 5, on the eve of the Milano Cortina 26 Olympic Opening Ceremony.

“The Italian Trade Agency (ICE), together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, firmly confirms that its support for the fashion sector is a constant commitment. We are working to support businesses, also with the president of Camera della Moda, Carlo Capasa, and I take this opportunity once again to thank all operators in the supply chain. We strive to identify initiatives capable of bringing new energy to a sector that is absolutely strategic for the country's economy and image,” said Lorenzo Galanti, director general of ICE, speaking via video link this morning at the upcoming fashion week's presentation press conference.

“This year, the fashion week's placement in the calendar is even more interesting because it falls at a time of extraordinary visibility for Milan,” added the mayor of Milan, Giuseppe Sala, also speaking via video link.

The fashion week will take place exactly halfway between the Olympic and Paralympic Games. It is therefore at the heart of a moment that positions Milan as a key player on the international stage, attracting numerous tourists. “They will come from all over the world and, of course, athletes and business people. The Olympic event will be watched by billions of people worldwide thanks to digital technology, which has been fully established since Covid-19. This is a great visibility opportunity for our city,” emphasised Alessia Cappello, councillor for economic development and labour policies for the Municipality of Milan.

“This is an opportunity that fashion has always provided for Milan. The mayor mentioned it in his video; Italian fashion is a driver of economic development and revenue for our city. It is the true engine that has made this city international. It has established us as a European and world capital, a place renowned globally for its excellence in fashion and design. It is therefore without a doubt that a major event like the Olympics now forms a perfect union with Milan Fashion Week,” specified Cappello.

In terms of figures, the councillor mentioned approximately 320 million euros in revenue. “Usually, fashion week generates around 200 million euros in revenue. The September edition exceeds 250 million euros, while the others are around the 200 million euro mark.”

On the agenda: 54 physical and eight digital catwalk shows

Delving into the details of the womenswear week for AW2025/26, the schedule features a total of 162 appointments. “No fashion week in the world has as many events as Milan Fashion Week,” emphasised Carlo Capasa, president of Camera della Moda.

In detail, the schedule includes 162 appointments in total: 54 physical and eight digital catwalk shows, 73 presentations, including five by appointment and 27 events.

During this fashion week, Camera Moda Fashion Trust will collaborate with The Core. On February 25 and 28, The Core will host presentations in its lounge by Moja Rowa and Saman Loira, finalists of the Grant 2025 initiative. The aim of the initiative is to support the new generation of 'Made in Italy' creatives.

Following the renewal of the collaboration with the Seoul Metropolitan Government, initiated in 2024, the third edition of the collective project Voices of Seoul will take place. On February 26, the project, titled 'Soul Threads: Voices of Seoul', will be presented. It is curated by creative director Seung Ik Lee (Rick Lee), global creative director of Seoul Fashion Week. The project aims to promote the involved brands and offer them the opportunity to assess the potential of the Italian market.

Milan Fashion Week will also be promoted for this edition through a communication campaign. This campaign marks the final chapter of a collaboration with Milano & Partners, which began in June 2025 ahead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games. As part of the Cultural Olympiad programme, the initiative reinforces Milan's role as an international platform for creativity, sport, and culture.

The Winter Olympic Games are central to the imagery, with several references throughout: the mountain scenery evokes the landscape of Cortina; the styling is enhanced with equipment from various sports disciplines; and each photograph highlights one of the five official colours of the Olympic Games. Objects from the archive collection at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne were also used for this edition.