To mark the start of Haut Couture Week in Paris, Celine’s newly appointed creative director, Michael Rider, unveiled his inaugural collection for the house – a spring/summer 2026 line-up for men and women. His return has injected a much-needed shot of confidence into an industry fatigued by algorithm-pleasing presentations, offering a compelling vision for modern-day dressing. Rider’s first collection is brimming with new ideas but still includes familiar, practical clothing that customers will want to snap up.
This was a world-class case study in the art of the rebrand. Rider didn’t try to erase the past, alter the logo or impose radical changes from day one. Instead, he paid homage to the house’s heritage (founder Céline Vipiana’s flair for “couture sportswear” was reflected in his designs and so were signature styles of his predecessors Phoebe Philo and Hedi Slimane) and focused on delivering great-looking clothing. They’re pieces that become part of the wearer’s life, that speak of the past, the present, of fantasy and of life itself, to use his own words.
Indeed, this was a collection that sparked a desire to shop. Perfect dress coats, sharp tailoring and an array of playful accessories were on display as the cast made its way through Vivienne, a 17th-century hôtel particulier and Celine’s current HQ. “Celine stands for quality, timelessness and style – ideals that are difficult to grasp and even harder to hold on to,” says Rider. “We worked on translating them into both a way of dressing and an attitude.”
This inherently modern mindset extended into the execution of the show itself – an intimate affair, free of gimmicks and pretence. Fresh flowers and a paper invite wrapped in a discreet, black-and-white silk scarf were delivered to guests before the presentation. At the runway, the crowd was there to see rather than to be seen. Even the rain showers didn’t dampen the mood – guests kept smiling under chic Celine-branded umbrellas.
For the luxury-fashion industry, the first half of the year was mired with speculation – amusing at first, exhausting soon after – about musical chairs inside C-suites and design studios of brands in Milan and Paris. Now, with a new set of creative directors installed in these sought-after positions, attention has been redirected towards their high-stakes runway debuts. In the coming months, about a dozen houses will present fresh visions under renewed creative leadership. Brand owners and CEOs will be sitting on the edge of their front-row seats, waiting to see whether they made the right hiring choices and whether their balance sheets stand a chance at recovery.
In the case of LVMH-owned Celine, CEO Séverine Merle and group CEO Bernard Arnault no longer have anything to worry about. American-born Rider isn’t new to the French house: he spent a decade working under Phoebe Philo before moving to Polo Ralph Lauren, where he helped to reignite excitement for the label.
In this new position, which he described as a homecoming and a “complete joy”, Rider has been thrust further into the spotlight. He finally has a chance to get the credit that he deserves and to make a bigger impact on the industry at large. A star is born.
Mangia bene, ridi spesso, ama molto: of all the events on the annual fashion calendar, the famous Italian adage meaning “eat well, laugh often, love a lot” is never better encapsulated than at Milan’s Menswear Fashion Weeks. The biannual showcase is a week of serious work for brands, buyers, journalists and stylists alike but that doesn’t stop some seriously thoughtful entertaining. After all, in Italy, working hard and enjoying oneself are not mutually exclusive.
Given the show-to-presentation ratio during the city’s menswear weeks, Milanese brands have ample opportunity to flex their hospitality muscles. At the most recent spring/summer 2026 showcase, there were no fewer than 39 presentations compared to only 13 physical runway shows. The key difference? Presentations provide the chance to make an impression for longer than a 10-minute runway outing, letting Italy’s seductive approach to hosting shine.
Tod’s, for example, took over its regular haunt, Piero Portaluppi’s 1930’s masterpiece Villa Necchi Campiglio, and transformed it into the Gommino Club (named after the iconic Tod’s driving shoe). Here, the pattern-cutting demonstrations came with cocktails and generous chunks of parmesan. Meanwhile, at Montblanc’s space, train carriages designed by director Wes Anderson were filled with the brand’s leather goods and guests were invited to take a closer look while sipping fizz cooled with Montblanc-shaped ice cubes.
At Ralph Lauren, a Milanese palazzo was complete with a silver-service cocktail bar, where Ridgway margaritas and Spiga spritzes were shaken up for guests as they mingled their way around the collection. Brunello Cuccinelli did the usual and kept attendees fueled with bowls of its legendary tomato paccheri pasta as they perused the pantsuits on show.
