MILAN (AP) — In complicated, heavy times, Milan designers went lighter — if not in materials, then in silhouette.
Amid economic uncertainty, geopolitical tensions and a sweltering Milan Fashion Week, designers largely stripped things back for next summer, embracing clean lines and pared-down looks. Prada led the way, with co-creative directors Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons arguing for simplicity and familiar clothes reimagined through proportion and fabrication.
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Models wear creations from the Philipp Plein's Spring/Summer 2027 Men's collection presented in Milan, Italy, Saturday, June 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Nicola Marfisi)
A model wears a creation from Prada's Spring/Summer 2027 men's collection presented in Milan, Italy, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Models wear creations from the Dolce & Gabbana Spring/Summer 2027 Men's collection presented in Milan, Italy, Saturday, June 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Nicola Marfisi)
A model wears a creation of the Tom Browne Spring/Summer 2027 collection, presented in Milan, Italy, Monday, June 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
A model wears a creation as part of the Shinyakozuka Spring/Summer 2027 collection, presented in Milan, Italy, Monday, June 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
That didn’t mean dressing for the heat was straightforward. Milan’s runways were filled with leather and knits for the next summer season, suggesting that fashion’s elite may need generous air-conditioning, mountain escapes or higher latitudes to wear some of the looks.
Key trends from Milan Fashion Week menswear Spring-Summer 2027 collections that closed on Monday include the embrace of luxury materials, sartorial ventilation and lighter tailoring, while a few defiantly chose bling over restraint.
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the season was the persistence of leather.
Prada’s leather combinations were inspired by the universality of jeans, featuring slim five-pocket pants matched with cropped flat-pocketed jackets that functioned as shirts. Other designers used woven and perforated techniques to make leather more breathable, even as temperatures climbed.
In Milan, luxury and practicality were often in tension.
After years of oversized silhouettes, menswear is once again embracing the body.
Designers broadly agreed that a well-dressed man still wears a suit. The challenge was how to survive the heat. The response was ventilation, with dress shirts left unbuttoned. Some were rendered transparent. Or they were simply done away with.
Long trousers remained dominant, but there was a shift toward closer-to-the-body dressing. Dolce & Gabbana pushed the idea furthest with microshorts that showcased muscular legs, while some brands exposed torsos.
Tailoring remained central to Milan collections, but in lighter, more relaxed forms.
Designers softened construction, opened necklines and experimented with fabrics and construction that allowed more airflow. The result was tailoring designed for rising temperatures without abandoning formality. U.S. designer Thom Browne, now under Zegna ownership, returned to Milan for the first time since 2008 with layered suiting that drew heavily on summer-friendly seersucker and pleated skirts for men, long a brand hallmark.
The message from Milan was clear: the suit isn’t going anywhere, but it is adapting.
While much of Milan embraced restraint, some designers doubled down on decoration.
Philipp Plein presented a crystal-encrusted denim ensemble that takes days of handwork to complete. Dolce & Gabbana also leaned into embellishment, including beaded accents that recalled coral.
If Prada’s vision was reduction, these designers unapologetically offered maximalism and glamour.
A lighter Milan calendar created opportunities for emerging designers to gain attention alongside the industry’s biggest names.
Martin Quad made his Milan debut with unusual tailoring tricks that got him noticed in his native Copenhagen, while Domenico Orefice embraced leather and richly woven textiles for his co-ed collection.
Japanese designer Shinya Kozuka's Shinyakozuka label made its Milan debut with one of the most poetic and summery collections of the season, epitomized by a bare-chested model in a billowing sheer coat in teal worn baggy white trousers.
