Your trusted cheat sheet to the FW26 menswear season

The fashion industry is off to a busy start of the year with the Fall/Winter 2026 menswear season. The cycle officially kicked off in Florence on January 13, with Pitti Immagine Uomo (or Pitti Uomo for those in the know), arguably menswear’s biggest trade show. Most of the attention, however, falls on the Milan and Paris Fashion Week calendar, scheduled to begin on January 16. 

Following a biannual format, the season brings together fashion design talent, A-listers and fashion industry professionals from around the world to showcase and participate in the latest fashion collection unveilings. 

Amid notable absences, anticipated shows and the fanfare that celebrities bring to the front rows, this menswear season will set the tone for fashion in 2026. 

Here’s what to look forward to as brands, celebrities and fashion industry bigwigs touch down in Europe for this year’s first major Fashion Week. 

.Men’s Milan Fashion Week FW26.

Featuring more than 50 collection unveilings between fashion shows, private presentations and digital runways, Milan Fashion Week will bring sharp tailoring and everyday luxury to the fore. 

Alongside emerging names in fashion, Brunello Cucinelli, Zegna and Ralph Lauren are set to open the event on January 16. Betting big on menswear, Ralph Lauren returns to the Milan calendar after 20 years of absence — though the brand’s Purple Label and Palazzo collection regularly show in the city; the most recent occasion being the Purple Label SS26 collection, attended by stars such as Kim Woo-bin and Dean Fujioka. 

Ralph Lauren’s Fall/Winter 2026 show will take place at the brand’s iconic Milanese building, Palazzo Ralph Lauren and is expected to reunite friends and ambassadors such as Mark Lee (member of K-pop group NCT and event regular) on the front row.

Dean and Dan Caten’s Dsquared2 will wrap up Day 1 of Milan Fashion Week. According to reports, BL series actor Hudson Williams (Heated Rivalry) is set to walk the runway, solidifying his status as one of the must-watch stars of 2026.

Setchu, Prada and more

On January 17, fashion enthusiasts can look forward to Setchu, one of the most anticipated names on the calendar since founder Satoshi Kuwata was awarded the LVMH Prize in 2023. Menswear icon Paul Smith will also return to Milan for the second time in a row since switching from its regular show home base in Paris.

Powered by its army of high-profile ambassadors and its status as one of the world’s hottest and buzziest brands, Prada will be one of the highlights on Sunday, January 17. The brand’s menswear shows are standouts every season, as they generally lay out the foundation for the Prada womenswear runway, where Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons generally continue their creative dialogue. Prada is also one of the most star-studded front rows, having featured stars such as Jaehyun, Troye Sivan and Stormzy in previous editions.  For its upcoming showing, brand ambassadors and industry darlings Byeon Wooseok, Win Metawin and Karina have confirmed their attendance.

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January 19 will see Giorgio Armani’s first men’s show since the brand founder’s passing, marking a new chapter for the Italian powerhouse. The runway, overseen by Leo Dell’Orco,  will be presented in two sessions on Monday at the brand’s regular venue in Via Borgonuovo. 

Milan Fashion Week will come to a close with digital presentations by the Accra-based Ajabeng and Absent Findings by Polimoda alumn Shivin Singh. 

Among the notable absences this season are Gucci, Fendi, Bottega Veneta and Emporio Armani, which will integrate their menswear into the womenswear runways in February.

Calendar Highlights 

Not To Miss 

If you’re in Milan for the week, make sure to take a look at the cultural and fashion events unfolding in parallel, from art exhibitions to fashion panels. 

• INDIA. Of Glimmers and Getaways

Open til February 8 at Padiglione d’Arte Contemporanea at via Palestro, 14. www.pacmilano.it 

• Sueño Perro. Instalación Celuloide de Alejandro G. Iñárritu

Open til February 26 at Fondazione Prada at Largo Isarco, 2.  www.fondazioneprada.org

• Montagna Milano: The Alpine Club in Town by K-WAY, Vogue and GQ 

Brand activations, workshops, and après-ski experiences at BasicVillage, via dell’Aprica 12. 

Mandatory registration at https://eventi.vogue.it/montagna-milano/  

• The Gentleman. Stile e Gioielli al Maschile

Open from January 15 to September 27 at Palazzo Morando Costume Moda Immagine at via Sant’Andrea, 6. Free entrance. Closed on Mondays www2.comune.milano.it/web/palazzo-morando 

.Men’s Paris Fashion Week FW26.

Between January 20 and 25, Paris will be the backdrop to at least 66 fashion events, including runways and showrooms. The calendar includes industry favorites Louis Vuitton, Dior and Willy Chavarria. 

On January 20, Jeanne Friot, Auralee and Louis Vuitton kick things off with exclusive shows. Leaning on creative director Pharrell Williams’ penchant for theatericals, the Louis Vuitton FW26 show is expected to, like in previous seasons, take over a major Parisian landmark with an equally spectacular lineup of attendants. ICYMI, A-listers like Fourth, Sho Hirano, Jackson Wang, Karol G and Yuta graced the front row last season.

