Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons have done it again. The creative duo unveiled the Prada spring/summer 2026 menswear collection at Milan fashion week, championing a spirit of instinct over logical reasoning. ‘We wanted a change of tone,’ said Mrs Prada, surrounded by a crowd of editors in search of the collection’s deeper meaning.

The Deposito at Fondazione Prada, the venue for the show, felt grander and cooler than ever – sheltering guests from the scorching Milanese Sunday afternoon heat. For the first time, the space was stripped down to its raw concrete core, adorned only with oversized, cartoon-like black-and-white flowers, a nod to a past Prada women’s collection. 

On the runway, familiar elements of the Prada lexicon were layered and reimagined, evoking a sense of ease and summery nonchalance. Shorts were cropped to micro proportions and paired with slightly oversized, short-sleeved workwear shirts matched with contrasting turtlenecks. Black patent leather loafers and the signature nylon camping-style backpack completed the looks. ‘Everything worked with everything,’ noted Simons.

The colour palette was vibrant and energetic. Canary yellow slim-fit joggers were styled beneath a mustard leather car coat, while a double-breasted grey suit came to life with a neon-orange zip-through sweatshirt. The overall reduction to essentials – from the minimalistic set design to the cryptic show notes and shrunken garments – brought to mind the illogical and concise rhythm of hermetic poetry.

‘This was not conceptual,’ she clarified. Instead, it was a response to ‘do something calming and gentle’ – an antidote, she added, to ‘the power and nastiness that runs the world now’. 

A similar celebration of colour’s joyful power was on display at Paul Smith’s Milan runway debut. The British designer, renowned for his playful take on tailoring, opted for a salon-style presentation, unveiling the collection’s details through a voiceover that served as the show’s soundtrack. His spring/summer pieces read like a love letter to the local street markets he explored during travels to destinations such as Egypt, Morocco and India.

A kaleidoscopic collage of prints and travel photographs, personally taken by Smith, blossomed across floaty oversized shirts paired with matching ties, while hand-dyed Bermuda shorts in coral red and khaki green conveyed a laid-back yet refined silhouette. ‘The main point of the collection is colour,’ he said backstage, showing us an old lithograph book depicting the streets of Cairo that became one of his influences. 

Metal trinkets and small souvenirs were scattered throughout the looks. Two silver seashells even served as buttons on a roomy double-breasted blazer. Paul Smith clearly has fun with fashion and invites us to do the same.

Elsewhere, Montblanc unveiled the second campaign directed by American filmmaker Wes Anderson, coinciding with the debut of its first-ever ready-to-wear collection. Though the 16 looks – crafted entirely from supple Nappa leather – won’t be hitting stores just yet. 

They were conceived by creative director Marco Tomasetta as a celebration of the artistry and craftsmanship at the heart of the German house. Brightly coloured shorts, blousons and trench coats are enriched with details inspired by pen nibs and envelopes.

‘This expression of Montblanc’s heritage is the most intimate yet – something you wear on your body, something that quite literally becomes part of you,’ says Tomasetta.

prada.com, paulsmith.com, montblanc.com