Fashionistas fly the green flag

The world’s top designers and influencers headed to Milan yesterday for a week of glitzy catwalk shows from global brands that have begun swapping climate-destroying luxuries for ecologically-friendly fashion.

Prada opened a tightly-packed calender, which will see models for leading houses including Armani, Bottega Veneta, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Gucci and Versace strut their stuff for buyers and celebrities alike. Benetton reached out to the burgeoning number of environmentally-aware consumers with its new creation: a trench coat made of paper, designed by France’s Jean-Charles de Castelbajac. His team carried out “recycling experiments and research into paper, like the very resistant one that can contain concrete”.

The trench “cannot be washed in washing machines, but it will last months or even years,” Castelbajac said.

Those arriving in the Italian fashion capital early could grab a sparkling glass of Prosecco and catch the new Tommy Hilfiger collection, TommyXLewis, co-designed with five-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton.

The official line-up for the Spring/Summer 2020 season boasts newcomers to Milan including DROMe by Italian Marianna Rosati, Boss by German Hugo Boss, and the London brand Peter Pilotto by designers Pilotto and Christopher De Vos. Emerging talent will also be on show, including Simona Marziali-MRZ, the winner of the Who is On Next 2018 award for new talent, and Tiziano Guardini, an ecodesigner who uses only natural fabrics and sustainable materials.