Some entrances don’t need much explanation. Gigi Hadid stepped into Milan’s Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II on September 22, 2026, in a gold brocade Valentino gown made from recycled Venetian quilts, opening Vogue World 2026: Milano with a look that immediately set the tone for the night. The fifth edition of Vogue World centered craftsmanship and the human touch at a moment when artificial intelligence continues to reshape the fashion industry, making Hadid’s couture entrance an especially fitting introduction.
The gown required 1,680 hours of handwork to complete, putting the skill and labor behind its construction firmly in the spotlight. But Hadid’s appearance wasn’t limited to the opening act. Later in the show, the supermodel returned in a custom shimmering all-white Gucci dress, giving the evening a second major fashion moment and shifting her Vogue World wardrobe from ornate Valentino couture to a more streamlined, luminous finish.
Gigi Hadid Opens the Show in Valentino Couture
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Hadid’s opening gown comes from Alessandro Michele’s Spring 2025 haute couture collection for Valentino, one of his early collections for the house after leaving Gucci. Its voluminous puff sleeves, postmodern patchwork skirt, and ruffled ivory organza collar and cuffs create a distinctly Renaissance-inspired silhouette, while the recycled Venetian quilts give the elaborate construction a direct connection to Italian craft.
Michele described the collection’s design language in his show notes as a “feverish and uninterrupted layering of references,” and Hadid’s gown brought that idea to life. The combination of gold brocade, patchwork, quilting, and exaggerated proportions made the look feel deliberately maximal, with Valentino shoes and Damiani earrings completing the ensemble.
The 1,680 hours of handwork behind the dress made its construction as important as its appearance. On a night built around the value of craftsmanship, Hadid’s Valentino look made that message tangible before the show had fully unfolded.
A Second Act in Custom Gucci
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Hadid returned later in the show for a completely different fashion statement: a custom shimmering all-white Gucci dress for the final act. Where the Valentino gown emphasized intricate construction, historical references, and layered texture, the Gucci look offered a brighter, cleaner presence.
The change also gave Hadid’s Vogue World wardrobe a natural progression. Her first appearance was rooted in the elaborate craftsmanship of Michele’s Valentino couture, while the custom Gucci dress brought the focus back to her silhouette and the reflective quality of the fabric. Together, the two looks showed the model moving between two distinctly different expressions of Italian luxury within the same production.
The second appearance was particularly fitting for the show’s closing stretch, arriving as the presentation moved toward its final performance moments. Hadid’s all-white Gucci look provided a striking visual counterpoint to the gold Valentino gown that had introduced her earlier in the evening.
The Milan Setting Behind Hadid’s Two Looks
Hadid’s two appearances unfolded against a production that brought together some of Italy’s biggest fashion and cultural names. Donatella Versace was seated near Gucci’s Demna, Balenciaga’s Pierpaolo Piccioli, and Valentino’s Michele, while Miuccia Prada, Domenico Dolce, and Stefano Gabbana were also among the notable guests.
Jennifer Lopez attended in a black Dolce & Gabbana evening gown, while supermodel Eva Herzigova led a tribute to Giorgio Armani, who died in September 2025. On the runway, recognizable Italian fashion signatures included Moncler puffers, a Prada banana-print button-down, a safety-pin-cinched Versace gown, a Pucci print, and a Bottega Veneta fiberglass coat.
The evening closed with Alicia Keys in a beaded, train-trailing gown, joined by dancers from La Scala’s academy and Italian ballet star Roberto Bolle. Staged inside the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II on the opening day of Milan Fashion Week, the production used fashion, music, dance, and Italian craftsmanship to frame the city’s creative heritage.
From Valentino’s Gold to Gucci’s White
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For Hadid, however, the most memorable thread running through the night was her wardrobe. The Valentino gown gave her opening entrance the weight of couture, with its recycled Venetian quilts and 1,680 hours of handwork making the craftsmanship impossible to overlook. The custom Gucci dress then offered a different interpretation of glamour in shimmering white.
The two looks also made clear why Hadid was positioned at the center of Vogue World 2026: Milano. Rather than relying on a single statement outfit, the model moved through the production in two distinct looks that reflected different sides of Italian fashion, from Michele’s richly layered Valentino couture to Gucci’s luminous custom design.
As Vogue World continued its run through Milan, Gigi Hadid’s two appearances gave the event some of its clearest fashion moments. The gold Valentino gown opened the night with a celebration of handmade couture, while the shimmering white Gucci dress brought her back for the final act with an entirely different energy.
Featured image: Lucas Possiede for Vogue
