Milan: the fashion and football capital

Milan, the fashion capital of Italy, is no stranger to fashion. It is home to some of the most prominent fashion brands in the world, including Versace, Bottega Veneta, and Armani.

When you see knitwear, pleating, twill, and denim, you instantly think of Milan. Why, you could ask? Because of its prominence in the “prêt-à-porter” category of fashion, often known as “ready to wear”.

Milan is a typical Italian city, with stunning architecture, landscaped gardens, and mediaeval piazzas. Standing in the centre of this thriving city, you wouldn't be surprised to learn that it's the fashion capital, based on the people passing by.

So, how did Milan become this charming fashion destination? How did it give rise to iconic brands like Gucci, Armani, Prada, Marni and many more?

Milan was a significant industrial city by the later part of the twentieth century. Designers would flock to this Italian fashion "mecca" for its trendsetting prominence, particularly after 1961, when it was the home of Vogue Italia. Fashion pioneers from Milan, such as Giorgio Armani and Gianni Versace, also helped to reinforce the city's reputation once their designs became increasingly famous.

Milan Fashion Week helped to complete the city's image. The Versace 1991 show included cutting-edge couture and supermodels such as Cindy Crawford and Naomi Campbell, who echoed the opulent week's excitement. These extravagant displays, which included fine patterns, embellishments, and colours, attracted the attention of major design houses such as Gucci. All of a sudden, Milan was recognised as one of the "big four".

Today, stroll around Milan's magnificent streets and you will undoubtedly experience Italy's fashion history firsthand, including the first Prada shop, which opened in 1913, and the Quadrilatero d'Oro, or the Golden Quad, which consists of four avenues that showcase Milanese flair.

This fashion capital also serves as the home of Inter and A.C Milan, separating two hearts and families in the historic city. Despite the city's prominent tourist locations, the San Siro stadium, which seats 80,000 people, remains the most popular attraction in Milan. Both Milanese footballing titans share this football temple, a notion unique to Italy.

It is a city that lives and breathes football, culminating in the rivalry between working-class Milan and upper-class white-collar workers, Inter. The Milan Derby is contested at least twice a year and draws the most enthusiastic crowds.

Divided by the red and blue, each side is unquestionably capable of incorporating Milan's fashion into the football world. For a long time, there has been a strong push to modernise the original Nerazurri stripes. Inter's shirt for the 20/21 season was exceptional, capturing the courage and waviness of Milanese culture. The wavy stripes slithering down the jersey were a nod to the club's symbol, the Biscione, and an attempt to deviate from the customary pattern of stripes flowing down the shirt. Even with this in mind, no one could have foreseen the snakeskin home jersey of 21/22.

With sport and fashion seemingly living different lives, Milan Fashion Week is hardly your typical viewing for a first solid look at a yet-to-be-released football jersey. When model Winnie Harlow visited the 2019 Byblos event, she debuted the Inter 20-year mashup Nike jersey.

The mashup jersey celebrated Nike and Inter's 20-year partnership by blending outfits from both eras. The jersey itself was a mash-up of numerous blue and black stripes from different outfits stretching back 20 years, from the Cuper, Mancini, and Mourinho eras to the present.

In contrast, AC Milan and Virgil Abloh's Off-White just unveiled their new 2023 collection, following up on their first collaborative collection last season. This chic blazer combo features a crimson patch on the sleeve in keeping with Milan's 'Wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve' campaign and perfectly captures the elegance of football players arriving at the stadium. When you look good, you feel good and perform well.

These minor instances, among many, demonstrate the enormous effect that Milanese fashion has on everything we do. Football has officially become a fashion obsession.

Yes, we are, above all, football enthusiasts. We are, nevertheless, individuals who like travel, culture, history, fashion, and food. The two work beautifully together, and no trip to Milan would be complete without a visit to San Siro, the 90s football temple. Because of the city's multi-cultural and fashion-conscious character, Milan residents enjoy a trendy and enticing lifestyle. The identity of a true Milanese is defined by four golden principles:

Elegance, style, quality, and pleasure.