If you are a fashion tech startup looking for the right ecosystem to develop your business, without a doubt Milan is the place to be, for several reasons.
Looking at the sheer numbers, the fashion capital of Italy generates a turnover of over 20B € by itself, being part of the Lombardy region, which boasts more than 34.000 active businesses in fashion and design. The competition and opportunities for growing businesses are unparalleled, also considering the export, which has been growing double digits (+13% in 2017), thanks to the rising demandfrom abroad for quality Italian goods.
In this section, you will find about the most prominent fashion schools, incubators and accelerators based in Milan. This is one of the most relevant assets for the city, and for Italy as a whole, including numerous public and private initiatives to spark innovation in fashion.
Istituto Marangoni is a private Italian school of fashion and design, founded in 1935. It is based in Milan, Italy, and has branches in Florence, London, Paris, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Mumbai and Miami.
Domus Academy is a private school for design based in Milan, Italy. It offers post-graduate and professional courses in Fashion Design and Management, Interior design, Urban Vision and Luxury Brand Management.
Founded in 1980, NABA is the largest private art academy in Italy. It offers bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in Italian and English that are accredited by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research.
The Master in Fashion, Experience & Design Management (MAFED) is an intense, 1-year full-time program that is taught entirely in English and attracts students from all over the world.
From 1966, the “Istituto Europeo di Design” (IED) has been providing education and research in design, fashion, communication and visual arts. It has different branches in Italy, Spain and Brazil.
The education provided by Milano Fashion Institute is based on the competence and experience of three of the most important Italian universities, which are also recognized as international centres of excellence, proposing an unprecedented integration of skills in the framework of Design, Management and Communication.
The Design School in the Politecnico Milano is today the largest international university for the training of product, communication, interior and fashion designers, both by number of students and teaching staff.
Fashion Technology Accelerator is the International hub that fosters digital and technology innovation in Fashion, Luxury and Retail industry. We work with startups, established brands and investors to accelerate the technology advancement of these industries.
Polihub, aka Startup District, is the startup incubator of the Politecnico di Milano, the most important technical university in Italy. Their mission is to support highly innovative startups with scalable business models, and to foster cross-fertilization between the academy, the various startups and consolidated companies focused on innovation.
Milano LUISS Hub is the new multifunctional space of LUISS University, dedicated to education and innovation culture, aimed at high school students, managers, startuppers.
In this section, you will find out about the most relevant events, media and co-working spaces that you can find in Milan. These are necessary resources to scale-up your startup and take it to the next level, as well as places to help you find new, meaningful business connections.
PambiancoNews is the most authoritative and widespread online newspaper in Italy, dedicated to entrepreneurs, managers and opinion leaders in fashion and luxury. Founded in 2001, the portal today has 70,000 registered users.
Vogue Italia, magazine published for the first time in 1964, has become a true icon of style and elegance. Vogue Italia has also launched Vogue Talents, a space to scout and promote new designers and creativity.
FashionUnited covers the latest news coming from fashion, including trends, fashion weeks and business strategies. It is the Italian branch of an international group, also called Fashion United.
Moda24 is the section published every Friday by Il Sole 24 ORE that deals with the industry of the fashion, accessories and cosmetics.
Fashionmagazine.it is a continuous source of international news: every day, from Monday to Friday, the site is updated from hour to hour with the latest news from the fashion world.
Presented by e-PITTI.com, the digital fair project of Pitti Immagine. It is the leading event in Italy dedicated to fashion and innovation. The highly-awaited annual meeting puts together a community of +500 decision makers, international speakers, tech partners and start-ups to discuss the future the industry.
Consolidated brands, international labels and cutting-edge collections have turned White Milano into the reference point for top buyers from across the globe.
RFS is an event organized by Fashion Technology Accelerator focused on how new technologies and digital can improve the processes and the supply chain management in fashion, making it more sustainable.
During this week design professionals can admire all the news and trends at Rho Fiera where Salone del Mobile take place. Then there is Fuorisalone, the events that take place in different locations in Milan.
During the weeks there will be fashion shows, other events, some of them opened to the public and different hubs in which you can find emerging designers’ collections.
It is a fair to show all the realities that are transforming the work and the dynamics of design and production through the digital transformation.
Milano Unica is the reference fair for high-end fabrics and accessories for women’s and men’s clothing.
MICAM is the leading international footwear fair for the trade operators, promoted by ASSOCALZATURIFICI, the Association of Italian Footwear Manufacturers.
The GCFA Italia celebrate the best in sustainability for the luxury fashion chain, reflecting the commitment of the industry to this growing trend.
