Beyond the runway: Milan Fashion Week’s true impact

Tomorrow, 23 September 2025, Milan opens its doors to the world as Fashion Week begins. For seven days, the city will transform into a stage where creativity, commerce, and culture intertwine. The runways may showcase silk, leather, and innovation, but what happens off stage is just as significant: Milan Fashion Week is one of the most powerful economic engines the city has.

This year’s edition is expected to generate nearly €239 million in overall economic impact, a 12% increase compared with last September. It’s not just fashion houses and luxury retailers that benefit. Hotels, restaurants, bars, and transport services all thrive on the influx of visitors—over 149,000 are expected to arrive, almost half of them from abroad. On average, each guest will spend around €1,600 during their stay, money that trickles through boutiques, taxis, and trattorias alike. For thousands of workers, from backstage technicians to waiters, this week means jobs, tips, and opportunities.

But the numbers, impressive as they are, only tell part of the story. Milan Fashion Week also shapes the city’s identity. For seven days, Milan isn’t just Milan—it’s a global capital, a magnet for journalists, influencers, buyers, and celebrities. The world looks here, and in turn the city projects an image of elegance, design, and Italian craftsmanship. The intangible value of this spotlight often outweighs even the direct spending.

At the same time, there are tensions. Crowded streets, soaring hotel prices, traffic jams, and the growing pressure on infrastructure remind locals that the party is not for everyone. And in an era where fashion is being forced to reckon with questions of sustainability, ethics, and inclusivity, Fashion Week has become a stage for contradictions: the celebration of beauty and luxury on one side, and the growing need for responsibility on the other.

Milan thrives on this duality. The economic boom and the cultural prestige are undeniable, yet they come with questions about who truly benefits, and at what cost. As the first models walk the runways tomorrow, the city will once again live this paradox: a week where money, art, and identity blend together, making Milan not just a backdrop, but the beating heart of global fashion.