Milan Men’s Fashion Week has kicked off, marking the first major fashion event of the year. Running through 21st January, this edition is notable for both the absence of some prominent names and the loyalty of Italian fashion giants like Dolce&Gabbana, Armani, Prada, and Zegna. Despite these key players, notable brands such as Gucci, Fendi, Dsquared2, and Moschino are missing from the calendar, having opted to present their collections during the upcoming Milan Women’s Fashion Week at the end of February.
Gucci is pursuing a strategy to unify its men’s and women’s collections, while Fendi is focusing on its 100th anniversary. Dsquared2 is celebrating its 30th anniversary, and Moschino has chosen to present its men’s collection during the June edition.
The week will feature 60 fashion houses, with 15 holding traditional catwalk shows, including Armani’s Emporio Armani and Giorgio Armani lines. Four brands will present exclusively digitally, and the remaining 41 will opt for alternative presentation formats. Noteworthy first-time participants include Federico Cina, Rubinacci, Maragno, Qasimi, and Blauer, which will showcase a collaboration with Pirelli.
The catwalk schedule begins with Pierre-Louis Mascia, marking its debut on the Milan calendar with a mixed men’s and women’s collection. Other highlights include the return of Pronounce after shifting to London last season, alongside shows from Dolce&Gabbana, Emporio Armani, Prada, Zegna, and Dhruv Kapoor, who celebrates the 10th anniversary of his brand. The week will conclude with Zegna’s show on 21st January.
However, the absence of brands like JW Anderson and Loewe fuels speculation about potential leadership changes, with rumors suggesting Jonathan Anderson may soon replace Maria Grazia Chiuri at Dior.
