Celebrations, swan songs and starting lines. As some brands fête their anniversaries this season at Milan Fashion Week (MFW), others are bracing for their next chapters, following exits, appointments and swirling rumours around the future of almost every major house.
Following the departure of Sabato De Sarno, Gucci will open fashion week with a collection from its in-house design team (the next creative director is yet to be announced).
Bottega Veneta isn’t showing, in anticipation of new creative director Louise Trotter’s debut in September.
And Tom Ford, which has been on the Milan schedule since Spring/Summer 2024, has decamped to Paris under new creative director Haider Ackermann.
“With less big houses involved, I’m curious to see who’ll conquer the biggest interest this season,” says Vogue Italia contributor Giorgia Feroldi.
“Every brand seems to have some uncertainty,” says Vogue Runway contributor Tiziana Cardini, who has covered MFW for many years.
“There’s lots of change going on, which is unsettling on one hand, but exciting on the other. Let’s see how the brands will confront this uncertainty. Maybe they will send out fabulous collections — I’m curious to see how it develops.”
While some of the megabrands regroup, there’s still plenty to see in Milan this season, with 153 events on the agenda, including 56 physical shows and 70 presentations plus digital shows and evening events.
“I love Milan, and I love the spirit of iconic brands like Versace alongside the quieter energy of the brilliant Jil Sander and Bally,” says Net-a-Porter fashion director Kay Barron. “[Presentations from] Blazé Milano and Loro Piana have been consistently strong over the past few seasons and I’m looking forward to seeing the new collections.”