Designers in Paris tend to favour a lighter menu. Glasses of champagne are available at any time of day but the fashion crowd will often be drinking on an empty stomach – or chasing a waiter to grab the last of the miniature caviar canapés. It’s only recently that brands have begun introducing some very welcome dégustation alongside their designs.
By turning industry events into social soirées, Italy’s menswear veterans offer their guests extra motivation to linger and fully absorb the experience and collections. Invitees have the opportunity to get up close to the clothes, watch them being made, pick the brains of designers and network with industry colleagues – all the while savouring the best of Italian cuisine. Clearly, good nourishment is the way to an editor’s heart – contrary to popular belief, fashion editors love to eat – so this is an approach that’s as efficient as it is effective. More fashion week regulars would do well to embrace it.
Of all the big reveals that fashion week has to offer, one of the most hotly anticipated can’t be modelled, worn or bought. Rather, it’s the theatrical sets for Prada’s seasonal shows. Staged inside the Prada Foundation, these backdrops make as much of an impression as the collections themselves. Some of the brand’s most ambitious projects have transformed the space into an abstract paper doll’s house (spring/summer 2023), a metal-clad cage (spring/summer 2024), a supersized office with plants and a trickling stream (autumn/winter 2024) and an intricate scaffolding system (autumn/winter 2025). Talk about thinking outside the box.
The team behind the seasonal transformations is Rotterdam-based architecture practice OMA and its research and design studio, AMO which were founded by by Rem Koolhaas. The fashion world’s go-to for masterminding original runway concepts (it also counts Loewe, Christian Dior and Louis Vuitton as clients), OMA/AMO has been working with Prada on its runway shows since 2004, granting its team a regular audience with co-creative directors Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons.
“The kick-off meeting is a conversation in which we exchange ideas, and Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons describe their ambitions for the upcoming show,” Giulio Margheri, an associate architect at the firm, tells Monocle, granting a rare insight into the Prada process. “The input typically focuses on atmosphere, feelings and directions. It’s more theoretical than visual, though they might sometimes bring specific images, references or fascinations.” From there, Koolhaas, Margheri and their teams translate their input into ideas for the space. “We propose concepts from various sources, which we gradually refine,” he adds. “Both offices like to challenge what can be done. There is restless research in doing new things, exploring and being curious. The functional requirements of the space are always very similar but the process and designs are always different.”
At the label’s most recent spring/summer 2026 menswear show, the runway was devoid of imposing structures and instead featured an open-plan design, complete with retro daisy-shaped shag-pile carpets. “We were trying to do something powerful with minimal intervention,” says Margheri. “This season was about avoiding overly large or complex scenography. Modesty was a key theme throughout the process.”
The set proved to be a blank canvas of sorts for a collection that was equally pared back. “It’s a powerful way to experience space,” he adds. “The show was one of the first times that guests saw the room in its rawness. It was very impactful in its simplicity.”
While forging a situational dialogue, there’s no hard-and-fast rule about the sets speaking directly to the collection, says Margheri, citing the office-cum-meandering creek of autumn/winter 2024 as an example. “The raised floor featured a natural landscape and office chairs. People made assumptions about what the show meant or what it was supposed to be. Sometimes there is an instant reaction to what a set represents. But we don’t see this as something that people need to question or answer.”
Working within the fashion-week calendar’s short timelines makes a successful set installation all the more sweet. Among Margheri and his team’s highlights? Dressing the space in corrugated metal panels, with slime descending from overhead panels. “For that show, we worked with materials not typically used in architecture but scaled them up to architectural dimensions,” he says. “It was one of the first – or maybe the only – times that the set was not fully tested before the show.” In the end, it all worked out, creating yet another powerful memory for the brand’s show guests. “It’s very rewarding to be able to get these things built in such a short time,” says Margheri. “Someone once described this process as a gym for architects – there’s always a need to come up with something new, find new materials and solutions, while working within similar parameters. It forces you to reinvent everything but the core programme itself.”
