Pucci Returns to Its Roots: Camille Miceli Turns Medieval Horse Racing Into Modern Luxury

For several years, Emilio Pucci creative director Camille Miceli has explored the psychedelic and hippie-chic side of the Italian house’s heritage. Now, the designer has turned her attention to a lesser-known chapter of its history.

In 1967, the brand’s founder, Florentine designer Emilio Pucci, created a collection inspired by Il Palio di Siena — the famous bareback horse race whose history dates back to the Middle Ages. Miceli was so captivated by the archival prints from that collection that they became the starting point for her latest work, according to WWD.

The motifs brought together animal imagery, heraldic symbols, geometric grids and asymmetric zigzags — a side of Pucci’s aesthetic far removed from the signature prints the brand is traditionally known for.

“It’s a completely different mood. It’s much more graphic. But I’ve always, always loved the Il Palio prints,” the designer said.

She was so inspired by them that Miceli and her team traveled to Siena to explore the city’s historic districts more closely. Each has its own symbols, coats of arms, emblems and banners — a visual language that turned out to feel surprisingly close to Pucci’s contemporary aesthetic.

For the Fall 2026 collection, the designer incorporated these expressive motifs throughout the lineup: across sexy trousers, body-hugging knit dresses and revealing bodysuits. Beneath the surface, the disco rhythm that has become one of Miceli’s signature codes was still palpable, but it was now joined by quilted satin bomber jackets, luxurious capes reminiscent of royal robes and structured, sharply tailored coats with cinched waists.

At the same time, the collection merely hinted at equestrianism rather than offering a literal interpretation of the theme. Miceli drew inspiration from the silhouettes of short medieval tunics once worn by some of Siena’s jockeys, unexpectedly seeing a resemblance to figure-skating costumes.

A short, flared dress covered in a bold graphic print, meanwhile, looked as though it had been designed specifically for the dance floor.