Stella Jean took her final bow holding a T-shirt that read “Grazie Mr. Armani,” a thank you note to the late Maestro who back in 2013 selected Jean as that year’s young designer to support, as part of his company’s mentorship program.

It was a poignant and unexpected finale that Jean made no mention of backstage before her spring 2026 show, which marked her return to the catwalk after a three-year hiatus.

Instead, she shared the political undercurrent of her show: Artisanship is art and should be treated as such.

“I had said I would only return once I truly had something to say — and this runway show is exactly that. It’s not just a fashion show, it’s almost like a legislative proposal,” she said, referencing an Italian law passed over the summer which has significantly reduced VAT on t

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