The 5 Biggest Trends From Milan Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2026

The Spring/Summer 2026 season at Milan Fashion Week was quite the milestone. In addition to its major creative director debuts — Dario Vitale at Versace, Simone Bellotti at Jil Sander, and Louise Trotter at Bottega Veneta — the week also closed with the final collection from the late Giorgio Armani, who died earlier this month. All eyes were on the runways, dissecting every look and theme, drawing parallels from old and new and what these collections might mean for how we dress in 2026.

And while Milan was rife with fresh, unique takes on warm-weather wardrobes, a few key trends were definitely identified, most of which centered around cool, colorful, laid-back spring ensembles. For one, sleepwear as outerwear is coming back into focus, with striped sets, negligee-like dresses, and silk robes running rampant.

A splashy new color also materialized, signaling the dethroning of butter yellow as the hue du jour: orange. The citrus shade was splashed all over, from the ruffled skirts at Prada to the eyelet mini dresses at Ermanno Scervino. Get your inspo boards ready, as this fruity palette is sure to set sail early.

Ahead, the five major trends spotted on the runways of Milan Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2026.

Orange Is The New Yellow

Move over, butter yellow. Your days are officially numbered as a light and bright citrus-inspired shade starts to materialize. Yes, a plethora of runways displayed vibrant tangerine-colored ensembles, from the eyelet dresses at Ermanno Scervino to the slinky silk sheer skirts at Prada and Moschino.

‘80s Cool Girl

The Y2K revival that’s dominated social feeds and runways alike for the past five years, could finally be falling by the wayside, making way for the dawn of a new — old — era: the ‘80s. Milanese designers like Versace, Missoni, and Ferrari all pulled inspiration from the shoulder pad-heavy decade, nodding to its sculptural silhouettes, loud primary colors, and stone-washed denim.

Back To (Prep) School

A nice evolution from the the tennis-adjacent look of the past year, the new phase of prep-school-cool is much more Heathers than Challengers. The latest iteration is less sporty and much more polished: think crisp button-down shirts layered under cardigans and soft-shouldered blazers and waist coats worn over pleated trousers.

Pajama Party

Your favorite nocturnal essentials are officially daytime appropriate — and covering all the bases. From the striped cotton sets at Dolce & Gabbana and floor-sweeping sheer robes at Alberta Ferreti to the sweet pink negligee-like dresses at N.21 sleepwear reigned supreme.

Let’s Shag

No, this is not a reboot of Fraggle Rock — it’s fashion. The muppet-y finish is going to be all the rage with it girls come 2026, as evidenced by the new new Bottega Veneta, Ferragamo, and Giuseppe Di Morabito.