A decade after launching his Tokyo-based brand, Auralee, Kobe-born designer Ryota Iwai is hitting his stride. Auralee has earned a reputation for its masterful use of colour, meticulous tailoring and Japan-made quality. This is elegant, modern luxury – all made to Iwai’s exacting specifications – that is a delight to touch and wear. It’s an alluring mix of Tokyo edge with wearable sophistication, crafted by factories that have been working with Iwai on his journey from the beginning. With stockists around the world and a flagship in the Japanese capital, the label is now attracting global attention. Auralee is also a fixture on the official Paris Fashion Week calendar. Look out for the label’s runway show at the Musée des Archives Nationales at 17.00 London time on 24 June.
Tell us about the new collection.
There is a variety of leather items (including suede and smooth leather), premium wool, and cashmere, along with garment-dyed and garment-washed pieces. The brand’s signature sophisticated heather tones and mustard yellows are part of a colour palette that shifts from the heavy tones of winter to the light, bright hues of summer.
The collection draws its inspiration from the changing of the seasons. Spring brings a mix of cold and warm days. As it gradually gets warmer, it’s always a challenge in the morning to decide on a look, sometimes resulting in outfits that feel like a slightly odd blend of winter and summer. These unexpected pairings can add charm to an elegant look. It is these fleeting moments that inspire the collection.
Any key pieces that define the collection?
Cashmere suits and shirts, hand-sewn coats, silk organdy skirts and dresses.
How does it feel to be returning to Paris on the established calendar?
I always feel nervous and a bit anxious. But having worked on the show for six months, I’m excited about how it will come together.
Is Paris still the best place for you to show?
It is the centre of fashion. Paris Fashion Week is the most global and well-attended event of its kind, so I feel that it is the best place for us.
What are your ambitions for this season? Opening new markets?
Every season, we work with the intention of making the collection better. We also hope that it will reach more people and will be enjoyable to those who see it.
When I boarded a plane last weekend to attend the spring/summer 2026 edition of Milan Fashion Week Men’s, which concluded yesterday, I knew that this would be a different kind of show season. First, there were notable absentees: many of the usual headliners, from Gucci and Fendi to JW Anderson, chose to sit out this year’s event as they attempted to rebrand and rethink their strategy under new executive teams.
Given the wave of hirings and firings that has been sweeping through luxury houses, it didn’t come as a surprise. But this was the first season in which the effect of the industry’s HR crisis was so visible. There was less excitement or novelty on the runways than in recent years and fewer international attendees too. The disruptive cycle doesn’t seem to have reached its end either: yesterday, Prada announced the departure of its CEO, Gianfranco D’Attis, just a few days after Francesco Risso stepped down from his position as creative director of Milanese label Marni and Ben Gorham left beauty label Byredo, which he founded in his native Stockholm in 2006. The biggest news, though, was François-Henri Pinault handing the reins of Kering, the luxury group founded by his father, to former Renault CEO Luca de Meo.
However, there are brands proving that they have lasting power, delivering artisanal quality and desirable collections season after season. At Brioni, Norbert Stumpfl has continued to refine his tailoring with feather-light fabrics; Canali has crafted leather outerwear inspired by vintage cars; meanwhile, Zegna’s Alessandro Sartori continues to raise the bar with new fabric innovations, from washed silks to hand-woven suede cardigans that take as long as a year to craft. In most cases, the winning businesses are still run by their founding families, with a clear vision about who they are and a strategy of pursuing slower growth.
Like other industries, fashion is also having to grapple with the current geopolitical situation. News of the US bombing of Iran broke hours before the Prada show in Milan, where models walked to an ominous soundtrack, though they were wearing optimistic primary colours. “What can we do but try to put a smile on people’s faces?” said Raf Simons, the brand’s co-creative director, while a pensive Miuccia Prada nodded in the background. “We have been trying to change the tone to something more gentle, looking to nature,” she said. “It’s the opposite of aggression, power and nastiness.” In such moments, big thinkers such as Prada are the ones who will hold on to their relevance. As Milan passes the baton to Paris Fashion Week Men’s, which starts today and runs until 29 June, all eyes are on the larger-scale luxury houses to see who will rise to today’s challenges.
Here, we round up the brands that stood out in Milan and approached a testing season with grace.
