MILAN — Milan is always an accessories hotbed and this season was no different, with key brands leveraging their legacies, revisiting signature styles through innovative techniques and new materials, and staging imaginative presentations.

Here, a selection of the best.

Serapian seems to top itself each season with its cinematic and immersive presentations. This time, in collaboration with Dimoregallery, the luxury brand’s historic Villa Mozart was transformed into a set that took guests into the life of an elusive Milanese woman. Titled “L’assenza, la poesia,” or “Absence, poetry” in English, the presentation was staged as a love story focused on the passions of an art collector — and told through the interpretation of a bourgeois interior and its furniture, objects, textiles and color palettes. The theme came to life as soon as guests entered through an elegant room with leather-clad Osvaldo Borsani armchairs and opulent brass lamps. The main character? The Maxi Secret Tote in Mestieri d’Arte Mosaico, one of Serapian’s signature creations. In the second space, the story of the house’s resident continued to unfold. Four 19th-century English vitrines each showcased a different story from the new collection, emphasizing Italian craft through materials, colors and techniques — and the unique interpretations of the Mosaico. In the final room, the Salotto, the story seemed to end without a definitive conclusion. Hinting at a mysterious event, three Secret bags — in maxi, regular and mini — were casually left in the grand space, furnished with pieces from some of the 20th century’s great designers.

As Valextra prepares to mark its 90th anniversary next year, the brand is doubling down on its icons, and amplifying the vision of founder Giovanni Fontana. “The idea was very much about designing product that you wear. It is aesthetically pleasing and beautiful but at the same time, there is also always the element of functionality and wearability,” said Valextra chief executive officer Xavier Rougeaux. “These are products that are essential to the ‘24/7’ of the woman.” For spring, the Leaf Intarsia collection expanded to encompass the Iside Mini, the Iside Tìn, and the signature Tric Trac handbags in a fresh summer color palette, finessed with the recognizable white trim. The day-to-night demands of the Valextra consumer pushed the brand to offer a new black silk satin version of the Iside Tan, designed to be carried under the arm or as a cross body. Material innovation was also top of mind, as seen on the Milano bag, designed in Senso suede. As the soft fashion movement continues, updated versions of the Vivi Gio handbag fit right in, in the brand’s Sublime leather and Senso suede.

The big news at Coccinelle was the launch of eyewear, which will be a new focus alongside the brand’s core bag collection and growing shoe assortment. The five debut styles for spring are characterized by acetate frames and lightweight metal constructions. The brand’s desert-themed presentation was centered on the historical caravanserai — an ancient roadside inn where travelers, merchants and nomadic cultures once gathered. The inspiration came through in the collection’s colors — which included harissa red, indigo and desert rose — and materials, like the braided handle embellished with metal details and two side tassels, as seen on a new version of the Lidia bag. Other new arrivals included the Choukara bag inspired by the traditional saddle bags carried by nomadic peoples. On the footwear front, refined sandals, in the harissa red hue, as well as ballerinas, in desert rose, took cues from the desert landscape.

There’s not a more fitting inspiration for Borsalino than “Casablanca,” the 1942 cinematic triumph starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Berman, who famously wore the brand’s hats in the film. So naturally it became the starting point for the 170-year-old company’s spring 2027 collection. On the feminine Mouna, a new visor in satin was decorated with a long scarf, the accessory of the moment, and can be styled different ways. Straw took center stage on the Tamara, which paired a wide sloping brim with an oversize tricolor band. The Frida reinterpreted the classic boating hat with a structured silhouette, defined by a flat brim and deep crown. The color palette took cues from the imagery of the film and its stars, from Bogart’s dinner jacket to the black of his bow tie to his trenchcoat, and Bergman’s delicate pastel tones. The collection’s theme extended beyond the film, to the real city of Casablanca, with architecture, interiors and mosques inspiring more of the styles.

Newness was all around at Themoirè, the responsible brand that continues to innovate its bestselling Bios bag with new fabrics and finishes, including nylon, raffia and suede-effect materials. The vivid color palette, inspired by locales from Morocco and Brazil, also injected fresh excitement. Celebrating female creativity, the brand also unveiled collaborations with Australian artist Caroline Walls and Italian eco-brand pioneer Laura Strambi, the latter of whom partnered with the handbag brand on a series of checked designs made from organic cotton.

Aperitivo and jewelry are always a winning combination, and Dodo chose Milanese institution Camparino to serve as the backdrop for its presentation on a bustling September Saturday. The theme, centered around the idea of reconnecting after the summer holidays, opened with a nod to the brand’s archive, centered on the signature cord craftsmanship, accented with classic charms and coins. The Granelli and Pepita components were reinterpreted, the Mini Granella becoming a statement headpiece. A fresh take on the Stella charm served as a Christmas preview.

Îacaré founder Sarah Maria Gutierrez is making the leap from luxury consumer to high-end brand founder. Her vision for handbags is simple: “My concern has always been quality. Obviously, design is very important because we’re in fashion, but you have to focus on quality,” she said at her second Milan Fashion Week presentation. Îacaré was born in Brazil’s wild Pantanal, where the founder’s family operates a pioneering caiman operation that emphasizes transparency and traceability. According to the brand, which centered its sophomore collection around the idea of “soft architecture,” every skin is sourced through practices aimed to support animal welfare and empower local communities. “The bags are inspired by the natural design of the skin,” Gutierrez said. From Brazil, each caiman skin travels to Santa Croce in Tuscany, where artisans create the sculptural bags.

Gherardini, the Florentine company established in 1885, prides itself on being one of Italy’s oldest leather goods brand. Now, it’s ready to make a modern statement. The brand took over La Corte Romanengo — Salon de thé Manzoni, the fashionable new pastry shop and cafe on Via Manzoni, to tout its heritage Piattina and Amazzonia styles, introduced in new maxi formats, and its Softy collection, characterized by its signature material and lightweight feel.

While Mario Valentino‘s footwear archive was the focus this season ahead of a big celebration of the brand’s founder next year, handbags were all new, in naplack leather spanning an array of colors. Shown all together, they made a statement.