Milan Fashion Week 2012 Could Conflict with New York, London
Photo: Getty Images
Models walk the Gucci Spring 2012 runway in Milan.
It’s hard enough running to and from back-to-back shows (in four-inch heels, no less)—but when said shows are set to take place at the same time in different cities? Well, then we’ve got a bit of a problem.
The Spring 2013 global fashion schedule has been thrown out of whack by the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (the governing body of Italian fashion), which recently announced its intention to start Milan Fashion Week early—conflicting with London and New York’s dates.
With New York Fashion Week kicking off September 13, 2012, and London Fashion Week following on September 25, Milan’s decision to commence on September 19 would make it impossible for editors and buyers to take in all four cities in full.
Milan’s problem is reportedly New York’s wish to start Fashion Week after Labor Day (this year, NYFW started on September 8), but the schedule has been in place since 2008. New York won’t budge on its post-holiday start, and London is reportedly unable to change its dates because of venue availability—an issue next year because the city is hosting the 2012 Olympics.
According to Women’s Wear Daily, Milan’s conflict isn’t drawing much sympathy, particularly from fashion giants like Condé Nast.
“We at Condé Nast do not want the schedule to be changed,” the publishing company's international chairman, Jonathan Newhouse, wrote in a letter to the Italian Fashion Council’s Mario Boselli. “We very much oppose moving the Milan shows earlier so that they overlap or conflict with the London fashion shows — or with the New York fashion shows or those of any market.”
According to Newhouse, that would mean no Anna Wintour—or any Vogue editors—at the Milan shows.
“[Editors] will not under any circumstances abandon the London or New York shows if the Milan shows are moved earlier,” he stated.
The global fashion councils reportedly will come to a solution in the coming weeks.
"Camera Nazionale della Moda and Chambre Syndicale have announced dates for September 2012 that contravene the fashion week dates agreement of September 2008,” a spokesperson for the British Fashion Council told the Telegraph. “We are in direct discussion with our counterparts and hope to resolve the matter over the next few weeks. We have a great deal of support from both international and domestic media and retailers in retaining the dates agreement."
