BFC Takes Men’s Brands To Milan
● A-Cold-Wall will stage its fall 2020 runway show at the Palazzo del Ghiaccio in Milan as part of plans to highlight British men’s wear talent in Italy.
LONDON — With question marks still hovering over Brexit and British citizens voting today in a key general election, the British Fashion Council is forging even closer ties with its counterparts on the Continent and taking a slice of London Fashion Week Men’s to Milan.
On Thursday, the BFC will announce a collaboration with Italy’s Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana that will see a series of events take place from Jan. 11 to 13 during Milan Fashion Week Men’s. Instead of showing in London, A-ColdWall will stage its fall 2020 runway show at the Palazzo del Ghiaccio.
Alexander McQueen, which has staged men’s presentations in both London and Milan in the past, will return to the Italian city on Jan. 12. Stella McCartney will continue showcasing her men’s collection in Milan, this time with appointments at the brand’s showroom rather than an event.
Additionally, there are plans for other London men’s labels to take part in a London Show Rooms art installation at Spazio Savona 56.
The BFC and the Camera also plan to invite British and Italian labels that share a special affiliation with London to a cocktail for Italian fashion manufacturers and textile companies.
Stefano Martinetto, who operates international showrooms and whose business accelerator Tomorrow is an investor in A- Cold-Wall, among other brands, was behind the deal between the BFC and the Camera. Martinetto’s title is cofounder and chief executive officer of Tomorrow.
Confartigianato Imprese, the Italian Economic Development Ministry and
Foreign Trade Agency and the Italian Trade Agency are all supporting the British-Italian effort.
The BFC said it wanted to make a further international move this year in particular because the London men’s dates come so quickly after the New Year, with the showcase running from Jan. 4- 6. It will continue to host London Show Rooms in Paris for the British men’s designers.
Dylan Jones, BFC men’s wear chair, said given the early dates of London men’s, “we’ve decided to celebrate [ fashion week] in further international territories with a significant partnership with Milan, working across cities in collaboration with the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana.
This partnership presents an amazing opportunity to champion British businesses.”
The Camera’s president Carlo Capasa said the collaboration between the organizations is “a precious opportunity for both of us to establish a bridge between our cultures, and to create a lasting relationship. This project will give [the Camera] the opportunity to expand our borders and to make Milan’s Men Fashion Week even more international. We are very much looking forward to embracing the international audience in Milan and to making everyone feel welcome.”
Milan will be getting a boost from other countries, too, with Michael Kors hosting an event on Jan. 13. Brunello Cucinelli plans to raise a glass to Jim Moore, GQ’s creative director-at-large who has just released his “Hunks & Heroes: Four Decades of Fashion at GQ” book, during a cocktail party on Jan. 10. On Jan.13, Livia Firth and Renzo Rosso will unveil their collaboration on the “Responsible Living” project focused on sustainability.
London men’s fashion week will be held, as in previous years, at Truman Brewery in east London and all shows within the BFC Show Space will be live streamed on the official London Fashion Week Instagram channel, while the LFWM #Discovery digital campaign will aim to grow British designers’ international footprint.
The BFC will also be taking designers and labels to Shanghai and Seoul.
During the London showcase Savile Row tailors and brands will also be presenting with Huntsman showcasing its archive alongside a new bespoke tweed service and rtw capsule collection, while Hackett will host a presentation on Monday at its newly opened store on Savile Row.