Handmade carpets covered the courtyard of one of Tashkent’s historic madrasahs as Italian fashion house Brunello Cucinelli presented its Fall-Winter 2026 collection in the Uzbek capital.
Models walked across the carpets laid inside the Abulkasim Madrasah, while local music and performances accompanied the show.
The setting was unusual for an international fashion presentation. A madrasah is a traditional Islamic educational institution, and the Abulkasim complex dates from the 19th century. Built on the site of an earlier architectural complex, it was expanded with a second floor in 1864.
Today, it is a protected historical monument, but it is not simply a preserved building. Former student rooms overlooking the courtyard are used by craftspeople working in ceramics, wood carving, engraving, miniature painting and other traditional arts.
Fashion inside a working craft centre
Organisers said the choice of venue was intended to connect the fashion house’s emphasis on handcraft with Uzbekistan’s own artisanal traditions.
Carolina Cucinelli, Vice President and Co-Creative Director of Brunello Cucinelli, said she had spent time looking at some of the crafts produced locally during her visit.
“Artisanality is one of the most important key points between Uzbekistan and Solomeo,” she said, referring to the Umbrian village where the company is based.
“We had the chance to see pottery, jewellery and the fabric. This is amazing. Everything is very colourful.”
The show included both the men’s and women’s Fall-Winter collections, with tailoring, knitwear and outerwear presented against the architecture of the madrasah and the carpets covering its courtyard.
The choice of a historic craft centre also has a parallel in Cucinelli’s activities in Italy.
In 2025, Brunello Cucinelli received an honorary doctorate partly recognising his work on the restoration of Solomeo, the Umbrian village where his company is based. A school established there also trains students in traditional skills including tailoring, pattern cutting, gardening and masonry.
Uzbek fashion looks beyond its home market
The show comes as Uzbekistan’s own design scene is also looking beyond the domestic market.
Some local designers have already begun testing demand abroad, combining contemporary fashion with materials and techniques rooted in Uzbek craft traditions.
The Tashkent event was organised by luxury retailer Glamour Avenue.
Dmitriy Maschenko, CEO of Podium and Glamour Avenue, said the concept was designed around the cultural setting of the show.
“The concept of the show was to bring Italian culture together with our great Uzbek culture”, he said.
Maschenko also said he expected more international fashion brands to enter the Uzbek market in the coming years.
Brunello Cucinelli already has a retail presence in Tashkent. The October show, however, moved the collection into a historic complex where traditional Uzbek crafts continue to be practised.