Milan Fashion Week announces a more extensive programme and more emerging names

September would not be the same without the major fashion events, with Milan Fashion Week being the most important in Italy. On 3 September, Carlo Capasa, president of the Italian Chamber of Fashion (CNMI), presented the programme for the upcoming women's fashion week at a press conference held in the Alessi Hall of the Palazzo Marino, seat of the Milan City Hall, further proof of the strong ties that unite Milan with the fashion sector.

“The first big news is that this season fashion week will last one more day. It will start on Tuesday [September] “The event will take place on June 17 and close on Monday 23. We are located between London and Paris fashion weeks, and managing to gain an extra day was no small feat,” Capasa said. “There are 173 events on the programme – 57 in-person and eight digital shows, 69 presentations, six invitation-only presentations and 33 tie-in events – plus the whole plethora of off-calendar initiatives planned across the city,” he added.

Fendi will open the show programme on 17 September at 3pm (CET) and Chiccomao will close it in Piazza Duomo at 5pm (CET) on 22 September. Monday 23 September will see the eight digital shows by Maxivive, Husky, Defaience by Nicola Bacchilega, Chiara Boni La Petite Robe, ViaPiave33, Re Shui, Francesco Murano and Jacob Cohen. The notable absentee this season is Armani, which will show in New York, but Capasa has assured that the brand “always has a strong connection with Milan Fashion Week. It will present two Emporio Armani shows and will return in February.”

Among the newcomers to the Milanese catwalk are Susan Fang, supported by Dolce & Gabbana; Federico Cina, supported by Camera Moda Fashion Trust; Chiccomao; and Phan Dang Hoang, who was already on the digital fashion calendar. Returning to the fashion show programme are The Attico and Laura Biagiotti, who will celebrate the 50th anniversary of her first show on the Milan Fashion Week calendar.

“In addition to Laura Biagiotti’s anniversary, there are other important anniversaries: Iceberg will celebrate its 50 years in business with a co-ed show followed by a party in homage to the highlights of its five-decade history, while Redemption will celebrate its 10th anniversary. It will also be Vogue Italia’s 60th anniversary, which will be celebrated with the exhibition entitled ‘Sixty Years of Vogue Italia – Sessant’anni di Futuro’, which will take place at Palazzo Citterio in Milan from 19 to 21 September. It will be a unique exhibition that will illustrate crucial moments in fashion and society through 60 Vogue Italia covers and original content,” Capasa said.

Several labels will debut in the presentation program: 1989 Studio, Bruceglen, Casa Preti, Crida Milano, Cuantico, Di Stavnitser, Eileen, Enterprise Japan, Gio Giovanni Gerosa, L Saha, Maccapani, Max & Co. with Lorenzo Posocco, MSGM, Retori , Sirivannavari, Taller Marmi, Testori, Tom Ford, Weekend Max Mara from Ashley Park and Zona20.

Milan Fashion Week will once again put the spotlight on emerging names and launch various initiatives to support them. The event's Fashion Hub at Palazzo Giureconsulti will focus in particular on Korea and China. Among other proposals, 'Designers for the Planet' will be presented, a showcase for emerging designers focused on sustainability, and 'Resonance: Voices of Seoul', with a selection of young Korean creatives. The 10th edition of Milano Moda Graduate, a project dedicated to students from Italy's leading fashion academies, is scheduled for 17 September at 20:00 CET in the Cariatidi room inside the Royal Palace of Milan.

Another project to be presented at the Fashion Hub is “Regione Puglia Land of Fashion”, which highlights the strong connection between the sector and the Italian region of Puglia, not only as a venue for events and catwalk shows by major brands, but also as a centre of artisanal production and heritage, home to over 5,000 producers employing 40,000 people.

In parallel to fashion week, Milan will host several initiatives involving creatives from around the world. On 20 September, the second edition of the Black Carpet Awards will be held at the Manzoni Theatre, an event organised by the Afro Fashion Association to honour the industry’s “change leaders” who promote diversity and inclusion. On Saturday 21 September, Peruvian brand J. Salinas will present a collection developed in collaboration with weaving associations from the Andean region. The Fashion Hub will host a collective presentation of the winners of the Latin American Fashion Awards 2023, and on 18 September, the Chinese district of Keqiao will sponsor a fashion show by four emerging Chinese brands. On 19 September, at 7pm CET, the Budapest Select showroom of the Hungarian Fashion Design Agency will host an event involving several Hungarian brands, with the support of CNMI.

Last but not least, on 22 September, the CNMI Sustainable Fashion Awards 2024 will be held, organised by CNMI in collaboration with the United Nations Ethical Fashion Initiative, with the support of the City of Milan. The awards ceremony will be held at the Teatro alla Scala. Among the awards, the Bicester Collection Award for Emerging Designers and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation Award for the Circular Economy will be presented.

Milan Fashion Week will be promoted with a poster campaign that will run across the city from 7 to 22 September. As always, its images portray some of Milan's most iconic landmarks. This year, the choice fell on the Accademia di Belli Arti di Brera, the city's fine arts academy. The campaign was photographed by Alice Rosati, styled by Marzia Fossati. The brands involved are Francesco Murano, Lorenzo Seghezzi and Andreadamo, recipients of the Camera Moda Fashion Trust Grant 2024; Marco Rambaldi and Defaience by Nicola Bacchilega, both included in the fashion show calendar; and Oh Carla, from the 'Designers for the Planet' project.

“With each edition of Milan Fashion Week, the connection between our city and the world of fashion, a sector that generates 5% of Italy’s GDP, is strengthened with renewed enthusiasm,” said Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala. “Youth and sustainability are the main drivers of development in the industry, and Milan is the right place for both to thrive. The fashion supply chain is extremely complex and the sector can do a lot for sustainability, becoming an example of good practice. Milan is, and wants to remain, a city where those who want to work in fashion have the opportunity to demonstrate their skills and their final product,” added Sala.

“Years ago, young people did not study fashion in Italy, but abroad, mainly in the United Kingdom. Over time, our academies have invested in improving their quality and we now have truly excellent schools. The big brands are doing a lot to support emerging brands and SMEs. Also because fashion is the most extensive cooperative network in Italy and must remain so,” concludes Capasa.