The British delegation
With London Men’s Fashion Week cancelled, the UK’s leading menswear names are making a new home in Milan, where they can continue a dialogue between the worlds of British and Italian tailoring. Paul Smith, who is usually a regular in Paris, chose to invite the industry to his own Milanese showroom – a modernist space near Porta Romana – for his Milan Fashion Week debut. “[Owning property] is a big advantage, especially in this world that we live in,” said Smith backstage. His spring/summer collection, which featured sleek pinstripe suits and splashes of vibrant colour inspired by the bazaars of Cairo “and all the trinkets you discover in a street market,” offered a much-needed moment of lightness – as did Smith’s joyful skip down the showroom stairs before taking his final bow.
A day later in a hidden Milanese garden, Simon Holloway, creative director of London-based label Dunhill, presented a more formal version of British tailoring, while still sprinkling the right touches of humour: bright stripes and straw hats for garden parties, with patterned ties and linen suits channeling Bryan Ferry. “I love that [Ferry] wears the most classic, English clothing but maintains a cool factor – it’s a studied kind of wardrobe,” said Holloway during a preview. His precision is a joy to observe: everything is considered, from the vintage watches and signet rings accessorising his looks to the impeccably groomed dogs walking down the runway alongside some of the models. It’s no wonder that he has reignited interest in Dunhill so quickly.
A welcome return
Off the runway on the quiet Via Bigli, Turkish designer Umit Benan opened the doors to his first boutique – a space dressed in dark mahogany inspired by yacht interiors, filled with mid-century design pieces. His collection of relaxed tailoring, cotton basics and intricate tunics is on show alongside Jacques Marie Mage eyewear and jewellery. Head downstairs to place a bespoke order and keep an eye out for more retail projects from Benan. With a new investor on board, the designer is broadening his ambitions and plotting openings in more fashion capitals in the near future.
Armani reigns supreme
This season we lost a moment that never fails to bring a smile to even the most stone-faced of fashion editors: Giorgio Armani didn’t take his famous finalé bow, as he was recovering from a short bout of illness at home. But the two collections presented by his teams (for his eponymous label as well as for his Emporio Armani line) were still momentous. At Emporio Armani, the audience was brought to Central Asia by way of Africa. Armani revisited his love of travelling and discovering new cultures by adding patterned tunics, intricate bead embroidery and crocheted bags to his usual repertoire of silk sets, collarless shirting and loose tailoring. His consistent commitment to elegance, refinement and trend-free design is a breath of fresh air during a time when the fashion industry’s constant search for novelty is getting old.
Natalie Theodosi is Monocle’s fashion director. Look out for reports and interviews from Paris this week on monocle.com and Monocle Radio. And subscribe to never miss a beat.
Runway shows are fleeting affairs but every 10-minute spectacle requires months of careful thought and arduous preparation. Out of view of the front rows, there are teams of highly skilled specialists who play fundamental but rarely celebrated roles in every fashion week. You’ll find them in London, Milan, New York and Paris, working in cramped backstage areas or bustling offices until the early hours of the morning. These are often hectic, fast-paced environments but they are where a lot of the creative magic happens.
Here, Monocle goes behind the scenes in the five major fashion capitals to catch some of that action and pay homage to the unsung heroes of fashion weeks.
1.
The caterer
Andrea Menicatti
Milan
Post-show celebrations are almost always followed by champagne – even before noon – along with quick bites for the models, photographers and journalists backstage. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Milan holds first place when it comes to fashion-week hospitality. Here, you can expect to be served delicious focaccias, mini-bowls of pasta or biscotti on silver trays. Miuccia Prada is known as one of the city’s best hosts, thanks in no small part to the cheerful and generous catering by Marchesi 1824, the historic Milanese pastry shop now owned by the Prada Group.
Its CEO, Andrea Menicatti, ensures that every Prada show culminates with waiters serving trays of bubbly, chocolates and the crustless salty butter and cucumber canapés that are such staples of the brand’s events that habitués call them “Prada snacks”. “It’s a team effort, serving a large number of people with different needs and tastes,” says Menicatti. Contrary to popular belief, fashion people do eat.
2.
