Ahead of Milan’s forthcoming Fashion Week, Carlo Capasa, President of the National Chamber of Italian Fashion, discussed concerns regarding the frequent selection of show venues situated far apart from each other and the resulting implications for the city's traffic and environmental sustainability.
Capasa highlighted a broader trend prevalent in the fashion industry both domestically and internationally, emphasizing that this issue extends beyond Milan alone. He noted that similar challenges are encountered in Paris and globally, particularly when brands opt to host their cruise shows in various locations worldwide.
“There’s this tendency by companies to favour certain locations to narrate their story…and give priority to the experience rather [than] to the methods of implementations. It’s certainly something we need to reason on and understand if we can find better ways, but at a global level,” Capasa commented.
Capasa emphasizes the advantageous timing of fashion events in New York and Paris, as these cities kickstart and conclude the fashion marathon, affording them the flexibility to extend their respective schedules. In contrast, London and Milan face tighter constraints and less room for maneuvering.
“I believe we need an extra day and we’ve already discussed this with our global partners from the other fashion weeks,” said Capasa. “I’ve requested Tuesday to become a full day of shows here. It works better compared to the following Monday.”
According to estimates from the local municipality, the upcoming Milan Fashion Week is projected to generate over 70 million euros in sales across various sectors including restaurants, transportation, hotels, and other services. This represents a 10 percent increase compared to the previous edition and a significant 22 percent growth compared to 2019.
Additionally, it is anticipated that 65,000 foreign tourists will visit Milan during this time, with an average expenditure of more than 1,000 euros per person. This influx of visitors is expected to have a positive impact on small businesses and stores, with sales forecasted to increase by 10 percent during the event.
