Live From Milan: The Best Front Row Fashion Week Outfits I've Spotted at the Spring 2026 Shows

Five days into Milan Fashion Week, I can easily say the best looks are a feast for the eyes. Prada’s Spring 2026 styling revived Miuccia’s early-aughts beaded collars and delivered a parade of must-have dressed and heels. Fendi’s Spring 2026 handbags arrive full of sequin surprises beneath no-nonsense leather exteriors. Louise Trotter's Bottega Veneta debut made history—and made me want a woven clutch. From Emporio Armani to Missoni and Alberta Ferretti, the runways have given me plenty to absorb and add to my spring wish-list, clearly. But as with any great fashion week, I’ve also found a serving of style inspiration in the celebrity-packed front rows.

The week’s biggest runways have come paired with equally big names. It all began at Gucci, where a flip of the fashion show script brought out Serena Williams and Gwyneth Paltrow in the house’s first collection under Demna. (Spoiler: It looks rich.) Ice Spice jumped from MM6 Maison Margiela to Roberto Cavalli while showing off the houses’ signature prints and fits. Sadie Sink and Kerry Washington picked their favorite Prada-isms to wear front row—alongside Maya Hawke, Carey Mulligan, and more. By the time an Americana prep trend swept Milan Fashion Week's day four runways, I'd added Kelly Rutherford's Tod's blazer and Iman's leather coat to my list. I spotted all these looks from my own seats, and was grateful for it. The more A-listers I’ve seen, the more outfit ideas I’ve saved for later.

Ahead, catch all the best front rows looks I’ve spotted at Milan Fashion Week so far. Trust me: They’re even better in person.

Julianne Moore at Bottega Veneta

I never questioned Julianne Moore's RSVP for Louise Trotter's Bottega Veneta debut. The actress was one of the first to wear Trotter's designs in public, with a custom braided gown at the Cannes Film Festival. All these months later, she and stylist Kate Young collaborated on a look that's both sleekly understated and inherently replicable. Moore wore a double-denim set consisting of a jacket and wide-leg pants, with a white tank and aviator sunglasses.

Michelle Yeoh at Bottega Veneta

All black is a fashion month uniform, but Michelle Yeoh leveled it up with a few choice touches. First, a hip-length leather jacket with a clean-cut collar; second, towering loafer heels; and third, a white Bottega Veneta bag to break up the look and share exactly which designer she's championing.

Lauren Hutton at Bottega Veneta

Lauren Hutton dressed for Bottega Veneta's Spring 2026 like she knew she'd be honored on its runway. In her debut collection, creative director Louise Trotter honored generations of Bottega heroines and their bags, including the "Lauren" intrecciato woven clutch that the actress carried in 1980's American Gigolo. All these years later, Hutton paired hers with a double-breasted gray suit and sneakers—a modern update for a modern phase at the brand.

Solange at Ferragamo

Solange and stylist Danielle Goldberg have long put their powers together to turn out Ferragamo looks. That doesn't at all lessen the thrill of seeing the singer back in the Spring 2026 front row, wearing an enviable leather aviator jacket and side-slit matching skirt.

Kelly Rutherford at Tod's

I walked by Kelly Rutherford on my way out of the Tod’s Spring 2026 show. It wasn’t until I got back to my desk and saw the show photos that I fully appreciated her front row look. Rutherford set a fall template I’m ready to copy ASAP with a waterfall lapel wool coat, a black turtleneck sweater, and an A-line leather skirt. It’s an ideal balance of versatile neutrals—and so elegant.

Iman at Tod's

I knew someone with a major fashion pedigree had arrived at the Tod’s show when a storm of flash bulbs began popping in Tod’s front row to my left. By the time I left, I saw it was fashion royalty, Iman. Just as impressive as her overall presence was the sumptuous Tod’s leather coat she styled like a fall dress.

Ice Spice at MM6 Maison Margiela

Heavy Milan Fashion Week traffic couldn't stop me from slipping into the MM6 Maison Margiela show on September 25. I was rewarded for arriving right on time with a stellar collection and an Ice Spice spotting. The rapper wore a trompe-l'œil dress with superimposed, interlacing belts winding their way up the front. Ankle-strap, pointed toe heels offered some ladylike contrast to her optical illusion mini.

