The first official Milan Fashion Week as the global event we know today took place in 1975. (Designed by Stripes Staff)

One of the first things I noticed about Milan when I had the pleasure of visiting, in addition to the gorgeous Duomo (cathedral)  and tasty coffee, was the abundance of high fashion stores and brands, and that was apparently intentional.

Milan Fashion Week has become the “most glamorous fashion week of the Big Four,” according to the writers of British Vogue. Fashion Week also occurs in London, Paris and New York. But how did this famous fashion event come to be?

How did this famous fashion event come to be? (agcreativelab (Adobe Stock))

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It all started in the 1950s. Milan was a textile industry power and drew the attention of the newly created Camera Nazionale della Moda Italia (National Chamber of Italian Fashion). Milan’s fashion style began competing with the haute couture fashions in Rome and Paris as well as the fashion shows of Venice and Florence by combining its ready-to-wear style with luxury. 

Solidifying Milan’s status as an iconic fashion city, designers began to flock to the area and fashion magazine Vogue Italia made it their home in 1961. Over the next 50 years, Milan hosted some of the most notable moments in fashion history.

In the 70s and 80s, Milan-based designers Gianni Versace and Giorgio Armani rose in prominence and popularity. The first official Milan Fashion Week as the global event we know today took place in 1975, replacing earlier, regional fashion shows that were bringing buyers and designers together since the 1950s. Soon after, other famous Italian designers including Miuccia Prada and Dolce & Gabbana moved to Milan.

Milan Fashion Week transitioned fairly seamlessly into the 21st century, incorporating a mix of technology, entertainment, sustainability, music, fashion, art, accessibility and marketing into the shows.  (streetstyleSPY (Adobe Stock))

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The 90s saw the era of the supermodel, and stars such as Naomi Campbell and Cindy Crawford dominated the runway of Milan Fashion Week making it an unmissable event for the who’s who of the fashion, Hollywood and celebrity industries. In 1991, Campbell and Crawford, along with Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington made Milan Fashion Week history when they walked side-by-side on the runway while lip-synching George Michael’s “Freedom! ’90,” during a show for Gianni Versace.

Sadly, the memorable moment of 1997’s Milan Fashion Week was the tribute show, “Viva Versace,” hosted by Donatella Versace three months after her brother Gianni Versace was murdered. Tears streamed down Campbell’s face as she walked the runway in her light pink chiffon dress. Twenty years later, in 2017, five of fashion’s veteran supermodels, including Crawford and Campbell, as well as Claudia Schiffer, Helena Christensen and Carla Bruni commemorated the anniversary of Versace’s death during a catwalk tribute in Donatella Versace’s Milan show paying homage to the “Freedom! 90” walk.

Milan Fashion Week transitioned fairly seamlessly into the 21st century, incorporating a mix of technology, entertainment, sustainability, music, fashion, art, accessibility and marketing into the shows. It goes beyond fashion; it is a demonstration of Italian innovation and creativity for an international audience.

It goes beyond fashion; it is a demonstration of Italian innovation and creativity for an international audience. (Christopher Macsurak, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)
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It is not just famous brands on the runways, but up-and-coming designers as well. Many of the designers on display have dedicated themselves to eco-friendly practices such as using recycled materials and utilizing sustainable, ethical fashion practices.

There are events throughout Milan Fashion Week that occur outside in public venues, which are free and open to everyone. For the most up-to-date information on events open to the public, go to cameramoda.it. They occur at locations all over Milan including castles, museums and cobblestone streets.

However, there are some exclusive events you must obtain an invitation to. Even if there is an exclusive event you cannot attend, you can pre-register for the event’s afterparty, where you can soak up the opulence and fun; check out fashionweekonline.com for ticket information for these events. Milan Fashion Week has become so accessible, you can attend events if you are not there in person through its livestream at milanofashionweek.cameramoda.it.