Camera unveils Milan's debut digital season with 39 events

By

Godfrey Deeny

Published
Jun 29, 2020

The Camera della Moda, Italian fashion’s governing body, has unveiled the schedule for the debut of Milan Digital Fashion Week this July, a powerful listing including 39 video displays, presentations and even live events by brands – a calendar that includes mega labels like Prada, Gucci, Zegna and Dolce & Gabbana.

 
The four-day season kicks off on Tuesday, July 14 – opening at 12PM with MSGM, the tailored street-wear label of DJ Massimo Giorgetti. That opening day will also include collections from Prada, Alberta Ferretti and Philipp Plein.
 
This is a hybrid season, with both men’s collections and women’s pre-collections for Spring/Summer 2021. As noted, due to the global pandemic, the Camera and Europe’s other major fashion federations in Paris and London converted their summer weeks into fully digital seasons this year.

Because of the necessity of social distancing, and radically reduced travel, Italian fashion houses have all been busy inventing new formats to present their collections. The result is that this Milan season is expected to be a pot-pourri of pre-recorded videos; live presentations; private Zoom tutorials and even some live shows before selected real audiences.
 
For instance, Wednesday opens with a 10AM show from Etro, which is planning an actual live show before a limited number of guests inside Milan’s chic Four Seasons Hotel, that will then be live-streamed on Etro and the Camera's dedicated digital platforms. 
 
“We value the importance of digital but also believe in the vital energy of live interactions,” said Kean and Veronica Etro.
 

Wednesday climaxes with a 5.30PM show by Dolce & Gabbana – a major achievement – as it marks the first time the duo have been listed on the Camera’s official schedule in over two decades. Dolce & Gabbana is also planning a live event, showing its men’s ready-to-wear collection before a small audience inside Humanitas University.
 
Thursday will feature global brands like Salvatore Ferragamo, Tod’s and DSquared2, as well as emerging labels like Simona Marziali – MRZ, Han Kjobenhavn and David Catalan.
 
The Italian season finishes on Friday afternoon, July 17, anchored by three heavy hitter labels – Gucci, Italian’s largest fashion label in terms of revenue; powerhouse menswear brand Ermenegildo Zegna and the country’s most famous knitwear marque: Missoni.