Kerry Washington at Prada

It’s a Prada template fans of the brand know and love: a gray sweater tucked into a billowing skirt, with an oversize leather jacket perched on top. The combination balances textures (hard and soft) and moods (tough and ladylike) with ease. No wonder Kerry Washington went this route for her Spring 2026 front row look.

Carey Mulligan, Sadie Sink, and Maya Hawke at Prada

I audited a PhD-level course on fall layering when I caught Carey Mulligan, Sadie Sink, and Maya Hawke in Prada’s front row. Each actress proved two shirts are so much better than one—in a manner that felt so personal.

Mulligan leaned into upscale minimalism with a blue poplin button-down stacked over a white satin top. Sadie Sink looked polished with a curved white collar peeking out from under her black crewneck sweater. Maya Hawke’s was the simplest and most effective: two tees, burgundy and white, pulled one right over the other.

Eiza González at Prada

One look at Eiza González in Prada’s front row, and I immediately added a retro windbreaker to my fall shopping list. Prada’s Spring 2025 runways had styled similar outerwear with disco sequins and mermaid-y pailettes. González took a more daytime approach that still felt elevated, with help from her button-front suede skirt and pointed-toe Prada heels.

Maude Apatow at Max Mara

Maude Apatow’s arrival at the Max Mara runway—the first Milan Fashion Week show on September 25hit me like a fresh shot of espresso. The actress and director took her place a few seats away in a longline waistcoat and flare trousers tailored with precision. A slicked bob with flipped ends had an editor next to me wondering out loud if she should also go for a chop.

After the show, I caught up with Apatow to get her thoughts on the new collection. “It was beautiful,” she told me. The same definitely applies to her Max Mara suit.

Natalia Bryant at Emporio Armani

Emporio Armani was an emotional highlight of the September 25 shows. While any season comes with guests paying homage to host designer by wearing their clothes, this show recast those on-brand looks as a special honor. It was the first since Mr. Giorgio Armani’s passing earlier this month, and preceded the Giorgio Armani label’s 50th anniversary show on Sunday, September 28.

I caught some guests getting snapped by street style photographers in vintage Emporio Armani blazers and trousers. Natalia Bryant opted for something fresher, but no less meaningful. Her caged black top was coated in the sort of ethereal shimmer every Armani collection includes, over perfectly-cut pants displaying how well this house knows its woman—from famous show guests to everyday fans.

Hilary Duff at Fendi

Walking into Fendi’s Spring 2026 show, I heard a rumor I hoped would be true. Somewhere among the throng of guests sat Hilary Duff, attending for the very first time. I didn’t catch her inside the multicolor venue, but I got my fill of the front-row photos. She combined a cherry tomato red top, mint green skirt, and hot pink bag—a trio of unexpected shades that just worked on the former Disney Channel star. You could even say this is what dreams are made of.

Serena Williams at Gucci

Gucci traded a runway show for a look book by Demna, the label’s new creative director, and a short film premiering during Milan Fashion Week. The event read like a mini Met Gala, with A-list actors, models, and athletes arriving dressed in the latest Gucci creations. Serena Williams stood out on the late-night carpet in a black gown set with a feathered collar and coordinating hem. By the time she landed in New York City and changed back into athletic gear (specifically, NikeSKIMS), this all-out glamorous look was still on my mind.

Gwyneth Paltrow at Gucci

Gwyn, Gwyneth Paltrow’s new clothing brand, is an ode to understated and sensible clothing at its most luxurious. That doesn’t mean the designer can’t wear a logo with aplomb. She arrived at Gucci’s The Tiger premiere in a full outfit—shirt, skirt, and boots—from the brand’s new look book. Every item arrived coated in Gucci’s monogram print. To paraphrase the many satisfied fashion editors who’d seen it, this look is rich.

Natalia Bryant and Ice Spice at Roberto Cavalli

To see the full spectrum of Roberto Cavalli's design language, I only had to peek at the label's September 25 front row. The flash bubs alighting just feet from where I was sitting revealed Natalia Bryant and Ice Spice, both finishing up their days in head-to-toe looks by the label. Bryant embraced the snake motifs on the upcoming runway with a gold serpentine choker winding around her neck. With that statement piece, she opted for a three-quarter sleeve dress and burgundy pumps.

Ice Spice, on the other hand, embraced the lace-up legs and semi-sheer printed fabrics that defined Cavalli's Y2K era. Her jumpsuit was striped like an early sunset—and in true Cavalli fashion, accessorized with a little leopard print bag.