Models wear creations from the Philipp Plein's Spring/Summer 2027 Men's collection presented in Milan, Italy, Saturday, June 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Nicola Marfisi)
A model wears a creation from Prada's Spring/Summer 2027 men's collection presented in Milan, Italy, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Models wear creations from the Dolce & Gabbana Spring/Summer 2027 Men's collection presented in Milan, Italy, Saturday, June 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Nicola Marfisi)
A model wears a creation of the Tom Browne Spring/Summer 2027 collection, presented in Milan, Italy, Monday, June 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
A model wears a creation as part of the Shinyakozuka Spring/Summer 2027 collection, presented in Milan, Italy, Monday, June 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer resigned on Monday, paving the way for Britain to have its seventh prime minister in just over a decade.
He said he was stepping down as leader of the governing Labour Party but would remain caretaker prime minister until a new head is chosen by the party.
Andy Burnham, who won a special parliamentary election last week, confirmed that he will run to succeed Starmer.
Starmer won a landslide victory in the 2024 general election, but a series of missteps badly damaged his credibility.
His resignation comes the day before Britain marks the 10th anniversary of its vote to leave the European Union, a decision that still roils the country’s economy and politics.
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Dozens of Labour lawmakers cheered loudly as Andy Burnham arrived for a first-day photo. They crowded onto the steps in the 900-year-old Westminster Hall in Parliament to greet their newly elected colleague and potential future leader.
Burnham posed for a group portrait and took selfies with some, including rival-turned-supporter Wes Streeting and Treasury chief Rachel Reeves. She seems likely to lose her job once Starmer leaves office.
Andy Burnham has been sworn in as a lawmaker in Parliament.
Loud cheers broke out among lawmakers in the House of Commons as Burnham returned to Parliament after nearly a decade as mayor of Greater Manchester.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Starmer “did a true reset built on trust, without any question.”
Speaking on the eve of Brexit's 10th anniversary of Britain’s departure from the EU, von der Leyen said: “I’m looking forward to resuming a strong and stable relationship with the people of the United Kingdom.”
About 50 journalists and photographers waited to greet Burnham as he arrived at London’s Euston station by train from Manchester, ahead of being sworn in as a lawmaker at Westminster.
The former mayor of Greater Manchester told reporters that his “priority” for the day was to be officially sworn in as a lawmaker.
“It’s been very kind of sad for me today to leave Greater Manchester. The people have been brilliant to me over the last few years. I’ve loved every minute of the role,” he said.
A leadership contest would strengthen Britain’s new government because it would give front-runner Andy Burnham the chance to lay out his policies before becoming prime minister, said Victoria Honeyman, a professor of politics at Leeds University.
Burnham arrived in London on Monday to take up his seat in Parliament following a special election victory last week.
“If you are Andy Burnham, you want a bit of a proper contest because these kinds of show contests where it’s basically all decided are not necessarily good for anybody,” Honeyman said. “It isn’t good for the country because it doesn’t really kind of wrinkle out all of the issues that people want to talk about. You don’t really get a very good view of the individuals that are competing for the role.”
But Burnham won’t want the contest to be “too bruising,” she said, “because you don’t want the party to be criticized too massively publicly, and you want to be able to present yourself as being unified, which is very difficult if it’s quite a vicious battle.”
Because many people see him as the best person to defeat the anti-immigrant Reform Party at the next election, according to Olivia O’Sullivan, the director of the UK in the World Program at the Chatham House think tank.
Burnham’s greatest asset is that he appeals to Labour Party lawmakers who were frustrated by the way Starmer has governed, O’Sullivan said. The hope is that he will set out a “clearer vision” and connect with voters in parts of the country that are in danger of turning to the Reform Party, she said.
Burnham was elected to Parliament last week after decisively defeating a Reform candidate in a special election.
“He won a very strong majority in precisely the type of area, the type of constituency that the Labour Party is worried it’s losing,” O’Sullivan said. “So it may be that a lot of his appeal is centered in the fact that he seems to connect better with those voters and offer a clearer vision. But it’s absolutely correct that that is not the same thing as offering a radically different set of policies or even a particularly clear policy program.”
“Keir, thank you for all our cooperation, your support, and the joint decisions that have helped make our Europe and our protection of life stronger," Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on X.
