Live From MFW: (More) Debuts, Italian "Sciura Glam," and the Defining Trends of Fall 2026

Last season may have been the one to capture countless headlines with its many historic designer debuts that shook up the major fashion houses, but the fall/winter 2026 shows are proving to be no less worthy of all the industry chatter. In Milan, there was so much to discuss, including several more designer debuts that demanded their own moment. So no, this season will not be overshadowed, at least if the Italian houses and the collections they're proposing for fall have anything to say about it.

First and perhaps the most buzzed-about was Demna's runway debut at Gucci. Marni was another label that ushered in a new era with the arrival of Belgian designer Meryll Rogge, who's taking the brand back to its quirky, art school esque roots much to the delight of OG Marni fans. Meanwhile, Simone Bellotti at Jil Sander and Louise Trotter at Bottega Veneta both showed sophomore collections that kept the excitement going from last season's introductions. And who could forget Prada's innovative runway, which showed each look four times, each time discarding a layer to reveal a new element?

Now that the style set has packed up their things and headed to Paris to close out fashion month, let's sit down and discuss everything we just saw from the Milan Fashion Week F/W 26 shows—specifically, the top trends to know.

Collar Pop

The funnel-neck outerwear trend continues to develop, and designers put their stake in the ground as to where the trend will progress in 2026. While full-on funnel-necks are still as chic as ever, the fall collections indicated that soon all the chicest people you know will be wearing their jackets, coats, and blazers with the collars flipped up to create a sort of effortless, DIY-style high neckline.

Louche Layering

If the spring 2025 shows were all about preppy style and prim-and-proper layers, the fall shows took that idea and lived in it a little bit longer. The result is a series of ideas on layering that's much more relaxed, down-to-earth, and, well, how the busy women wearing these looks really get dressed.

Royalty

No need for Pantone—the Milan shows were resolute in their color predictions for fall. The consensus? It's all about purple, specifically this deep violet shade that's often referred to as royal purple. The richer the tone, the easier it becomes to wear, as it's akin to burgundy and therefore ripe for becoming your new fall staple color.

The Skinny on Pants

Designers have teased us with the return of skinny pants for the past few seasons. Although, what's happening on the street in any fashion capital right now tells a different story. But skinny-pant silhouettes seemed to dominate the runways in Milan this week, which has us questioning whether the tides will actually be turning sooner than later. Looks featured trousers that toed the line between pants and leggings (and even tights), and many were styled with boxy blazers and roomy coats to give the overall silhouette a sense of balance.

Low-Pile Fur

While maximalist fur has been a headline of winter style this year, designers are presenting the next gen of fur outerwear for 2026, and instead of bold statement pieces, it's all about a more discreet take on the texture with low-pile fur and calf-hair coats taking center stage.

Sciura Glam

In Milanese slang, the term sciura refers to a specific breed of older woman who can always be spotted dressed to the nines with no detail spared about her outfit. It's such a phenomenon that the Instagram account @sciuraglam documenting these stylish ladies has amassed over 400K followers. Clearly, they were on the minds of Italian designers this season, as calling cards of sciura style can be spotted throughout the fall collections, whether through a statement-coat-and-matching-hat moment or a pair of socks layered with polished pumps. In essence, we'll all be dressing like a fabulous nonna come fall.

Oxford Circus

Is this the death knell to ballet flats? There's no question that flat shoes will continue to remain on top, but as far as fall 2026 is concerned, derby shoes are set to be the It style to know. Designers including Bottega Veneta, Moschino, and Tod's showed minimalist versions of the lace-up flats that arrive with slim soles and glove-like fits, and given 2026's focus on preppy fashion, all signs point to these modern derby shoes becoming big.

Animal Instincts

Animal prints were notably absent from the fall collections, but in their place arrived animal embossing instead. Whether on jackets or boots, croc embossing was a detail that popped up countless times in Milan and while it's hardly a new trend, the finish is set to get a renewed emphasis this year.