Amid a season of creative shake-ups, the menswear landscape enters a moment of transformation. With long-awaited debuts and notable names missing from the schedule, the Spring/Summer 2026 season arrives under a cloud of anticipation and change. Still, in the midst of this flux, a new wave of creative directors awaits—delivering everything from quiet statements to bold redefinitions, and setting the tone for fashion's next chapter.
This upcoming show season will see several major houses sitting out the Spring/Summer 2026 menswear calendar. Fendi will skip the menswear show season in Milan, opting for a co-ed show in September; Gucci will also be absent, as it continues its interim, studio-designed collections while awaiting newly announced creative director Demna to take over; Zegna has decided to show in Dubai on 11 June instead. Meanwhile, Loewe is likely to concentrate on a September debut for new co-creative directors Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez.
The most talked-about topics in fashion haven't been about particular collections, but the changes in designer appointments. Leading the conversation is Jonathan Anderson, the former creative force behind Loewe, whose next move has become the industry’s worst kept secret. After 11 years at Loewe, Anderson has stepped into his new role as creative director of Dior Men, succeeding Kim Jones. His first Dior Men collection will debut in Paris this June.
Jonathan Anderson's final collection for Loewe—Autumn/Winter 2025—was a memorable farewell that encapsulated his signature blend of surrealism, craftsmanship, and conceptual flair. Anderson delivered a lineup that was both sculptural and emotionally resonant, melding abstract silhouettes with rich textures and unexpected details. Instead of a traditional runway, the collection was showcased in the 18th-century Hôtel de Maisons that was transformed into an immersive space featuring 17 themed rooms alongside art installations by Anthea Hamilton, Zizipho Poswa, and Yoshihiro Suda.
With his final Loewe show serving as a poetic close, Anderson will now turn a new page at Dior Men. Anticipation is certainly high for how he’ll infuse his boundary-pushing vision to one of fashion’s most storied houses.
HOMME PLISSÉ ISSEY MIYAKE will take center stage as a guest designer at Pitti Uomo from 17 to 20 June. As always, Pitti Uomo will host a lineup of guest designers showcasing their collections in iconic locations throughout the city.
HOMME PLISSÉ ISSEY MIYAKE's appearance at Pitti Uomo marks a new chapter in the brand's evolving global strategy. As part of a broader creative vision, the label is taking its collections on the road—connecting with new audiences and reinterpreting the quiet, technical elegance of Issey Miyake’s legacy. Furthermore, Pitti's selection honours the brand’s originality, global success, and its forward-thinking approach to design rooted in movement, texture, and form.
Alongside HOMME PLISSÉ ISSEY MIYAKE this season, two rising labels are set to show: Tuscan-born Niccolò Pasqualetti, a 2024 LVMH Prize finalist with a penchant for poetic, deconstructed minimalism; and POST ARCHIVE FACTION, the Seoul-based collective earning acclaim for its conceptual and sculptural take on contemporary menswear.
Marking his Milan Fashion Week Men's debut on 21 June, iconic British designer Paul Smith will unveil his Spring/Summer 2026 collection in an intimate presentation at the brand's Milan showroom on Viale Umbria. His most recent outing was a unique design tutorial in Paris this past January, where he walked attendees through the inspiration behind the collection—his father's passion for photography—set against a recreation of his father's darkroom.
While it remains unclear whether Smith will return to the Paris runway in January 2026, his signature design ethos, "classic with a twist", continues to shine through in each piece infused with his irrepressible spirit.
The British Fashion Council has officially cancelled the June edition of London Fashion Week. In its place, the focus will shift to supporting British brands commercially through a London Show Rooms showcase in Paris, scheduled to run from 26 June to 1 July.
For all the first-person encounters during Paris Fashion Week Men's for the Spring/Summer 2026 show season, follow @esquiresg.
