The stars present themselves for the final fashion show in Milan

Stars such as Cate Blanchett, Glenn Close and Richard Gere were present for the Giorgio Armani Spring / summer 2026 collection show in Milan on Sunday, the last collection on which the Italian designer worked before his death.

Initially conceived as a 50-year celebration of the fashion house of the deceased designer, the parade became a tribute to Armani after his death earlier this month at the age of 91.

It took place at Pinacoteca Di Brera Art Gallery, where more than 120 of his creations are exhibited.

The models that had worked for the designer in the past five decades have returned to present a mixture of classic costumes and scintillating dresses.

They wore neutrals, blues and green violets, evoking light, land and sea, AFP news agency reported.

The collection was inspired by the city of northern Italy where Armani lived and the small volcanic island of Pantelleria, where it had a holiday home.

Paper lanterns were placed through the courtyard because they had been to a public vision of the Armani body in Milan earlier this month, the models walking under the portico.

“This moment, this atmosphere speaks of itself. There are many memories here tonight,” Blanchett told AFP.

The Oscar -winning actress also told Reuters that Armani was a “deeply human and talented person”.

The show was followed by a visit around the Giorgio Armani exhibition: Milano, by exhibition Amore, which sees classical outfits, including the GERE Cinema costume American Gigolo, taking place among the masterpieces of Italian art.

Gere and his co-star Lauren Hutton were also present, just like the other cinema figures Samuel L Jackson, James Norton, Toni Servillo, Zhang Ziyi and Spike Lee.

Lee told Reuters that Armani had been “artist, humanitarian” and “a good guy”.

The final dress of the show, a blue sparkling dress with long sleeves, carried by one of Armani’s favorite models, Agnese Zogla, presented an image of her face, pulling a standing ovation of the 700 guests.

“This collection, the latest Giorgio Armani has worked personally, is in a way a testimony to the style and the end of a cycle, so that news can begin,” said the brand in the notes of the show.

Armani’s niece, Silvana Armani, and the partner and collaborator of the late designer Leo Dell’orco (photo below), took an arc at the end.

Live music was played on the piano by the Italian composer Ludovico Einaudi (above).

The outgoing editor-in-chief of Vogue Anna Wintour (below) also attended the event, which indeed ended Milan Fashion Week for another year.

Through the city, Meryl Streep and Stanley Tucci – which are currently turning the suite of Devil Wears Prada – have been spotted wearing sunglasses at the forefront of the Dolce & Gabbana Spring / Summer 2026 event.

Streep plays Miranda Priestly, vaguely based on Wintour, and part of the filming of the suite takes place in Milan.