Milan Fashion Week opens with celebrity stardust, industry growth

Milan: Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi and Missoni are among Italy´s top labels showing at Milan Fashion Week starting Wednesday, with the industry buoyed by bumper sales results despite war-fuelled economic uncertainty.

American megastar Kim Kardashian is expected to bring some celebrity stardust at an event hosted by D&G to celebrate her Ciao Kim line, which had its debut in the northern Italian city in September.

Renowned brands such as Etro, Giorgio Armani, Prada, Bottega Veneta and Moschino are also among showing their autumn/winter 2023-2024 collections, with 59 catwalk shows on the official schedule between now and February 27.

Also on the sidelines will be exhibitions by US video artist Bill Viola, and the late French fashion photographer Guy Bourdin, whose show is curated by Giorgio Armani.

Meanwhile, the first Black Carpet Awards will take place on Friday, a gala evening organised by the Afro Fashion Association to celebrate diversity -- the lack of which has long been an issue in Milan.

Despite the energy crisis and global uncertainty caused by the war in Ukraine, which erupted almost exactly one year ago, the major luxury brands are flourishing.

French giant LVMH, whose Italian brands include Fendi, Bulgari and Loro Piana, reported a 23 percent increase in sales and 17 percent rise in net profit in 2022 -- both new records for the group.