"Here in Ukraine, we deeply value Britain, and every meeting and every conversation we have had has always been filled with real substance ... I wish the United Kingdom and all British people every success as well as realisation of your national goals. We have confidence in Britain.
Keir, you are always a welcome guest in Ukraine.”
Nigel Farage, who leads the anti-immigration party, wrote on X that “Reform demands an election, and we are ready to deliver radical change.”
“If Labour thinks it can shove another professional politician into No 10, it has another thing coming,” he said.
Farage said Labour has betrayed voters’ trust, citing the Starmer government’s unpopular welfare and tax policies and illegal immigration as examples of the party’s failings.
Britain’s next national election doesn’t have to be held until 2029. British politics allows parties to change leaders midterm without the need for a general election.
António Costa said on Monday that Starmer helped turn “a new page” in EU-UK relations 10 years after Brexit.
“We turned a new page in EU-UK relations,” Costa said in a social media post. “The EU is committed to continued cooperation in this spirit.”
Starmer was seen as repairing relations with Brussels following Brexit and had helped schedule an EU-UK summit for July 22.
But on Monday, the European Commission said they were reassessing that plan.
“I respect the decision he has made,” Jonas Gahr Støre, a fellow center-left leader, said in a statement.
“The United Kingdom is Norway’s close ally in Europe, and over the past two years our countries have grown even closer through important agreements," he said.
Støre added: “We have worked closely together to strengthen security cooperation in Europe and to support Ukraine.”
In a post on X, Andy Burnham thanked Starmer for his service and leadership.
He said Starmer’s decision to step down “marks the beginning of a transition and it is important that this process is conducted in an orderly and responsible way. I will put myself forward as part of this process.”
“The country expects stability, seriousness and a continued focus on the issues that matter most and that is what it will get.”
He added: “People want to see progress on economic growth, cost of living, public services, housing and opportunities for the next generation. Political change should never distract from the responsibility to improve people’s lives.”
Former Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham confirms he will run to succeed Keir Starmer as Labour leader and prime minister.
Wes Streeting, considered another leading contender, said he will back Burnham. That makes it more likely that Burnham will be selected without a leadership contest.
Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat Leader, said Starmer’s replacement would have to change “our broken politics.”
“The British people are sick of being let down by an endless merry-go-round of prime ministers while nothing really changes for them,” he said. “This time must be different. It can’t just be about changing who’s in No. 10, it has to be about changing our broken politics so we can fix our country.”
Zack Polanski, who leads the Green Party, echoed that the U.K. needs a “bold change of direction.”
Referring to former Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, who many expect to become the next Labour leader, Polanski said: “The time for half measures and sticking plasters is long gone — if he becomes the next PM, Burnham must be bold or he will be bust.”
“The German government has always had in Keir Starmer a reliable and close partner in foreign policy questions, particularly regarding Ukraine,” Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s spokesperson, Stefan Kornelius, told reporters. He declined to comment on the “internal motives in Britain.”
He said the government believes a meeting that Merz plans to host in Berlin Wednesday of the so-called “E5” — Germany, France, Britain, Italy and Poland — will go ahead as planned despite Starmer’s announcement. The meeting is meant as part of preparations for the upcoming NATO summit.
"Walking up this street two years ago was the proudest moment of my life. A new Labour government. The first in 14 years. A page in our country’s history turned after years of disappointment and despair. ... The chance to change the lives of millions of people for the better. That’s what I came into politics for. The journey to that point was not easy."
“The question my party is asking now is whether I am best placed to lead us into the next general election. I have heard the answer of my parliamentary party to that question. And I accept that answer with good grace."
“Every decision I’ve taken has been about putting the country I love first. That is why I will resign as leader of the Labour Party. I have spoken to His Majesty the King this morning to inform him of my decision.
“I will remain in post as Prime Minister until the contest is complete. And I will do everything I can to ensure an orderly handover of power.”
Starmer stood behind a lectern featuring a crest with a lion and a unicorn.
