Milan Fashion Week

What is Milan Fashion Week?

Twice a year during the months of February and September, Milan Fashion Week puts fashion in the spotlight and celebrates it in the heart of Milan with fashion lovers, buyers and media. Partially organized by non-profit organization Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, Milan Fashion Week presents around 70 fashion shows and 90 presentations of designers to an international audience, through hosting catwalk shows, designer showrooms and static presentations. Following controversial discussions debating favoritism and lack of diversity within the chamber, certain fashion houses such as Cavalli are sharply criticizing the institution, while the Dolce & Gabbana house for example has chosen not to hold its shows jointly with Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana. In the span of each MFW, an estimated €15 million is generated for hotels and businesses in Milan. Additional to its womenswear shows, Milan also hosts events such as Milan Fashion Week Men’s in the January and June, which are dedicated to menswear but considerably smaller in size and reach.

When does Milan Fashion Week take place?

Milan Fashion Week is a bi-annual fashion showcase taking place in Milan in Italy. Established in 1958, Milan Fashion Week was hosted by the Camera Sindacale della Moda Italiana, which later changed its name to Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana. At the time, the event consisted of catwalk shows and exhibitions presenting the Italian fashion industry and its talents. Nowadays, Milan Fashion Week is still organized by the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, which aims to promote Italian fashion designers in both Italy and internationally.

Where does Milan Fashion Week take place?

Recently, Milan Fashion Week has relocated to three main venues in the city of Milan: Spazio Cavallerizze, which is part of the Leonardo da Vinci National Science and Technology Museum; Palazzo Reale’s Sala delle Cariatidi and the Padiglione Visconti, at the heart of Scala Ansaldo Workshop. Other show locations can be found throughout the city, notably for larger fashion houses such as Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana or Prada. Some iconic locations include Dolce & Gabbana’s men’s 2018 Alta Moda & Alta Sartoria show in the Villa Carlotta alongside Lake Como, Peuterey’s SS16 show in the restored vineyard of Leonardo da Vinci at Casa degli Atellani or Jil Sander’s SS18 show at the Fiera di Milano complex.


Milan Fashion Week official site