Why have a fashion show in an empty fashion week?

The upcoming Milan Fashion Week Men’s FW25, scheduled from January 17 to 21, 2025, was announced this week during the usual press conference by the National Chamber of Italian Fashion. While we’re already accustomed to a rather subdued men’s fashion week, the one ahead looks more like a long weekend and will be fairly empty. Despite big names such as Prada, Zegna, Dolce & Gabbana, Armani, and Magliano, new additions are scarce. Many iconic brands, including Gucci, Fendi, Etro, and Dsquared2, have opted for co-ed shows during February’s Women’s Fashion Week, effectively consolidating their efforts for a women’s fashion week that is more deserving of the name, at least in terms of format. This situation raises serious questions about the role and future of men’s fashion week in Milan and whether the wave of co-ed shows, favored by many brands, reflects a financial crisis prompting them to rationalize their budgets. In recent years, the exorbitant costs of hosting a runway show have forced brands to rethink their strategies: larger brands bet everything on a single event or adopt alternative formats, as seen with Celine and Maison Margiela, while younger brands (which often remain “emerging” for a decade) are limited to classic presentations with reduced visibility and impact. In an increasingly saturated and less profitable fashion world, are runway shows a luxury that luxury can no longer afford?

This scenario also highlights the lack of an effective system to support young designers, favoring foreign brands and wardrobe brands that might be better suited to Pitti Uomo rather than Milan. It creates a vacuum that undermines both creativity and Milan’s relevance on the international stage. “Where Are the Brands? Milan Men’s Fashion Week Calendar Offers Soft Start to 2025 Season” headlined WWD two days ago, drawing attention to the fact that only one brand, MSGM, plans to appear on the calendar with a party—a new format inspired by the likes of Moncler and Stone Island, which, as is often the case with Massimo Giorgetti’s brand, is expected to include its Milanese community in a less rigid approach than the classic schedule. Perhaps the core issue lies in the excessive reliance on the fashion show as the sole communication tool. Interactive events, artistic installations, and cultural exchanges could offer new opportunities for established brands and young talents, creating experiences that transcend the “classic” concept of a fashion show, which has become a fossil of itself: spectators recording videos instead of watching, front rows filled with paid celebrities, and collections where only 2% reach stores. As a city, Milan could also greatly benefit from a more inclusive and diverse approach, integrating fashion with other cultural expressions to attract the fashion community that already animates the city and strengthens its role as a fashion capital.

Last year, the anarchic brand HG/LF presented its collection through a theatrical performance. At the same time, PDF by Domenico Formichetti turned its presentation into a concert-show, which may have had limited traditional media coverage but was widely shared on social media by young students and fashion enthusiasts. Both events shifted focus from elitist luxury fashion and its tiresome market logic toward a more “authentic” fashion in terms of creative immediacy and audience connection. It’s worth noting that this isn’t just about alternative or youth-oriented brands—community-based presentations were central to Diesel’s explosive success in Glenn Martens’ early collections, with open parties and raves attended by thousands of fashion students, some of whom stayed through the rain to watch the show. Moncler, too, exemplifies successful promotional innovation, from its grand Duomo show to the Pharrell collaboration launch at Portrait Milano, complete with live performances. Meanwhile, Loro Piana, which avoids fashion shows altogether, turned a newsstand on Via dei Giardini into a stall handing out Japanese cakes wrapped in silk scarves—creating a line that quickly formed outside.

Such initiatives, though innovative, fall into well-established marketing strategies for many brands, temporarily addressing the issue without truly solving it. The real challenge lies in breaking the traditional fashion show model to propose new experiences. The runway remains the most immediate means of presenting a collection to the press, buyers, and a global audience watching on screens. Yet, this exclusive format raises concerns: while fashion shows have always been a platform to showcase garments and accessories, they’ve increasingly distanced brands from their audiences, making direct interaction difficult. Furthermore, in recent years, even major brands have reduced their number of shows, likely for strategic and economic reasons. This trend raises an important question: why persist with a “fashion week” that is now a “week” in name only, diluted and lacking impact? Isn’t it time to experiment with alternative approaches that not only respect each brand’s positioning but also challenge the increasingly restrictive framework of the runway show? Additionally, there’s a glaring absence of initiatives to integrate the struggling Made in Italy sector into Milan’s broader fashion narrative—efforts currently limited to hyper-specialized events like the Co-Lab 18 film presentation by a consortium of 18 leading Italian manufacturers.

Community-focused events, interactive experiences, and a greater fusion of fashion, art, innovation, and entertainment could not only restore Milan’s image as the capital of innovation it aims to be but also strengthen the cohesion and vitality of the local fashion community. Without such efforts, the alternative risks lead to increasingly diluted calendars, as we’ll see in the upcoming February MFW, where established brands will starkly contrast with emerging realities struggling for visibility. This situation not only reflects a widening gap between established brands and new talent but also mirrors the broader inequalities dividing both society and the luxury industry. If brands fail to adopt a more inclusive and interactive approach, the risk is further marginalization of those striving to break through in the global fashion scene. nss, even before the pandemic, raised these issues, advocating for new or at least different models and paradigms. After all, as Tomasi di Lampedusa teaches us in The Leopard, to ensure everything remains as it is, everything must change. Is Milan Fashion Week truly ready to change?