The security chief
Fabio Covizzi
Milan
Even among Milan’s immaculately dressed fashion crowd, Fabio Covizzi stands out. He’s easy to spot with his shaved head and sharp suits from the likes of Fendi, Prada or Ferragamo. At shows, many guests wonder how he can move so seamlessly between guarding the entrance, escorting guests to their seats and fending off over-eager fans from celebrated designers such as Miuccia Prada during their post-show interviews.
“I sleep very little,” says Covizzi, who tells Monocle that he typically works on seven or eight runway shows a day, plus events and evening cocktails, during fashion weeks. Covizzi’s company, Eventservices, employs more than 350 security guards, who are divided into various teams that he oversees. The process requires months of advance planning to ensure that those 10-minute performances go smoothly. “I started in 1984 with the very first Dolce & Gabbana show,” he says, adding that he has worked at more than 2,000 such events. “I still love this job. Otherwise it would be impossible to be so attentive.”
3.
The make-up artist
Pat McGrath
London
You’ll spot Pat McGrath and her team of make-up artists backstage at the biggest shows in Europe’s main fashion capitals, from Versace’s in Milan to Miu Miu’s in Paris. In her signature black headband, she has a calm presence even amid the pre-show pandemonium when dozens of models are waiting to sit in her make-up chair. Over the years she has created ancient Egyptian-inspired looks for Christian Dior Couture, added petals on models’ eyelashes while working with Pierpaolo Piccioli at Valentino and caused a sensation when she transformed John Galliano’s Maison Margiela models into porcelain dolls with glass-like skin – an artistic and technical feat involving airbrushed layers of gel finish.
Even as her career reaches new heights (she now has her own make-up label and was named a dame of the British empire for her services to beauty), she remains a reassuring backstage figure. You might hear her team members referring to her as “Dame Pat” when they need her to pass a brush or add her finishing touches to a look.
4.
The movement director
Pat Boguslawski
New York
Models’ mesmerising runway struts don’t happen by accident. The man adding flair to many of their performances is former model and dancer Pat Boguslawski, who now works as a movement director. “I knew that there was a gap in fashion since the 1990s,” he says. “I wanted to be the person to bring energy back to the runway.” After walking for the likes of Alexander McQueen, he had ideas for how to enhance fashion shows with more stagecraft. “The magic is in the combination of dance and acting,” he says. “You need to see characters, not just movement – otherwise, the clothes aren’t believable.”
Boguslawski’s most celebrated moment took place at last year’s Maison Margiela Artisanal show by John Galliano for which models prowled around in a theatre-worthy runway performance. The piece of advice that he dispenses most frequently could apply to anyone. “Be confident, be yourself and have fun,” he says. “That way, people will remember you.”
5.
The pit photographers
Giovanni and Silvia Giannoni
Florence
During every fashion week, thousands of runway images are disseminated online, to be pored over by buyers, editors and fashion enthusiasts across the globe. None of these would exist were it not for the skilled runway photographers who you’ll see positioned at the end of each catwalk, sometimes shouting at guests to uncross their legs as the lights go down – anything to get the right shot.
Italian-born Giovanni Giannoni has been a steady presence in the pit for more than 20 years. A pioneer in the transition from film to digital photography on the runway, he has worked as the in-house photographer for brands such as Louis Vuitton and shot for industry publications including Women’s Wear Daily. After he takes the photographs, his partner, Silvia, selects the best images for every look, swiftly editing and archiving them. It’s a carefully choreographed job that takes them to Milan, Paris, London and Tokyo for months at a time, all in the name of fashion.
6.
The PR maven
Lucien Pagès
Paris
The night before a fashion show, fleets of press officers – often dressed in black and holding walkie-talkies – are up late finalising seating charts, confirming interviews and negotiating access with fashion editors. Among the busiest communications specialists in the business is Lucien Pagès, who works between New York, London, Milan and Paris, and spearheads public relations for about 60 runway shows every season. To ensure that his clients get the visibility that they deserve, Paris-based Pagès divides his staff between events yet also puts in plenty of personal face time.
“I have to work a lot but I take things day by day, level by level, like in Super Mario Bros,” says Pagès. “I’m lucky to work with a young team that’s excited about fashion and their job. Still, it’s like co-ordinating something that’s a cross between a ballet and an army.” His survival tips? Being in bed by midnight and abstaining from drinking at parties – even though those that Pagès holds are always unmissable.
