At the Pinacoteca di Brera in Milan, Giorgio Armani presented his final collection, a closing chapter in a story that began in these very halls. As a young man, he had walked through the gallery as a student of art, absorbing the discipline of line and proportion. Decades later, he would return not only as a designer but as a patron, helping to restore the institution and reaffirming his belief that beauty should remain accessible to all.

Those same principles guided the founding of his brand more than 40 years ago in Milan, where he set out to redefine the idea of modern dress. By softening the rigidity of tailoring and giving women, he gave women the freedom of movement long withheld. He created an aesthetic that was both radical and enduring for its time. In this final show, the dialogue between art and fashion came full circle, with the codes of purity, proportion, and harmony he first encountered in Brera still present as the essence of his vision.

Courtesy of Giorgio Armani

For Spring/Summer 2026, the collection highlighted the designer’s classic style, focusing on elegance and timeless silhouettes. Soft jackets, long coats, light mesh like capes, and flowy trousers based of off a palette of neutrals, deep blues and metallics that kept the collection dynamic and playful in its understated way. Small details of shimmer and embroidery added light without overwhelming the designs, offering subtle accents that caught the eye.

Historic muses such as Olga Serova, Veronika Pospisilova, Veronica Ruck, Olga Sherer, Lavinia Birladeanu, Laura Reiff, Gina Di Bernardo, Anna Ry, Andrea Krakhecke, Markus Vanderloo, Daniela Pestova, and Nadege Dubospertus returned to once again embody the codes that defined his vision. Guests included Cate Blanchett, Richard Gere, Glenn Close, Zhang Ziyi, Samuel L. Jackson, and Spike Lee, while Ludovico Einaudi performed live.

A farewell is never an end, but the turning of a cycle, allowing another to begin while keeping the codes intact. The house marches toward the future, yet the hand of Giorgio Armani remains eternal. A touch stitched not only into fabric but into the very weave of time itself, and into the history of an industry. As a continuation of this legacy, the house recently announced the launch of ARMANI/Archivo, a digital platform where fashion enthusiasts can explore the history and enduring influence of Armani.

Courtesy of Giorgio Armani