Fashion and Design in Dynamic Milan

Milan has always been the Italian capital of the financial, tertiary and quaternary service sector, as well as of the Fashion and Design industry. Today Milan is a big metropolis with an international dimension that hosts the main entrepreneurial and manufacturing activities in Italy: from advertising to the publishing industry, from small artisan’s shops to hi-tech companies.

Milan is the city of architects, designers, fashion stylists, entrepreneurs, graphic designers, creative minds and publishers. The Stock Exchange, one of the most important European financial centers, has its headquarters in Milan (in Piazza Affari), as do a great number of international companies. Milan also hosts some of the most important universities, publishing houses and TV networks in Europe as well as the largest fair exhibition space in Europe. The recent appointment of Milan as the host city for the Expo 2015 is occasion for further development, growth and urban renewal.

Milan is recognised as a world capital of design and creativity; every year it hosts the International Furniture Fair (Salone Internazionale del Mobile), that – besides being the most important event in this sector at an international level, is also the occasion for a unique global business, communication and image meeting.

This fair attracts designers, architects and furniture enthusiasts from all over the world. The main attraction is not only the Rho-Pero exhibition complex that was designed by Architect Massimiliano Fuksas and that includes eight pavilions for a total of 345.000 sq. m of indoor exhibition space and 60.000 sq. m outdoor, but also a number of side-events that lighten up the city for the entire week of the fair: parties, concerts, and exhibitions taking place in all the city entertainment venues, in the city squares and streets and that transform the city into a vibrant exhibition and meeting space.

Moreover, the word pair “Fashion-Milan” is now greatly consolidated and has a strong economic and cultural significance. In the city center, visitors can see the famous “Quadrilatero della Moda” (fashion district) that is made up of four streets: Via Monte Napoleone, Via Manzoni, Via della Spiga and Corso Venezia – where the boutiques of the most important Italian and international designer fashion labels are located. The city is particularly lively during the period of fashion week: many trendy and entertainment events attract thousands of buyers, press, national and international TV networks and renowned top models that participate in this spectacular kermis with enthusiasm and passion. This event becomes the stage of the newest fashion trends of the year in which collections and ideas for the following season are presented.

Those who choose to visit Milan will find an active, bustling and creative context where they can gain experience and gather knowledge, and find sources of cultural growth and debate that can be vital also for future employment perspectives.

In addition to this training, cultural and professional dimension, Milan is one of the liveliest cities from the point of view of entertainment and leisure time activities with a great number of theatres – most important of all the Teatro alla Scala (La Scala theatre); more than 30 museums – among which it is worth mentioning La Triennale di Milano that hosts major architecture, design, figurative arts, communications and fashion events and represents a benchmark for the cultural and economic life of the city; sports facilities such as the San Siro Stadium (Stadio G. Meazza); concert and music venues, fashionable bars, clubs and restaurants that offer the so called “Happy Hour” – a real must for the majority of the Milanese that meet late in the afternoon for some drinks and tasty food before dinner.