The ZEGNA Summer 2026 runway presentation unfolded at the iconic Dubai Opera, weaving together past and present
By The Fashion Editorial Team
In an evening that was as much about heritage as it was about artistry, the ZEGNA Summer 2026 runway presentation unfolded at the iconic Dubai Opera, weaving together past and present. Under the creative direction of Alessandro Sartori, this latest iteration of luxury fashion reimagined nature and design as one, where the boundaries between outerwear and underpinnings blurred, and suiting and shirting became interchangeable.
To arrive at this synthesis, the grand foyer of the Dubai opera house was transformed into Villa ZEGNA for one week only. Alive with excitement, celebrated musician James Blake added an extra layer of emotional resonance to the show. An ode to vision, the collection paid tribute to founder Ermenegildo Zegna and his unwavering belief in manifesting the unseen. Where others saw a remote valley, Zegna imagined a vibrant ecosystem filled with trees, people, and possibility. 115 years later, the Italian fashion house share this legacy in the form of Oasi Zegna around the world.
From the home of Oasi Zegna in Trivero to the immaculate natural landscape of Dubai, the collection is born from contrasts. The collection traverses place and time, as seen in the treatment of crinkled and sun-faded pieces. Every garment is a testament to Sartori's "stratigraphy of everyday," where layers of experience leave their mark. Silhouettes are loose and deconstructed; jackets feel as light as shirts. Double-layer Nehru shirts double as outerwear, while structured summer coats or body-hugging blousons provide effortless ease under tailored shorts. Mattress and pajama stripes run through featherlight shirting suits, paired with leather jackets that float lightly in the air.
For the first time ever, ZEGNA breaks free from Milan Fashion Week to present its Summer 2026 Collection directly in Dubai, capturing the house's forward-thinking legacy and commitment to redefining luxury presentations. As the final notes of James Blake’s piano softly faded, the mesmerizing show , touching and poetic, traversed audiences to the spirit of Oasi Zegna where the embodiment of nature and easy living perseveres.