Talent Garden is a Co-Working Campus made by a community of people who love the digital world. Over 1500 square meters dedicated to start-ups, freelancers, agencies, VCs, incubators, accelerators, companies and media. Because the innovation ecosystem in Italy can be created and accelerated only through cross-contamination.
Base Milano is an open space located in the Tortona area. It’s hosted in a former old factory building that now offers spaces for both co-working formula and events.
At Copernico, start-ups and innovative companies can find facilities and amenities to support them developing their businesses, and added value and opportunities by being part of a networking environment.
In this section, you will find the most prominent fashion brands from Milan. You’ll also find about the main associations that organize various initiatives to foster innovation and the creation of new businesses.
Giorgio Armani is the world-famous stylist, synonymous of Italian elegance. He is now at the head of a vast empire. Unsurprisingly, the British call him King George, and his kingdom has lasted a very long time. Precisely since 1975, when he founded his iconic brand with Sergio Galeotti.
In 1994, the brand founded by Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana landed Milans catwalks with a glamorous collection inspired by nature. Since then, animal prints has been one of the brand’s signature styles. Its head quarters are still in Milan.
Salvatore Ferragamo S.p.A. is the parent company of the Ferragamo Group, one of the major players in the luxury goods industry. The company focuses on the creation, manufacturing and sales of footwear, leather goods, clothing, silk products, plus accessories and perfumes.
The brand was born in 1986 within the Tod’s group, owned by the Della Valle family. The “Traditional” shoe was born in 1986 , inspired by the world of cricket.
Founded in 1952 in Monestier-de-Clermont, Grenoble, France, Moncler is now located in Italy. Over the course of the years the brand has merged style with on-going technological research, which harnesses the knowledge of mountaineering experts.
Tod’s SpA is the operating holding of a Group that is amongst the leading players in the world of luxury goods (Tod’s, Hogan, Fay and Roger Vivier).
It was founded in 1960 by Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti. Great protagonist of the international fashion scene, from 2008 to 2016 the maison has gone through a path of creative evolution of great significance.
Established in 2000, it is the world’s leading online lifestyle store for fashion, design & art, offering an extensive assortment of hard-to-find clothing and accessories for men and women from the world’s most prestigious designers.
The Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (The National Chamber for Italian Fashion) is the non profit making Association which disciplines, co-ordinates and promotes the development of Italian Fashion.
In 1994, he presented a glamorous collection inspired by nature on the Milan catwalks: since then, animal print has been one of his signature styles.
The magic of Etro lies in the inspirations from journeys to faraway lands that translate into the collections designed by Veronica and Kean Etro. A fashion house established on a firm family history.
The history of Herno began in 1948 when Giuseppe Marenzi and his wife Alessandra, the parents of the current owner, opened a waterproof company in Lesa, on Lake Maggiore. The name Herno derives from that of the river Erno, to which an H has been added to indicate the water, the river and the raincoats.
Krizia is a designer label and manufacturer of ladies’ handbags, clothing, footwear and perfumes. The ready-to-wear fashion label was established by Mariuccia Mandelli, a designer and entrepreneur, in 1954 in Milan.
Originally known as Fratelli Prada , the fashion house was founded in 1913 by the brothers Mario Prada and Martino, who opened a leather shop, bags, travel accessories and luxury in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan.
One of the most important brands in the fields of excellent products made in Italy: fashion, art, design and cuisine. The brand started from leather gloves to include several product categories, reaching international relevance thanks to the quality of its products.
Versace is an Italian company of fashion and clothing founded in 1978 by fashion designer Gianni Versace , and bequeathed to the family. Today the company operates both in high fashion and in prêt-à-porter.
The company was founded in 1910 by Ermenegildo Zegna. At the age of 18 he founded the Lanificio Zegna (wool mill). He had a dream that he would make, in his own words, “the most beautiful fabrics in the world.”
Sistema Moda Italia is one of the world’s largest organizations representing the textile and fashion industry in the Western world.
In this section, you will find some of the most active VC funds and angel groups in the field of fashion.
Innogest Capital has invested 60 million euros in 32 startups so far and it has a 170 million Euro fund under management. They operate from their offices in Milan and Turin.
IAG (120 members) aims to finance industrial projects during early-stage presenting a high level of innovation and potential for success, to realize a profitable exit for the Angels in about 5 years.
United Ventures is an Italian independent early-stage VC firm investing in innovative companies, focused on software and digital technologies.
P101 is a Venture Capital company specialized in early stage investments in the digital sector.
Marco Filocamo is Head of Operations of Fashion Technology Accelerator.
He manages the Acceleration Program, offers guidance in our Masterclasses, and is the first point of contact for promising startups through our Mentoring sessions.
