Milan ready to host rejuvenated Fashion Week with an ever greener and more international focus

By

Dominique Muret

Translated by
Nicola Mira

Published
Sep 18, 2017

After New York and London, it is now Milan's turn. The Fashion Week introducing the women's Spring/Summer 2018 collections, which will take over the Lombardy capital from 20th to 25th September, features a busy programme, with an intense schedule and a plethora of special events.

The signs of the fresh wind energising the Milanese event are the huge number of off-calendar shows, and the myriad foreign labels who chose to present their collections in Milan, such as Angel Chen, Annakiki and Ricostru from China, Israeli label Daizy Shely, and Japanese designers Mitsuru Nishizaki with his Ujoh label, and Atsushi Nakashima. As well as rookie Korean designer Younchan Chung, who will stage the debut catwalk show in Milan for his unisex label The-Sirius on Thursday 21st. Not to mention the off-calendar show on Saturday 23rd by Chinese designer Xinyin Xu who, after showing in New York, is landing in Europe with 'parental' label Vicky'z (Vicky Zhang), dedicated to mothers and their children.

The President of the Italian Fashion Chamber, Carlo Capasa, said that "Italy is once again at the centre of the fashion world. With the Milan Fashion Week, we want to become a magnet for creativity and for buyers. This is why we are keen to open up even more, investing on internationalisation and multiplying the number of events." Among the highlights of the Milanese event is the debut of three new creative directors at two major labels, which will be making their return to the forefront of fashion: Paul Surridge for Roberto Cavalli on the 22nd, and Lucie and Luke Meier for Jil Sander, the following day.

Another eagerly awaited return is that of Albino D'Amato, who was last featured on the official calendar in Spring/Summer 2012. It will also be a first for Lavinia Biagiotti, who follows in the footsteps of her mother Laura, who died last May, and takes charge of the eponymous label. More must-see newcomers are Italian designer Nicola Brognano, 27, the 2016 winner of the Who Is On Next? prize, who will tread the Milanese catwalks for the first time on 22nd September, and local designer Sabrina Mandelli with her Ssheena label, which will bring the week to a close on Monday 25th with a show-event held right in the heart of the city, in Duomo square.

The Fashion Week will also feature a host of parallel events and celebrations: the 100th anniversary of the opening of the La Rinascente department store, the 50th of jeweller Pomellato, and the 20th of Angela Missoni as creative director, to name but a few. The most eagerly anticipated soirée will no doubt be that of Sunday 24th September at the La Scala opera house, for the very first edition of the sustainable fashion awards, the 'Green Carpet Fashion Awards Italia'. The competition for emerging eco-sustainable fashion labels is organised by the Italian Fashion Chamber in partnership with UK consulting agency Eco-Age.

Altogether, the Milan Fashion Week will feature 159 collections with 63 official shows (compared to 174 collections and 70 shows last February), as well as several show-events such as those by Maryling, John Richmond and Agnona, and an array of off-calendar shows, among them Dolce & Gabbana on Sunday 24th, Erika Cavallini and Giada.