Ralph Lauren Headlines Fall 2026 Milan Men’s Fashion Week as Calendar Returns to Full Strength

Ralph Lauren returns to the Milan catwalk after more than two decades to headline Milan Men’s Fashion Week, which runs Jan. 16–20, 2026. The designer will present full runway shows for his Purple Label and Polo Ralph Lauren menswear lines at the brand’s Milan headquarters on Via San Barnaba.

Show Details: The fall 2026 Ralph Lauren show is scheduled for 5 p.m. CET on Jan. 16.

Calendar Highlights

The week includes 18 physical runway shows and a total of 76 events — including presentations, parties and activations — featuring established houses and rising talents. Major names on the calendar include Prada, Giorgio Armani (which will close the week with a double show on Jan. 19 at Via Borgonuovo 21), Paul Smith, Dunhill, Saul Nash and Qasimi. New additions and first-time presenters include Domenico Orefice, Victor Hart, Plās Collective and Bottega Bernard.

Emporio Armani, EA7 and Olympic Tie-Ins

Emporio Armani has announced a strategic shift: starting with Fall 2026 the label will stage coed shows during Milan’s women’s fashion weeks. Its sportswear sublabel, EA7, will host a special event on Jan. 17 at the brand’s Via Manzoni store to celebrate its role as partner and official outfitter of the Italian team for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (Feb. 6–22 and March 6–15, respectively).

Other brands are aligning programming with the Games: K-Way will replace a traditional runway with “Montagna Milano,” a two-day activation at its BasicVillage headquarters featuring panels, workshops and après-ski experiences. Milan Fashion Week’s seasonal campaign also nods to the Winter Games, incorporating memorabilia loaned from the Olympic Museum in Lausanne as part of the Cultural Olympiad programming.

Tailoring, Presentations and Digital Shows

Tailoring remains central to the men’s calendar, with presentations from Brunello Cucinelli, Brioni, Kiton, Canali and Pal Zileri among others. Bikkembergs returns to Milan from Pitti Uomo for the first time since January 2019. Etro and Tod’s are scheduled for menswear presentations on Jan. 18; Ferragamo has allocated a three-hour slot that day to spotlight its Tramezza men’s shoes and announced a long-term collaboration with Italian ski legend Alberto Tomba. The final day of the week is dedicated to digital runway shows showcasing up-and-coming designers.

Industry Outlook

The calendar is published amid hopes for a 2026 stabilization after a challenging year for Italian fashion. Preliminary figures from Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana show sector revenues dipped about 3% in 2025 to €92.9 billion, a smaller decline than earlier estimates. Exports are expected to fall roughly 4% to €87.4 billion, with Italian fashion exports to China plunging 19.8% in the first eight months of the year. Camera della Moda president Carlo Capasa noted the sector lost about 3,000 companies between 2022 and the end of 2024 and emphasized the need for measures to support firms hit by market volatility.

“After a negative first quarter, the overall performance has improved with an acceleration in the third and fourth quarters,” said Carlo Capasa. “We’re hoping 2026 will be at least flat versus this year because we’ve ultimately lost €10 billion in sales over the past two years.”

Practical Note: The full Milan Men’s Fashion Week calendar and individual show details are available through Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana and participating brands’ press channels.