Milan Fashion Week Makeover

ITALY's leading fashion names are working together to rejuvenate Milan Fashion Week  through personal involvement and financial backing. The fashion capital has lost momentum in recent seasons, due to fuller schedules in London and Paris.

Italy's fashion council, the Chamber of Fashion, has recruited new members - including Prada boss Patrizio Bertelli, who has been named vice president, Tod's chief  Diego Della Vale, Angela Missioni, Valentino CEO Stefano Sassi, Gucci chairman and CEO Patrizio di Marco, OTB boss Renzo Rosso and designer Silvia Ventura Fendi.

"We are all guilty, designers and entrepreneurs alike.," said Bertelli. "We've been selfish and did not catch the opportunities offered in the Nineties. We simply believed that Milan would continue to be successful. The composition of markets has made the position of Milan more critical. The whole system should recite the mea culpa, but now that we've realised this, we are working on revitalising Milan."

Topics currently under discussion include the show calendar, profile-raising events and the search for a new Chamber of Fashion CEO.