Giorgio Armani stage-directed his brand’s spring 2026 fashion show and what would end up being his last collection down to the very last detail — and it showed.

Everything reflected the late designer’s impeccable taste and tone of voice — after all, ostentation was never part of his vocabulary. Even the pro-Palestine supporters outside the Pinacoteca di Brera where the show was unveiled held their signs and written messages silently — as if aware of the momentous event, meant to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Armani’s company and the exhibition of archival looks in the storied art museum, but eventually also marking his last fashion designs.

The show was held at dusk, and lanterns softly lit up the venue, graphically placed on the ground of the pebbled courtyard. Armani’s signature padded cream armchairs were lined throughout the perimeter of the arches in the cloister, and a marble-like flooring served as the catwalk.

Armani’s loyal A-lister friends took their seats, from Cate Blanchett and Glenn Close to Samuel L. Jackson and his wife LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Spike Lee and his wife Tonya Lewis Lee, Lauren Hutton and Richard Gere with his wife Alejandra Silva, and Zhang Ziyi, among others, along with designers including Dries Van Noten, Sir Paul Smith, Ronnie Fieg and Dan and Dean Caten.

The emotional moment was heightened as Italian pianist and composer Ludovico Einaudi started his performance and the first group of models walked to the tune of his melodious tracks, including “Nuvole Bianche [White Clouds].”

The title was fitting with the airy and feather-light tailored looks in Armani’s signature colors, from gray and beige to his iconic greige. The show unfolded as in chapters and brimmed with many of the designer’s signature codes, so that the lineup paid tribute to his vision and the consistency he favored throughout his career while feeling of-the-moment and timeless. The latter aspect was reinforced by the “Giorgio Armani: Milano, Per Amore” exhibition staged upstairs at the Pinacoteca, where it was hard to pinpoint the date of the clothes on display as they felt both current and enduring.

Two of Armani’s beloved locations served as the inspiration for the collection: Milan, where he established his headquarters and built his 2-billion-euro fashion group, and Pantelleria, the Sicilian island where he restored a group of dammusi, the typical local stone homes, into a beautiful summer retreat.

After the tailored looks — unlined and with the sculpted soft shoulders he made famous — in the muted and neutral palette associated with Milan, the collection turned more colorful, with different shades of Mediterranean blue and vibrant greens and lilac. Fabrics flowed as if moving in a soft evening breeze by the sea, in both the elongated dresses and the silk pajama pantsuits.

Middle and Far Eastern influences — other Armani key staples — were reflected in the harem pants (an Armani favorite that was often criticized) and jackets with Mandarin collars, while other pants had draping at the front, but all looked contemporary and not costumey. Ditto for the jackets that sparkled with an Art Deco motif, which telegraphed an era that was also a staple reference for Armani.

A group of finely pleated dresses was shown along some beautiful leather jackets, loose trenches, drawstring pants and intricately woven knits. Armani always felt his clothes should be worn by anyone, regardless of age and size, and he delivered this message loud and clear also with this collection.

Gauzy tops were worn over embellished evening dresses, also sparkling with sequins or with an iridescent floral pattern. They were exquisite and reflected the couture-like craft Armani succeeded in developing for his Privé collection.

In a further reference to the arc of his career, the show featured some of the models historically linked to him. The show was closed by one of his favorites, Agnese Zogla, walking alone in a stunning deep blue gown, embodying the designer’s ideal of a woman — elegant, stylish and sophisticated at any age.

A hush surrounded her at first as the piano music continued, but then the applause started, slowly and then building as the crowd eventually stood, clapping for the clothes but also in recognition of the historic moment — and, most importantly, for the greatness of the man who gathered them all together on the night.