La Milano (beauty) Fashion Week according to us. The recap of a week of fire, between backstage and front row.
For nss G-Club, which focuses on beauty in its broadest sense, Milano Fashion Week means just one thing: backstage. Hours spent backstage watching hairstylists and makeup artists at work, sipping coffee, studying show moodboards, observing. Sometimes, it also means witnessing the rehearsal just before the main event, feeling the energy rise, watching problem solving in real time. What happens if 5 or 6 models need to arrive from the previous show, which started 35 minutes late? Or if it rains? Or if, 15 minutes before showtime, there are still 15 models to be made up? From backstage, for a moment, the world blurs, and then it all comes back into focus. The calm is only apparent—functional. It’s like sticking your head inside a beehive. The ultimate sublimation? The show itself, of course, which at that point becomes almost an afterthought, beautiful to watch both from the front row and behind the scenes, alongside the teams, the photographers, the dressers, the seamstresses, and often even the creative directors themselves, just before they step out to greet the cheering crowd.
Here are our favorite things (and what we’ve learned) from Milano (beauty) Fashion Week SS26
Mascara still reigns
Forget what they say about Gen Z not using mascara anymore. On the runways, it remains a star. At Vivetta and Moschino, specifically. Both looks were created by the MAC Cosmetics team. At Vivetta, we watched Michele Magnani craft a custom lash product by mixing colorful pigments and applying them thickly, clumpy, and eye-catching in unusual shades like red and aqua green. Like coral reefs. At Moschino, false lashes stole the spotlight, gold-dusted like the models’ fingertips, dipped in glitter, precious encrustations for a maximalist and ironic show.
We like our hair long - at least on the runway
Hair. Layer upon layer of hair. Extensions on extensions. Teased styles and braids at Marco Rambaldi (with L’Oreal Professionel), soft waves (by ghd for Roberto Cavalli), statement hair at Missoni (again with ghd), braids and ribbons at Luisa Beccaria, wet looks at Simon Cracker, luminous blonde beach waves at Alberta Ferretti (Wella), brushed-out curls at Stella Jean, and intentionally undone, natural styles at Sportmax. Across all its variations, hair tends to stay long, though it must look effortless, or at least appear that way. And hairspray? From Ermanno Scervino to Marco Rambaldi, it’s never optional.
It’s the “smaller” shows that surprise
Stella Jean, Institution, J. Salinas, Simon Cracker. If these names don’t ring a bell yet, that’s fine, but take note. During this Milano Fashion Week, they gave us thrills. Whether through beauty - like Stella Jean’s stunning play of colors and wet-effect makeup (MAC Cosmetics) - or through their locations, concepts, and raw emotion. Simon Cracker showcased his collection in an abandoned subway station, while Institution and J. Salinas delivered very different but equally compelling visions, from brutalist shoulders to puffed sleeves, respectively.
Lipstick takes a backseat (to base and blush)
The reign of blush continues, paired with bronzer (for that sun-kissed effect so loved by spring/summer collections) and luminous, three-dimensional bases. The only exception? Vivetta, who opted for matte. Otherwise, faces glowed, thanks also to skincare. The intersection between makeup and skin proved itself not only in products but also on the runway. We saw it at Stella Jean (MAC Cosmetics) and at J. Salinas (Olivella). At Ermanno Scervino, Dear Dahlia’s bronzer was the star of a look that was natural yet radiant. The same went for Alberta Ferretti, where a three-dimensional base and earthy blush were paired with a single pop of color: mint-green eyeshadow. Who lost out in this new vision of full-face makeup? The lips. They took center stage at Sportmax and Stella Jean, but generally remained in the background (often glossy) everywhere else. Notable was Vivetta’s approach: lips - like the complexion - were matte, with a touch of white on the cupid’s bow, making the models appear even more like aquatic creatures.
There’s a world beyond the runway
Backstage swallows you whole and spits you back out into the world without you realizing how much time has passed. What goes viral are the runway photos, the front rows - Michele Morrone at Ermanno Scervino and Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly at Dolce&Gabbana dominated our feeds all weekend - and, of course, the looks. But the city itself lights up in every corner of the center. Some examples? Emma Chamberlain for Stuart Weitzman, Amanda Diaz for Dolce&Gabbana, Sara Battaglia, and Drittofilo. Because in the end, fashion (and with it beauty) slips into the cracks and finds its way everywhere, even where you least expect it.
