Milan Fashion Week SS27 opened on September 22 with Prada, Dhruv Kapoor, Diesel, J.Salinas and Venerdì Pomeriggio on the official runway schedule. The first day brought together some of the established Milan fashion designers alongside younger and more individual voices, moving from Prada’s focused study of the skirt to Diesel’s denim-led farewell under Glenn Martens.
The shows also offered an early look at the season’s varied approach to Spring Summer 2027 fashion. Rather than one defining silhouette dominating the opening, each collection worked from its own set of references, spanning sharply edited wardrobe pieces, contemporary streetwear, provocative denim and decorative craftsmanship.
Prada Lets Skirts Take Over
Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons opened the season with Prada SS27, building the entire collection around the skirt. The show comprised 63 looks, each exploring the garment through different constructions and treatments.
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Prada’s show notes describe the skirt as a universal form that can be repeatedly reinterpreted while remaining within a defined set of parameters.
Pencil, pleated, wrapped, sheer, embroidered and leather versions appeared across the collection. By keeping the skirt at the centre of every look, Prada turned a familiar wardrobe staple into the season’s most closely examined piece so far. It also offered one of the clearest early examples of how established fashion codes can be revisited without being discarded.
Dhruv Kapoor Brings Indian Perspective
Dhruv Kapoor SS27 brought a different design language to the Milan runway. The Indian designer has developed a practice that draws on his background while incorporating contemporary streetwear and global influences, and his continued presence on the official calendar has established him as one of the Indian names to watch in Milan.
His appearance added a distinct cultural perspective to the opening-day lineup, placing an Indian designer alongside major Italian houses and independent labels. It also reinforced the increasingly international character of Milan Fashion Week.
Diesel Marks a Final Chapter
At Diesel, Glenn Martens presented his final collection for the label after six years as creative director. His departure follows his appointment at Maison Margiela, bringing his Diesel tenure to a close with the SS27 show.
Denim remained central to the collection, accompanied by exposed skin, body-conscious silhouettes and deliberately provocative styling. The presentation leaned into Diesel’s rebellious identity, making the farewell feel theatrical while remaining closely connected to the visual language Martens developed for the house.
A Playful Finish
J.Salinas and Venerdì Pomeriggio brought the opening day towards a more decorative close. J.Salinas presented its contemporary womenswear vocabulary, while Venerdì Pomeriggio, founded by Vivetta Ponti, continued to explore its interest in nostalgia and handcrafted details.
Venerdì Pomeriggio’s second chapter took inspiration from a garden, with flowers, cross-stitch embroidery, geometric motifs and hand-applied floral elements appearing across dresses, skirts and denim. The collection provided a softer counterpoint to the sharper propositions earlier in the day.
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Prada’s concentrated study of one garment, Kapoor’s Indian perspective, Diesel’s final Martens collection and the decorative language of the closing shows each approached the Spring/Summer 2027 season from a different starting point. By the end of the day, Prada, Dhruv Kapoor, Diesel, J.Salinas and Venerdì Pomeriggio had taken the Milan runway in five very different directions.
