Giorgio Armani's 50th—and Final—Collection Paid Homage to the Late Designer's Legacy

Fifty years later—almost to the day—from the very first runway he staged as a young designer in 1975, Giorgio Armani presented the last collection he would work on before his passing at the age of 91. It was a particularly emotional and touching show for the Italian house, but also for the city at large, as it capped off a monumental season for Milan Fashion Week, whose designer debuts along with this cherished farewell will go down in history.

The designer is beloved for his elegant tailoring, and the collection was likewise imbued with many of his signature codes like fluid tailoring and "Armani gray" that have made his clothing so recognizable for the past half-century. It felt like a poignant retrospective on his life's work but forward-looking and timeless, too, with a sense of lightness and ease throughout the fabrics, silhouettes, and color palette. Here, discover everything to know about the Giorgio Armani spring 2026 show during Milan Fashion Week and the late designer's farewell collection.

A Cast of Familiar Faces

To honor a half-century of the brand, the runway cast many of the models who have historically been linked to Armani and who embody "his idea of a woman" per the show notes, some who have starred in campaigns from as early as the '80s and '90s. They included names such as Gina di Bernardo, Olga Serova, Veronika Pospisilova, Veronica Ruck, and Olga Sherer. It gave the show an even deeper sentiment, serving almost as a retrospective of the Armani world.

The Armani Uniform

Perhaps the most enduring mark of Mr. Armani's legacy was his suiting. The designer's tailoring remains one of the brand's most iconic features, and the spring 2026 collection gave a nod to his signature silhouette with several looks that tapped into one specific outfit formula: fluid trousers, a great jacket, and a polished handbag. The look is as timeless as it is "now," and seeing it in the first half of the show felt like it set the tone for how the designer would like to be remembered best.

Tassel Details, Cont.

Tassels are a trend we've been reporting on for several months now, and Armani's idea further cemented the detail as a mainstay in 2026 wardrobes. On the runway, tassels were affixed to the ends of rope belts and used as ties on sweeping gowns, giving these evening looks a sense of regality.

Pantelleria Blue

Pantelleria, the Mediterranean island nestled between Italy and north Africa, held a special place in the late designer's mind, and the show notes point to its dark volcanic terrain set against the endless blue of the sea as specific sources of inspiration. That manifested as shades of deep midnight with a swath of looks in the middle of the collection arriving in full monochrome, from chiffon maxi dresses to intricately beaded evening jackets.

The Key Buy: Satin Pants

As a shopping-minded editor, I couldn't help but narrow in on the piece I'll be looking to shop first when this collection arrives in stores next year, and that's none other than the trousers made from luscious heavy satin that anchored a number of looks in the collection. They were styled with mandarin-collar jackets and asymmetric blazers that gave an overall sense of effortless elegance.