You can feel when a designer genuinely loves women. It shows in how the clothes move, how they sit on the body, and how they allow the wearer to simply exist rather than perform. That sentiment came through almost immediately backstage at Alberta Ferretti’s Autumn-Winter 2026 presentation, where the energy was buoyant rather than frantic, and the models looked less like they were bracing for a runway moment and more like they were waiting to step into a night out with friends.
When Lorenzo Serafini finally caught his breath in the media room, he smiled when the idea was put to him. “That’s a great compliment, I have to be honest,” he said. “I love women, I like to make them feel beautiful, powerful without being overtly sexy. You can be sensual while threading the line of decency and I hope it is a sentiment that was gauged from this collection.”
This quietly assured mood carried through to the runway, where Alberta Ferretti opened Dubai Fashion Week with its landmark Middle East debut, headlining the first show of the Autumn-Winter 2026 to 2027 season. Designed by Serafini, who stepped into the role of Creative Director in 2024 succeeding Mrs Ferretti herself, the collection was titled ‘Portrait of a Lady”. It unfolded as a modern reflection on the Victorian heroine, reimagined for today’s woman with clarity, grace and self possession. Femininity here was not about spectacle but about intention.
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In the controlled chaos before the show, Serafini was seen making final adjustments, refining silhouettes, smoothing a sleeve, adjusting a waistline. The result was a collection that felt sharp and chic, yet deeply poetic. Skirts were paired with jackets cinched neatly at the waist, layered over blouses finished with ruffled necklines. Chiffon kaftan dress hybrids floated down the runway in layers, while leather introduced structure and a modern edge to an otherwise romantic, slightly Victorian leaning winter story. The colour palette moved fluidly between scarlet, olive, khaki and mustard, softened by blush pink and peach.
“I feel very happy and very honoured to be invited to this beautiful country,” Serafini said of showing in Dubai. “It is such a great opportunity. When I got the chance to come here, I said yeah, let’s do it.” He added when we sat down for a quick tête-à-tête post the show. “The preparation to work in a different country is also very challenging but really interesting,” he continued.
Alberta Ferretti has always spoken the language of romance and femininity, but the question now is how that legacy translates for a woman living firmly in 2026. Serafini is clear about where he stands. “Since day one, when I took this job, I always said that I was so lucky because Mrs Ferretti and I shared the same values of femininity, lightness and beauty. For me, it was really a dream job. From there, my job was to make sure the beauty we collectively envisioned kept evolving from season to season and become more aware of the women who wear these pieces. A woman that is truly happy by pleasing just herself and doesn’t dress to impress anyone.”
Presenting at Dubai Fashion Week placed the house in a distinct cultural and climatic context, one that Serafini approached with curiosity rather than prescription. “What excites me the most is that I come in direct contact with the powerful women who actually wear us,” Lorenzo explained. “Women who know what they want, what their role is in society and I really appreciate the opportunity to meet them, dress them, work with them and chat with them and to learn from them.”
That perspective naturally led to a discussion around the Middle Eastern woman’s nuanced relationship with modesty and sensuality. It is a balance that resonates deeply with Serafini’s own philosophy. “I love the duality of balancing modesty and sensuality in a way that the amount of skin doesn’t define the prowess of a garment,” he said. “I always feel women who dress elegant and chic and don’t dress to draw attention are the women who truly dress for themselves, a sentiment that I truly appreciate as a designer. Women here particularly embody this and I absolutely love that about them.”
Since taking the helm, Serafini has approached Alberta Ferretti with a quieter, more reflective hand. When asked whether restraint now signals modern luxury, his answer was unequivocal. “New modern luxury is discretion,” said Lorenzo. “To me, this approach of restraint is rather romantic and in tune with how luxury should be, without it having to be out and loud. Quiet luxury is boring to those who cannot see the details and richness it’s packed with.”
Despite his background working with strong archival identities, Serafini prefers to engage with Alberta Ferretti’s past in spirit rather than in form. “Rather than digging into the archives, it was more to keep the spirit of the Alberta Ferretti woman alive,” he explained. “I prefer not to dig too much into the past and not be influenced by the pieces but by the feeling the brand evokes.”
That feeling was perhaps most evident in how easily the collection could be interpreted. “We had already started designing the line when we were invited, and luckily our aesthetic resonates with the region so there was no reason to pivot,” he said. “But also the modern woman is not local, she is global and her mind is much more open. Everything in this collection can be interpreted and styled in a way that works for them, also paired with what’s existing in their closet. Mixing together is the way modern women like to keep it distinct.”
At its core, ‘Portrait of a Lady’ was less about presenting a fantasy and more about meeting the woman who will ultimately wear the clothes. And if there was one feeling he hoped the clothes would leave behind, it was confidence. “I want the women to feel confident,” he said. “There’s nothing more powerful and beautiful than to talk to a confident woman, who is fearless and has nothing to prove. I hope my clothes are able to evoke that feeling.”
Watching the models glide down the runway, ease intact from backstage to spotlight, it was hard to argue otherwise.
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