MILAN – There were fireworks; choreographed dances; Mariah Carey singing Italy’s iconic song “Volare” in a medley with “Nothing Is Impossible,” and quite a few surprises, including the late Giorgio Armani’s involvement in the design of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics opening ceremony at the San Siro stadium here Friday evening.

The Armani company said after the event wrapped up shortly before midnight that “by virtue of the special relationship between Giorgio Armani and the world of sports, the designer had been personally involved in the design of the ceremony, contributing in the definition of its concept and ‘designing’ the entrance of the two [Italian and Olympic] flags.”

As a photo of the designer appeared on a giant screen, Italy’s flag was presented to a guard of honor and 60 models, dressed in colorblock Giorgio Armani pantsuits in the colors of the national flag. Divided into three groups, they paraded ahead of the flag bearer, Vittoria Ceretti, who wore a custom-made long white Giorgio Armani Privé gown. As reported, Ceretti is fronting the spring 2026 Giorgio Armani campaign, photographed in the designer’s house for the first time.

The Olympic flag was carried by athletes Rebecca Andrade, Eliud Kipchoge, Cindy Ngamba, Pita Taufatofua, Filippo Grandi, Nicolò Govoni, Maryam Bukar Hassan, and Tadatoshi Akiba, all wearing Giorgio Armani fall 2025 outfits, as the voiceover explained their commitment to social and humanitarian work.

Internationally renowned singer-songwriter Laura Pausini, the first Italian female artist to win a Grammy Award in 2006, performed the national anthem wearing an Armani Privé gown. Other artists wearing Armani included Chinese pianist Lang Lang, who was accompanied by Italian mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli and actor Pierfrancesco Favino, of “Rush” and “Angels and Demons” fame, who recited the poem “L’infinito” by Giacomo Leopardi. Violinist Giovanni Andrea Zanon wore an Emporio Armani look while playing a 300-year-old Stradivarius.

EA7 Emporio Armani, partner of the Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation and official outfitter of the Italia Team, as well as eyewear partner of the Milano Cortina Foundation, designed the uniforms worn by the Italian delegation, which paraded last — as is the tradition for the host nation.

Another surprise came from Remo Ruffini, chairman and chief executive officer of Moncler, who for the first time  personally designed the look for the bearers of the placards, the latter looking like giant ice cubes. This “was a great honor. For me it was all about capturing the emotion and energy of the moment. The garments are intentionally grand, echoing the scale and spectacle of the Olympic atmosphere and the magic it carries,” said Ruffini.

For her performance, Carey wore a custom Roberto Cavalli look by Fausto Puglisi, a bustier gown with a fitted silhouette and wide, dramatic mermaid train in satin, inspired by the brand’s archival Ray of Gold print. It was entirely embroidered with crystal-colored Swarovski embellishments following the motif of the print, with crystallized silver chain straps.  A retro Hollywood glamor touch was added by a long natural-colored ostrich feather stole. If anyone was wondering why the singer barely moved while performing and appeared to be carried off the stage, the gown, while indeed stunning, weighed kilos in the double-digit range.

Expressing his love for Carey, who has worn his designs on several occasions,  Puglisi described her as “the ultimate diva,” and said “this moment will stay forever in my heart. You look flawless.”   

While most of the roster of artists had been revealed ahead of the ceremony, Charlize Theron was unexpected and she appeared in a dramatic Atelier Versace black dress with cutouts. Calling for peace, she spoke on behalf of her role as a United Nations peace ambassador, and quoted a fellow South African, former President Nelson Mandela. “Peace is not just the absence of conflict,” Theron said. “Peace is the creation of an environment where all can flourish, regardless of race, color, creed, religion, gender, class, caste, or any other social markers of difference.”

Also calling for world peace through the recital of Gianni Rodari’s poem “Promemoria” was rapper Ghali, wearing a custom Gucci all-white high-neck silk shirt with a tone-on-tone glazed flower brooch, paired with wool trousers with a satin side band.

Before the start of the ceremony, flanked by Francesca Bellettini, president and CEO of Gucci, Demna, the brand’s artistic director, marveled at the impressive view within the stadium, already filled to capacity, and enthused about the opportunity to be present. “It’s my first Olympics, it’s such an exciting experience,” he told WWD, smiling.

Bianca Balti, after warmly embracing Chiara Ferragni, was equally excited. “Tomorrow I am going to Cortina to see the women’s alpine skiing and it’s the first time for me, so obviously I cheer for Italy but I have a big, big crush for Lindsay Vonn, she’s my age and such an inspiring woman. So I will also cheer for her,” she said. American civil rights activist and former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, a guest of Moncler, was spotted gracefully posing again and again for selfies.

The event was masterminded by Marco Balich, chairman of Balich Wonder Studio.