Style -- 4 hours ago
The best menswear moments from the Spring/Summer 2026 September shows
From Burberry to Bottega Veneta, the September shows, while catering mostly to womenswear, have had some big menswear moments
Words: Zak Maoui
From Burberry to Bottega Veneta, the September shows, while catering mostly to womenswear, have had some big menswear moments
Words: Zak Maoui
The September roster of fashion shows historically caters to womenswear, and that is largely the current case. That said, this season, we've been presented with a fair chunk of decent menswear across the shows in London, Milan, and Paris. We've seen a strong debut from Louis Trotter at Bottega Veneta, former Bally creative director Simone Bellotti’s first collection for Jil Sander and a new vibe at Burberry.
Burberry presented its Spring/Summer 2026 collection in front of a glittering crowd, including the likes of Elton John, Jason Statham, Raye and Skepta, underneath a gabardine canopy painted with the blue skies of a Great British Summer. And it was the thought of summer that led creative director Daniel Lee to his inspiration for the season: festivals and music in general. "Musicians have always been pioneers – fearless in the way they dress and sound,’ adds Lee. ‘A legacy you’ll see in the looks, cast and styling."
The collection had a different vibe to those previous we've seen from Lee at Burberry. Tailoring had more narrow silhouettes which were reminiscent of the suits worn by the Beatles, while the eclectic nature of the British soundscape was interpreted through bold textures, be it python or leather, and vibrant colours such as hot pink and yellow. Burberry described the collection as a "visual remix"
“I like that the ‘Bottega’ is a workshop – one with a long and multifaceted history in Italy. It involves the collective effort of craft; with craftsmanship, the people who make it, and the people who wear it matter. It’s where the hand and the heart become one,” Louise Trotter said in her show notes relating to her first collection at Italian brand Bottega Veneta.
Trotter, who had carved out her name with design roles at Lacoste, Joseph and most recently Carven presented a collection deep-rooted in the sophistication and craft that the Bottega Veneta name has come to embody. Bottega Veneta’s original 1970s tagline was “When your own initials are enough”, and that was woven into the collection: no logos, just excellent clothing. The famous intrecciato leather was used on bags, jumpers and jackets, while suiting was quiet in construction.
Founded in 1966, 2026 sees the 60th anniversary of Bottega Veneta. With this in mind, Louise Trotter approached the British artist and Oscar-winning director Steve McQueen to work on the soundtrack of the show.
Simon Bellotti made his debut at Jil Sander, following a stint at Bally. Rather than reinvent the brand, he stuck to its minimal aesthetic while pushing it into the future. "The silhouette is concisely vertical," read his show notes.
"Rational tailoring with high buttoning is ruptured by occasional folding, by the odd raw hem." Crewneck sweaters, laser-cut suiting, straight-leg jeans, while pops of light blue cut through a minimalist white, navy, black and grey colour palette.
Dario Vitale, who was previously design director of Miu Miu, presented his debut collection for Versace in Milan. It was evident that he looked to the late Gianni Versace for inspiration, as his collection was heavily 80s and 90s coded. Pops of colour came through by way of ruffled track jackets, vests cut away at their sides were perhaps a nod to Miami, the last home of Gianni, and baroque prints and gold hardware were a nod to house codes.
‘When I went to Gianni Versace’s archive, it was more about the feeling of Gianni, the feeling of this company, the feeling of the legacy of Versace, more than the pieces themselves," Vitale said after the show.
For his Spring/Summer 2026 collection, Maximilian Davis looked to the Harlem Renaissance zoot suits for inspiration, which informed blown-up, louche and expressive dandyism in the menswear. Meanwhile, the ties worn by men are reappropriated into scarf sashes that wrap tuxedo waists. Elsewhere oversized parka coats were given a luxurious edge in muted tones of charcoal, and bold colour came through with canvas shirts cast in canary yellow and tucked into chocolate brown leather slacks.
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