Luca Lin of Act No.1 is leading Milan’s new wave of designers, carving his own path in a landscape still largely dominated by mega-watt houses. His brand is a decade old, yet Lin’s work feels unseasoned in the best possible way. Trained in a traditional design discipline, he aims to “take that standard and use it to mix and match, creating something new.”

The result is a distinct way of carrying oneself: layered, oversized tailoring interwoven with details that possess a soul of their own. For autumn-winter 2026, the standout piece is a structured top hand-embroidered with more than 25,000 tiny deadstock buttons sourced from Italian manufacturer RIBL. Some of these buttons are over 50 years old, allowing the piece to blend past and present in the spirit of new materialism – a direction poignantly echoed by Hodakova in Paris.

But Act No.1 isn’t only about one-of-a-kind collectibles. The label also offers beautifully cut jackets, coats, and trousers, all subtly deconstructed and radiating an airy coolness. The sunburnt palette – ochre, mustard, orange, and burgundy – is delicious.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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