Actor Hudson Williams Opens Dsquared2 Show at Milan Fashion Week

Actor Hudson Williams made his runway debut at Milan Fashion Week this week, opening Dsquared2’s Fall Winter 2026 show in a role that carried more responsibility than surface appeal. He was positioned at the front of the show, setting its tone before the collection had properly begun.

Williams, who gained wider recognition through recent television work, was an intentional choice for Dsquared2’s founders, Dean and Dan Caten. Like the designers, he is Canadian, and the show drew heavily from winter sport, cold-weather utility, and performance-driven clothing. His casting reflected that shared background, aligning personal identity with the collection’s practical references rather than relying on celebrity visibility alone.

Hudson Williams – Instagram

The Milan venue was staged as a winter environment, with snow underfoot and styling cues drawn from alpine and ice sports. Williams appeared in a layered look combining denim with technical outerwear and heavy footwear designed for cold conditions. The outfit referenced hockey and ski culture without tipping into pastiche, reinforcing the collection’s emphasis on wearability and structure. His walk was controlled and direct, keeping focus on the clothes rather than the occasion.

Hudson Williams – Instagram

The appearance followed a period of increased public visibility for Williams, including recent red carpet appearances alongside his co-star, which had already drawn attention from fashion houses. His presence in Milan confirmed that interest had moved beyond front-row attendance and into direct participation.

Response came almost immediately. Images of the opening walk circulated widely across social platforms and fashion media, becoming one of the most discussed moments from the show. The decision prompted renewed discussion around how brands are using actors on the runway, particularly when casting is tied to a collection’s narrative rather than online reach.

Photo credit – Instagram

What distinguished this debut was its clarity. Williams was not styled as a distraction or treated as a talking point separate from the clothes. He functioned as part of the show’s logic, reinforcing its references and grounding its visua‏l direction. At a time when celebrity appearances on runways often feel detached from the collections they introduce, Dsquared2 kept the focus on alignment between casting and concept.

Whether this marks the start of a longer relationship between Williams and the fashion industry remains open. What his Milan debut demonstrated, however, was a shift from exposure to placement. By opening the show, he was given responsibility rather than prominence, a distinction that carries weight in fashion.