Harrods buying chief hails Milan menswear’s ‘thoughtful luxury’

With fashion weeks having kicked off in earnest this month, the world’s top buyers are gathering their thoughts about what they expect affluent shoppers to snap up come AW26 collections arriving in-store and Simon Longland, director of fashion buying at London’s Harrods, is among them.

Just back from the Milan menswear shows, he highlighted the importance of timeless fashion.

“Milan menswear has always lived between two opposing forces: Fashion with a capital ‘F’, and quiet luxury rooted in sartorial tradition and timelessness,” he explained. 

“This season, more than ever, the balance of the schedule leaned firmly towards the latter. The result was a Milan season defined by quality, cut, cloth and craft. There was a palpable sense that product integrity and the final customer were front and centre. Less noise, fewer theatrics—but a stronger, more coherent message around what modern luxury menswear looks like today: thoughtful, considered, and built to last.”

He hailed big names including Polo’s Purple Label, Zegna, Prada, Brioni and Dunhill both for the impact of the shows or presentations and the looks they included.

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“This season, the strongest ‘shows’ were the ones that felt complete: a clear point of view, real product conviction, and a wardrobe that moves the customer forward,” he said. “Ralph Lauren’s return to Milan brought scale and theatre, but crucially it was backed by wearable, elevated classics that translate beautifully across Polo through Purple Label.

“Zegna delivered that modern luxury sweet spot—quiet confidence, investment dressing, and a proposition built on longevity and wardrobe building rather than novelty.

“And Prada was Prada in the best way: intellectually sharp, slightly disruptive, and refreshingly anti-‘power uniform’—a collection that challenged the idea of what contemporary menswear authority looks like.

Longland thought the best presentation was Brioni “because it understood the moment: craftsmanship, ease, and a sense of journey—luxury that doesn’t shout, it lasts”.

But he also liked Dunhill, calling it “a masterclass in mood and restraint—an incredibly precise take on British elegance, with the kind of tonal sophistication that customers immediately understand”.

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As for the season’s top trends so far. In tailoring, he noted “a confident split: either slouchy, relaxed tailoring (softened shoulders, easier proportions), or clean, slim, sharply tailored lines for the customer who wants refinement without volume. Prada and the broader conversation around modern tailoring really underlined this shift”.

He also thought co-ords and tonal dressing were significant with “head-to-toe dressing in shades of one colour now a key styling language—particularly in neutrals and ‘quiet’ hues. It reads modern, premium, and effortless”.

Colour-wise, Longland called out the colours of nature: greens, greys, browns—earthy, mineral, and outdoors-referenced tones “that feel calm, grounded, and timeless”.

And as for materials, leather nd suede were crucial and could be found “everywhere in a more refined register—often softer, more tactile, and less overtly aggressive. It’s about texture, depth and longevity rather than statement”.

On the key item front, Longland’s backing bomber jackets that have “continued to evolve—less ‘street’, more luxury wardrobe essential: cleaner finishes, elevated fabrics, and styling that works over tailoring as easily as with casual trousers”.

And he sees a jacket or coat in “beautifully supple suede, ideally in chocolate brown or charcoal” as a “must-have” for the season. Why? “It perfectly encapsulates the season’s mood—luxurious yet understated, timeless yet modern, and endlessly versatile within a contemporary wardrobe”.