This season, Thai superstars BamBam and Fourth, as well as Chinese singer The8 and Japanese singer Sho Hirano have, so far, announced their attendance. BamBam, brand ambassador and front row fixture, will return to Paris after eliciting plenty of fanfare the previous menswear season. Fourth, a prominent name in the Thai broadcasting giant GMMTV’s roster, will represent the rising Thai television scene after a successful front row debut at the Louis Vuitton SS26 show. Meanwhile, brand ambassador Sho Hirano and The8, member of K-pop group Seventeen, will rep the Asian music landscape.

Jonathan Anderson’s Sophomore Show and a Farewell at Hermès

Industry professionals and fashion enthusiasts can expect memorable shows on January 21 when Dior, Acne Studios, Ami Paris and Kenzo unveil their latest collections. Dior is one of the most anticipated shows this season, as it will mark Jonathan Anderson’s second men’s collection at the helm of the Parisian giant. Similar to Louis Vuitton, the brand thrives on a concoction of fashion, pop culture and arts, so fans eagerly await the show, expecting to see celebrity ambassadors and friends. Last season, Thai actors Apo Nattawin and Mile, U.S. pop star Sabrina Carpenter and K-pop stars TXT and Mingyu stole the spotlight at Anderson’s debut show. This season, brand ambassadors Apo, Mile and Mingyu are set to repeat the feat, returning to Paris to attend the show. A front row debutant in the city, Stray Kids singer Hyunjin is expected to grace the VIP section of a Dior show for the first time.

On January 22 and 23, avant-garde fashion and everyday luxury are in store with the collection unveilings of Rick Owens, Yohji Yamamoto, Amiri, Officine Générale and Willy Chavarria. SYSTEM, the Handsome Corp-owned South Korean brand, will show its new collection in a private presentation on Thursday evening. Singer Jisung has been announced as a guest for the occasion, marking the return of K-pop stars to supporting South Korean brands showing in Paris.

On Saturday, January 24, Véronique Nichanian will send down the runway her farewell collection for Hermès. The event will take place at Palais Brongniart, concluding a 37-year tenure as creative director—one of the longest and most successful runs in fashion for a woman. 

The event will come to a close on January 25 with presentations by Sacai, Agnès b. and Jacquemus. 

Calendar Highlights 

.The Faces to Watch

Reflecting the standing of brands and the cultural moment, front rows are just as anticipated as the runways. Every season, fashion and pop culture enthusiasts flock to the streets of Milan and Paris to catch a glimpse of the stars gracing the VIP section at shows. Social media is equally abuzz with mentions of the celebrities taking over the front row. 

In addition to the usual suspects and Fashion Week regulars hailing from Hollywood, in recent years, the world has witnessed an influx of international names coming from regions such as Latin America, Asia Pacific and the Middle East. Armed with a strong social media presence and a robust following, these stars are changing the front row paradigm. 

Other than regular ambassadors and house friends, people can expect new celebrities to shine at Men’s Fashion Week. Over the last couple of years, Thailand has emerged as one of the top-performing countries in terms of Media Impact Value, landing various stars at the top of celebrity voice rankings. The nation’s formidable entertainment scene has outshone other countries and regions thanks to loyal and devoted fanbases that strategically amplify celebrity presence at Fashion Week.

Just as an example, at Men’s Paris Fashion Week FW24, Thailand emerged as the third top MIV-generating country, after France and the United States, per data by Launchmetrics. The kingdom generated $26.9 million in MIV; 74% of which accounted for celebrity voices. Actors Nattawin Wattanagitiphat (Apo) and Phakphum Romsaithong (Mile) took the top spots, accruing more than $7 million in MIV each. 

Japan Takes Center Stage

Similarly, over the last couple of seasons, Japanese celebrities have experienced a boost in popularity within the fashion industry. According to Influenconnect, the social media ecosystem in Japan was projected to reach ¥86 billion last year ($ 570 million, approximately), making Japanese celebrities sought-after personalities for brands. Just within the last year, various brands have appointed or strengthened their ties to stars from the Land of the Rising Sun, partnering with entertainers such as number_i, Snow Man and Kôki. At the beginning of 2026, for example, Louis Vuitton announced Olympian Yuto Horigome as a brand ambassador while Mike Amiri’s brand Amiri tapped number_i’s Yuta Jinguji. 

Turkish stars are also increasingly under the spotlight, thanks to Turkey’s popular dizi (drama) scene, while Latin American musicians are taking over the front row one step at a time. 

The Rise of BL and GL Stars at Fashion Week 

Prompelled by the local-to-global phenomenon, queer media is making headway with international audiences. As fashion boasts tight ties to entertainment and global pop culture, stars of queer television shows are now the newest front row sensations.   

While the latest television craze is the Canadian series Heated Rivalry, starring Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, the movement dates way back to the early 2020s and has birthed fashion icons such as Thai stars Win Metawin and Bright Vachirawit, who first rose to worldwide acclaim in the BL show 2gether The Series. Brands were quick to catch up with the phenomenon, bringing queer television stars to international Fashion Weeks and harnessing their star power to amplify their brands globally. 

While iconic duos such as Apo Nattawin and Mile Phakphum, stars of hit series such as KinnPorsche and Shine, are now fixtures on the front row, fans can anticipate newcomers hailing from the BL genre gracing the front row and the runways in 2026. 

Hudson Williams, reportedly making his runway debut at Milan, is a prime example of how brands will leverage the power and wide reach of queer television during this menswear season. 

* Editor’s note: This story was originally published on January 15, 2026 and has since been updated to reflect the latest updates.