Milan Men's Fashion Week Unveiled as Industry Turnover Drops 3% Amid Structural Challenges

Carlo Capasa, President of the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (CNMI), announced a relatively contained 3% drop in turnover for Italy's textile and apparel industry for the full 2025 financial year. Despite extremely challenging economic and geopolitical backdrops, this figure, which includes accessories, reflects better performance in the latter months of the year compared to the first. Capasa noted that while exports remain resilient, accounting for 87.5 billion euros of the total 93 billion euros turnover, weaknesses persist along the supply chain, as highlighted by ICE president Matteo Zoppas.

The industry faces significant structural challenges, notably the loss of companies. Capasa pointed to a "striking figure" indicating that the number of companies has fallen from 62,000 in 2022 to 59,000 in 2025, representing a loss of 3,000 companies in three years. Domestic consumption also remains suppressed; while the shortfall in domestic spending has halved from 13 billion euros in 2023, it continues to weigh heavily on the sector because salaries have not grown sufficiently to match the rising cost of living. Furthermore, trade imbalances with China have intensified, with imports from China increasing by 11.8% while exports to China have decreased by approximately 20%.

Despite these headwinds, there are positive indicators for Italian fashion. After an initial period of difficulty, trade relations with the US are improving, and US duties have been "absorbed fairly well" by companies. To capitalize on this key market, many brands are actively stimulating interest in the US; for instance, Moncler will present its Cruise collections in Aspen. While the jewellery and eyewear sectors—which had performed strongly in recent years—have run into headwinds in 2025 (with jewellery down 4.1% and eyewear down 2% in the first nine months), menswear has shown greater resilience.

Italy maintains its position as the world’s second-largest exporter of menswear, holding an 8% share globally. Menswear exports grew by 5% across all categories from April to August, outperforming womenswear. Exports to the US have been particularly robust for menswear, rising by 9% from January to November. Capasa expressed hope for better results in 2026, acknowledging a significant loss of 10 billion euros in turnover over the past two years in certain sectors, including jewellery and eyewear.

Carlo Capasa also unveiled details for the upcoming Milan Men’s Fashion Week (MFW), scheduled to take place in Milan from January 16–20, 2026. The event will feature a total of 76 appointments, including 18 physical shows, seven digital shows, 39 presentations, and 12 events. The communications campaign for this edition, created in collaboration with the City of Milan and Yes Milano, will again shine a spotlight on new talents and emblematic locations, while incorporating elements related to the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The campaign was shot by photographer Alessandro Burzigotti at the entrance of a historic 1940s building on Via Foppa and features objects loaned by the Olympic Museum in Lausanne.

The official MFW menswear show calendar will feature nine new runway shows, including prominent additions such as Ralph Lauren, Domenico Orefice, and Victor Hart. The digital show calendar will introduce six new brands: Absent Findings, Ajabeng, Kente Gentlemen, Raimondi, State of Chaos, and Subwae. Returning to the runway calendar are Zegna and Dsquared2, while Ferragamo returns to the presentations schedule. The presentations calendar will also welcome seven new brands: Bottega Bernard, Dunhill, K-Way, Plās Collective, Moarno, Sagaboi, and Stone Island. Major Italian menswear houses such as Brunello Cucinelli, Prada, Giorgio Armani, Corneliani, Tod's, Brioni, Lardini, Kiton, Mordecai, and Montecore are all confirmed to participate in the fashion week.

This edition of MFW will also celebrate important anniversaries and host special events. Blauer will mark its 25th anniversary, Pronounce its 10th, and Marcello Pipitone–Bonola its 5th. In line with the Olympic theme, EA7 Emporio Armani will host an in-store celebration for the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games. K-Way, in collaboration with Vogue and GQ, will present 'Montagna Milano: The Alpine Club in Town,' a three-day public event featuring panels, workshops, and après-ski experiences. Li-Ning will present its Autumn–Winter 2026/27 Men’s and Women’s collections with a focus on movement and brand evolution, while Stone Island will showcase 'Prototype Research_Series 09, Air Blown Lamination On Knit' in an installation by Ken-Tonio Yamamoto.

For this edition, Fondazione Sozzani will serve as CNMI's space, dedicated to supporting and promoting new designers. Domenico Orefice and Simon Cracker will show there, alongside a showcase featuring labels such as Bottega Bernard, Maragno, Marcello Pipitone–Bonola, Moarno, Mtl Studio, Pecoranera, and Sagaboi. Capasa highlighted the importance of digital reach, ensuring streaming and international broadcasting on the Milan Fashion Week platform, which will also host virtual showrooms. He emphasized that Milan serves as "the most important fair in the world," boasting 800 showrooms with 3,000 brands open for seven months a year, showcasing visions to a global audience.

The integration of MFW with the upcoming Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Games represents a strategic relay for the city, according to Alessia Cappello, Milan's councillor for Economic Development. She noted that the fashion week will precede the Olympics in February, with the women's fashion week positioned between the end of the Games and the start of the Paralympics. While the precise economic impact of the event is not yet known, Cappello stated that the synergy with the Winter Olympic Games is expected to bring even more visitors and tourists to Milan, potentially increasing the usual economic impact of men's fashion week (typically around 80 million euros) to a higher level. She also acknowledged the "solid and fruitful relationship" with Florence, where men's fashion week begins before concluding in Milan.