The Other Side Of Milan 

As Milanese people often say, “Milano l’è un gran Milan”, Milan is always Milan. But beyond its well-known allure, there’s another side of the city, one that remains unseen yet holds a unique fascination.

In this short piece, I’d like to highlight those designers who showcased their collections during Milan Fashion Week but are still “undiscovered” or are set to make the “huge jump” in our market, those who truly embody “The Other Side of Milan.”

From Ermanno Scervino to Luisa Spagnoli, and from Sa Su Phi to Ara Lumiere, alongside Susan Fang and Marco Rambaldi, these are for me the names that for me stood out during this Milan Fashion Week devoted to fall winter collections.

Yet The Other Side of Milan isn’t just about designers presenting their collections, it’s also about the hidden experiences that make Milan Fashion Week special. Those unseen moments that open doors to incredible, undiscovered worlds.

Ermanno Scervino FW 2024-2025

Let’s begin with some order. First, Ermanno Scervino, the Florentine brand founded by Ermanno Daelli, marks its 25th anniversary. With a mastery of craftsmanship, the collection shapes silhouettes and surfaces, seamlessly blending strength with fluidity. Chunky hand-knits become shearling jackets over chiffon frocks, while corsetry-inspired belts cinch embroidered tube dresses. Sleek mannish fabrics sculpt dramatic coats, reaffirming that true luxury lies in craftsmanship, a pillar of the brand’s DNA.

Luisa Spagnoli, a visionary entepreneur but also the inventor of “Baci Perugina“, the iconic Italian chocolates wrapped with timeless messages of love and friendship. If you haven’t tried them yet, they’re a must, easily found in any Italian supermarket, offering a small yet delightful moment of sweetness. The collection was effortless chic, where sartorial seduction meets quiet confidence. Precise tailoring shapes outerwear in tweed, cashmere, and crocodile prints. Lace and knitwear blend romance and sensuality, while low heels and seamed stockings enhance timeless femininity. What I really enjoyed were the sweaters with the writing on the back “Lui.Sa L’Amour“ (which can mean “Luisa, L’Amour“ (so it can be interpreted as “I love Luisa“ or something like that, or ,as translated in Italian, He (Lui) knows (Sa) Love (L’Amour)). Delightful!

Luisa Spagnoli FW 2025-2026

And while both Luisa Spagnoli and Ermanno Scervino are brands that still have a point of sale in our region with stores at the Dubai Mall and Palm Jumeirah together with Saudi, Quatar and Kuwait for the first one and only at the Dubai Mall for the second one, and have gained a sort of success within our market, there are others that are set to be discovered.

Susan Fang FW 2025-2026

For instance, one of my favorite discoveries was definitely Susan Fang, the Chinese designer who showcased her collection in Milan this year with the support of fashion giants Stefano Gabbana and Domenico Dolce. The entire collection was a tribute to the works of her mother, Ai Fang, a self-taught painter, where childhood memories intertwined with lace, sequins, and beads in a fascinating yet colorful way that left the audience in awe. Memory becomes gesture. An aesthetic experience translated into rainbow-colored, pleated garments, down jackets inspired by Chinese porcelain motifs, and a long coat hand-painted by her artist mother. A show of pastel colors and fairytale-like combinations, a journey spinning in search of happiness.

Ara Lumiere FW 2025-2026

Then, there is Ara Lumiere, founded by Kulsum Shadab Wahab which uses fashion to support and raise awareness for women who have survived acid attacks. The brand, a project of the Hothur Foundation, creates handcrafted accessories, including headpieces and jewelry, made by the survivors themselves. Through training and involvement in the creative process, these women not only gain artistic skills but also rebuild their self-confidence and overcome social stigma. Ara Lumiere promotes social and professional inclusion, while collaborating with the OTB Foundation to provide medical care, psychological support, and legal assistance for the survivors. The brand is committed to raising awareness of gender-based violence and fostering a culture of empathy and respect. The new collection, “Revival,” celebrates the strength and resilience of these women. It merges traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design, highlighting sustainable materials and intricate techniques. “Revival” therefore is a tribute to the power of renewal and transformation, embodying both personal and cultural reinvention.

Interesting has also been Marco Rambaldi, the designer from Bologna who showed his collection at the Milanese flower market. Rambaldi celebrates the maternal figure with Memoria Futura, a collection inspired by universal motherhood, from queer matriarchy to the visionary Lea Vergine. Crochet, jacquard, and geometric patterns merge into a vintage wardrobe, while printed mesh transforms into trompe-l’oeil, reinventing tradition with a forward-looking perspective.

Marco Rambaldi FW 2025-2026

As I was writing this article, I was also reflecting on how Milan can be both intimate and special in certain moments. In fact, I also had the chance to step inside the actual homes of designers.

This happened to me when I was invited to meet Sa Su Phi founder Sara Ferrero at her showroom/house in the heart of Milan. The brand, founded in 2021 by Sara Ferrero (Sa) and Susanna Cucco (Su), is based on shared aesthetic inclinations and the search for a golden ratio (Phi). It also has another meaning in French which is “ça suffit.” And this is exactly what Sara told me: “We want to create a wardrobe that is staple yet classic and practical, for the modern woman who is constantly pushing her boundaries but wants to remain feminine and comfortable at all times.”

SaSuPhi FW 2025-2026-min

This concept was evident in the brand’s FW 2025-2026 collection: an ode to incredible textiles such as Loro Piana wools, jackets without lining that are comfortable to wear (I couldn’t resist trying it on, and it felt like a glove!). The jacket’s ribbon, which has the loops on the outside but is threaded inside, ensures greater comfort in fit, while also preventing the tie from being lost when the jacket is worn. Another detail was the sleeves of the coats, which, thanks to an elastic, can be rolled up, ensuring maximum comfort while wearing them.

“We were born with knitwear and a very classic color palette, namely grays, but we also like to experiment, occasionally, with colors like orange, gold, and pink in this collection. These colors allow women to have fun and play with individual pieces. Sa Su Phi is indeed rigorous in terms of materials, cuts, and attention to detail, but at the same time, it can also be seen as a stylistic palette for today’s woman, where she chooses and takes what she likes the most.”

So, what are my takeaways from Milan’s Fashion Week this season? Intimacy and consistency are key, and beyond the big household names, ‘The Other Side of Milan’ is equally fascinating.