The feeling of unease is one of the hallmarks of our times, with cost of living increases and geopolitical conflicts contributing to a sense of disquietude. Within fashion, there is just as much uncertainty amid the ever-changing roster of designers at major luxury houses and a challenging retail climate.

That mood was reflected at the Spring-Summer 2026 menswear shows in Milan, where the collections were generally a mixed bag. But one thing several designers agreed on was the need for compassion.“The most important thing for us was a change of tone: an invitation to embrace gentleness,” Prada co-creative director Miuccia Prada told journalists after the show.

That sentiment was echoed by Italian entrepreneur Brunello Cucinelli. “We need to find elegance, gentleness and embrace the art of listening to one another,” he told CNN at his presentation.

With introspection seemingly top of Prada’s mind, the namesake designer and the brand’s co-creative director Raf Simons sought to offer a calm and gentle respite to the troubled world. “Basically, the opposite of aggression, power, nastiness, which seems to not interest me right now,” Prada told reporters backstage. The show, which was attended by the likes of Harris Dickinson, Riz Ahmed and Benedict Cumberbatch, featured dishevelled suiting, tiny shorts, hut-shaped intrecciato hats and striped tracksuits.

At Dolce & Gabbana, designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana continued their exploration of heritage and Italian elegance, with a star-studded front row that included newly appointed brand ambassador Theo James. On the runway, models wore loungewear and versatile, slouchy separates, trousers with pleats and wide hems, oversized stripes across shirts and jackets (at times they mimicked pajamas), and leather pieces inspired by the 1980s.