In Milan, the preppy pop man of Fiorucci, the inmate of PDF

From a school playground to a prison yard; that’s a move that only fashion could make, which it did on Friday evening in Milan, with a sense of humor and casualness. As the heat began to fade, the last two shows of the day shook up Fashion Week, dedicated to the men’s collections for Spring/Summer 2026. Two colorful shows offering two totally opposed universes. Fiorucci‘s fresh, pop spirit versus PDF’s flamboyant, prison-like street style.

Fiorucci invited guests to the large courtyard of its Milanese HQ on Friday, in a child-friendly atmosphere with hopscotches chalked on the cobblestones, pop posters pasted on the walls, and large azure sheets decorated with small white clouds hanging from one building to another. The hubbub of children playing outside accompanied guests until the start of the fashion show, which from the outset focused on lightness and carefreeness in a clearly playful vein.

For next summer, the Fiorucci men’s wardrobe revisits the codes of preppy style in a palette of blue, red, and white, but in a cool, sexy, and slightly romantic version. This man comes dressed in white socks and shorts and a navy sweater. But fringes rippled down his sides, and the rose in his buttonhole was made of red recycled plastic, with a pretty poodle with a sugared-pink bow in a jacquard pattern. Long leather fringes fell sideways down loose white pants, in reference to an archival model by founder Elio Fiorucci.

The silhouette was elongated with close-fitting garments. Sweatpants mould the legs, while white cardigans with red and navy braids shrink or were adorned with a heart. Dark blazers were worn over bare-belly tank tops, and jeans were worn in triplicate, protruding from each other at waist height. A canvas shirt-and-pant ensemble was dotted with little poodles. This was definitely the motif of the season. It’s everywhere, including on a sky-blue ruffled maxi dress.

For women, creative director Francesca Murri mixed and matched polka dots and large stripes, notably in silk midi skirts, blouses, or strapless mini-dresses. Chunky, ruffled leather belts gave volume to the waist on leggings or skin-tight jumpsuits. Fiorucci’s early 1980s white-and-red-striped marinière t-shirt was painted onto a model’s torso, in a lovely trompe-l’oeil collaboration with artist Janina Zais.

“These two years have enabled us to reposition the brand in an accessible luxury segment, where we can compete with brands like Acne Studios or Jacquemus, but with prices 20% lower. Our denim pieces, in particular, are enjoying great success on our e-shop,” confided Alessandro Pisani, the brand’s general manager, who intends to test the retail channel next year with the opening of pop-ups in Milan, London, and Paris.

A change of register with PDF, the sought-after streetwear brand founded in 2023 by Italian designer Domenico Formichetti, which made its debut on the Milanese catwalks last January.

In the large courtyard of what looked like a penitentiary, a barbed-wire fence stood in front of one of the yellow cell vans typical of American prisons. Inmates in T-shirts and baggy pants with large black and white stripes played a game of cards or chess in a corner, while others kicked a ball around a basketball hoop or work out, showing off their tattoos.

The stage was set. The “Free-Dom” show imagined by Domenico Formichetti could begin. For the designer, the idea was to free the thoughts, ideas, and creativity often locked away in one’s head. With beanies or caps secured on their heads, his bad boys wore baggy pants or shorter-legged but very baggy styles, as well as oversized jogging suits that fell below their buttocks, allowing their underpants to protrude, with t-shirts or sweatshirts featuring crazy graphics.

The prison theme ran through the collection, with wide stripes inspired by American prison uniforms. Pants and jackets were also printed with brick mosaics reminiscent of prison walls. They also sported leather jackets and vinyl ensembles, Varsity jackets, and terrycloth American football jerseys.

Originally from Chieti in central Italy’s Abruzzo region, Formichetti moved to Milan twelve years ago. Before PDF, he founded his first streetwear brand, Formy, a little more basic, which he stopped in 2022 to embark on this new adventure. His new brand, made in Italy in his native region, has won over some sixty multi-brand retailers worldwide, as well as rappers.