Yesterday in Milan, a bittersweet runway presentation took place for the Giorgio Armani Spring/Summer 2026 collection. In the wake of Giorgio Armani’s passing earlier this month, the show at Palazzo Brera honored the designer's last collection and the house's 50th anniversary–which kicked off in August at the Renaissance monument. An exhibition at Pinacoteca di Brera will remain open until January, with 133 archive creations from ARMANI/Archivo displayed amidst Italian works of art. 

A glistening courtyard was filled with lanterns and a long list of stars–some in attendance were Spike Lee, Paul Smith, Cate Blanchett, Desiree,  Santo and Francesca Versace. The show memorialized a few pieces that served as the foundation for Armani’s fashion empire, including evening gowns and power pantsuits, in the neighborhood where his spirit inhabits. Ludovico Einaudi's piano music filled the courtyard.

‍Pantelleria, the rocky island off the coast of Sicily, inspired the collection. Surrounded by a mediterranean blue, the island’s seductive energy derives only from its natural form. This energy aligns with Armani’s design philosophy that the garment should be in perfect harmony with the wearer. His philosophy is eternalized in this collection which is filled with an unconventionally organic color palette and free-flowing pieces, which merge into an ethereal energy that is purely Armani.