Milano Unica39 demonstrated the current power of the Italian capital as a fashion venue for fabrics and ideas at the top end of the industry. MU unashamedly puts its faith in luxury and invention and continues its ingrained insistence on high standards, luxury styling and embedded sustainability bias.

In particular it attracted USA buyers because of the calendar siting of the show in July. Events are part of the attraction of Milan held at Rho Fieramilano, the impetus is to highlight pride in Italy many based on particular textile areas of the country.

5,500 visitors, 36% from abroad, were invited to see 700 companies on show. Goals for sustainability, the watchword of MU, were pre-assessed by the Technical Committee, with 410 exhibitors presenting samples classed as sustainable. The well-established Japan Observatory and the Korean Observatory retained their places as special venues for their collections of fabrics The edition also saw first time participation by United Arab Emirates.

MU - feeling great

Milano Unica’s take on trends for the new season encouraged buyers to examine the displays laid out for tactile inspection, mixing yarn, fabric and accessory trends   inviting visitors to touch and look – named Velvet Mi Amor. Images of skyscrapers, and geometric lines were top motifs, with checks, stripes, and natural looks punctuated by bright colour like blue and yellow. Brushed fabrics revived variations on the popular tartans, many checks in different dimensions or with double face construction.

Preppy American retro style is coming to the fore; reinterpretations of classic fabrics both woven and knitted, emphasising texture and colour. The current concept of 24-hour fashion, means bringing together performance and versatile smart looks with a fashionable base, ‘ready for anything.’

Swimwear on the scene

Visitors could preview SS 2026 collections from various companies, destined for the international swimwear show Mare Di Moda. Swimwear and underwear designs were going for signature collections, unique fashion colours. Many chose designs in pale, delicate shades, as in some fetching colour schemes at Iluna, long time involved with sustainability, contrasted with bright tones for swimwear, embroidery and floral lace.

Eurojersey Sensitive fabrics and techno developments included designs for Spring/summer 2026 beachwear which featured the season’s bold themes of exotic journeys, encompassing geometrics inspired by the lines of traditional ceramics in Greek Breeze and tropical vibes, with Caribbean themes. Versatility was emphasised, with the concept of 24hour fabrics, easy to wear and adapt, using techno fabrics, to give balance and stability encompassing weaving and knitting, dyeing, finishing and printing, including many futuristic wool designs, ribbed textured and large.

 Sustainable luxury?

MU remains a very Italian show, which gathers to it similar companies with high standards from around the world. The opening ceremony is an important event. all indicating that Industry in Italy is tightly linked to its regions, traditional producers, institutions and encouraged by central government.

Strong emphasis on the Made in Italy value chain was echoed by similar statements from Japan, Korea emphasising growth and innovation. Wellbeing was also flagged up, with designers incorporating natural fibres and design chosen primarily for comfort. This addressed live issues for sustainable sourcing, adding social justice, climate change and biodiversity to the list.

Idea Biella fights back

With some indications from international markets that labels at the very top end of the market are feeling the pinch, Idea Biella’s famous names showed how it is being handled. Famous names Loro Piana, Reda, Ermenegildo Zegna, Vitale Barberis Canonico, and the UK Yorkshire and Scottish menswear weavers, Harris Tweed and Kynoch of Scotland, Luxury Fabrics, Fox Brothers. They showed how innovation by designers taking liberties with classic designs, are aiming at a younger clientele as well as their classic luxury markets, responding with colour and pattern by retaining high quality.

UKFT the British fashion textiles organisation put their support into over 30 British textile companies in MU, including Harris Tweed, Mallalieus of Delph, Stephen Walters at the top end of the market.

Laurent Garigue, Liberty Fabrics, seasonal tweeds at Linton Tweeds and Marton Mills, Luxury Silk at Pongees, and fashionable linens at Spence Bryson were at Moda In. Techno developments at British Millerain, geared up for its 150th anniversary showing new novel treatments, and Hally Stevensons with washable dry wax weatherproof fabrics newly important for the ever-shrinking difference between outdoor and streetwear.

The importance of being green

Alberto Bardazzi the Prato fashion company reported a strong interest in knitted fabric at the opening ceremony. Knit fabrics interpreted the bright and colourful trends with different  favoured blends on show, most of them with a ‘green’ description for sustainability.

Portuguese company Brito knitting used a wide variety of yarns in cotton, Merino, viscose and lyocell with many certificated green labels, Oekotex, Gots, GRS, Eco Vero. Jersey was offered in wool blends with cashmere for a touch of luxury., Portugal’s TimalHas-Knit Inspiration, combines fashion with technology, with new jacquards, jersey yarn dyes, with environmental work organic and recycled, developments.

 Steiner Austria wool specialists had introduced elastic fabrics, wool, wool blends, cashmere and green virgin wool. Jackytex fashion fabrics on show were both knitted and woven. Shinjintex Japan, has developed bio enzyme washing with ecofriendly knit fabric, using natural materials.

Botto Giuseppe e Figli, the vertical innovative company from yarns to fabrics, is dedicated to working for minimal impact and is known for having developed Fairwool, Slowoolly and Slowool Earth. The new season involved working with young designers from the European Institute of Design IED on a wide range of fabrics including - Merino, wool/cashmere, Shetlands, some with extreme lightness or brushed stretch double construction.

Wool was the major fashion fibre for knitted fabrics for the season, often blended with high tech yarn for greater scope. Many collections featured European flax linen and hemp. Borgini Jersey showed their circular production sports, beachwear and fashion items for printing.

This 39th edition as usual continues with e-milanounica connect.

www.milanounica.it