Vogue World's Milan edition closed with humanoid robots made by Chinese firm Unitree performing on the runway to "L'Amour Toujours," an unexpected finale given the event was marketed as a celebration of Italian craftsmanship and "the human touch" in the age of technology. The unclothed robots waved their arms, performed a lasso gesture, and danced awkwardly—with a widely-shared photograph capturing Valentino's creative director Alessandro Michele looking visibly dismayed becoming the event's defining image. The performance overshadowed all discussion of the actual fashion presented and sparked significant backlash across social media.

The robots' appearance reflects Vogue's closer alignment with Silicon Valley's elite, with the event sponsored in part by Meta Glasses and OpenAI, whilst Anna Wintour has increasingly connected the publication to tech titans. Similar robots have also appeared at London Fashion Week this year, whilst Vogue announced the next edition will take place in San Francisco. Critics argue the robotic performances send a troubling message during an economic cost-of-living crisis, highlighting concerns about artificial intelligence, job displacement, mass surveillance, and energy consumption—all issues overseen by the same tech billionaires the fashion world increasingly embraces. For many observers, the robots on the runway exemplified broader anxieties about unchecked technological adoption and wealth inequality.