One is not a native of the U.K. and the other is mythical.
Both have shared the distinction of being part of the royal coat of arms since the 17th century.
The lion, although never living in the wild of England, is its national animal. The unicorn, though fictional, is Scotland’s official animal.
The two became part of the crest when the two crowns were united in 1603, when King James I ascended the throne in England; he was already King James VI in Scotland.
When he was elected in 2024 in a landslide victory for Labour, Starmer pledged to steady the ship and end years of political chaos under his successors, the Conservative Party.
Starmer had succeeded Rishi Sunak, who held the top job from 2022 to 2024.
Before Sunak, Liz Truss lasted only 45 days. Truss followed three other Conservative prime ministers: Boris Johnson (2019-2022), Theresa May (2016-2019), and David Cameron (2010-2016.)
Starmer said Monday that nominations will open on July 9 and close when Parliament breaks up for its summer recess, which is scheduled to begin July 16. The contest will be open to members of Parliament from the ruling Labour Party.
Former Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is the leading candidate to replace Starmer. The question now is whether anyone will challenge him.
If there is no challenge, Burnham could become Labour leader and thus prime minister soon after nominations close. Even if there is a contest, Starmer said a successor would be selected by Sept. 1.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen praised Starmer’s legacy after news of his resignation in a post online on Monday.
“It can take many leaders years to grow into the statesman you became in just two years,” she said on X. “European and Ukrainian security is stronger because of you. Thank you, dear Keir.”
Starmer’s voice choked with emotion near the end of the brief statement.
“The question my party is asking now is whether I am best placed to lead us into the next general election,” Starmer said. “I have heard the answer of my parliamentary party to that question, and I accept that answer with good grace.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says he is stepping down as leader of the governing Labour Party.
Starmer says he will remain caretaker prime minister until a new Labour leader is chosen in the next few weeks.
Starmer made the announcement after facing growing pressure to hand over to a new leader who can try and revive the government’s flagging fortunes. He has been in office since leading Labour to a landslide election victory in July 2024. In those two years, his popularity and that of the party have plummeted.
As Starmer began his speech, protesters nearby played the EU anthem, Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy.”
Expectation is building that U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer will set out a timetable for his resignation, conceding to pressure from his Labour Party to hand over the reins of power.
If he does, Starmer will be the sixth prime minister in a decade to stand outside 10 Downing Street and announce a premature departure.
Starmer spent the weekend pondering his future following the victory of intraparty rival Andy Burnham in a special election for a seat in Parliament. Burnham, until last week the Labour mayor of Greater Manchester, ran with the aim of challenging Starmer for leadership of the party and the country.
Burnham is due to be sworn in as a member of Parliament on Monday.
Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer hugs his wife Victoria after he announced his resignation outside 10 Downing Street in London, Monday, June 22, 2026.AP Photo/Thomas Krych)
Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer and wife Victoria stand in front of 10 Downing Street door after after announcing his resignation in London, Monday, June 22, 2026.(AP Photo/Thomas Krych)
FILE - Labour party's Andy Burnham speaks after winning the Makerfield by-election, paving the way for a leadership challenge against Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. in Wigan, England, Friday, June 19, 2026.(AP Photo/Jon Super, file)
Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer and wife Victoria step out to speak to the media outside 10 Downing Street in London, Monday, June 22, 2026.(AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Larry the cat, Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office waits on the doorstep of 10 Downing Street in London, Monday, June 22, 2026 as expectations are growing that Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer will announce his resignation soon.(AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Britain's Labour Party leadership candidate Wes Streeting speaks in central London, Tuesday June 16, 2026. (Gareth Fuller/PA via AP)
Labour party's Andy Burnham speaks after winning the Makerfield by-election, paving the way for a leadership challenge against Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. in Wigan, England, Friday, June 19, 2026.(AP Photo/Jon Super)
Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer gestures as he speaks with local residents as he visits a housing development in north London, Friday, June 19, 2026. (Peter Macdiarmid/Pool Photo via AP)
