The shadows of crisis on the Fashion Week

Only two days before the start of Milan Male Fashion week miss and the rushing city seems to be the depressed, not-buying capital. Few passersby, half-empty shops and frustated window-watching occupy the high street. Corso Vittorio Emanuele has seen its pillars falling down and also via Berchet has been closed for the ice. For scaramantic ones, the sign of the crisis appears when the city loses its glam pieces.

The crisis pervades all the streets and transforms them. Even 2 stores along the high street has switched to temporary shop, but in the worst, low cost way. And where was Mondadori bookshop in the past, now the mega-window of AN lies.

Crisis changes trends and people behaviour in front of the mirrors and shop windows. The dresses walking down the street are still fashion, but too many times are exceptional fakes, like UGG boots. Sadly, or not, the girl who saved on food to buy a Balengiaca bag is disappearing. While fashion victims and addicteds can't afford their beloved blue chip brands, the fashion conscious ones grow, aware of the possibilies of the outdoor markets. Fashion traverls move all over the world to find branded bargains in the devasted NY or in the well-known Camden Town market in London.

Two days left to the fashion shows and designers are not so optimistic, neither the Fashion Italian Chamber. Indeed, a fee of 60 euros has been put on journalists who wants to being part of the fashion biz in the following 4 days. The president of the the chamber, Boselli, said: " The accreditation tax is not about the crisis: Paris, London and NY already has made it paid for several years." And what about the crisis? Boselli replays: " People still want branded and wonderful clothes, but not at boutique prices." In this statement, he referes to the exstraordinary results gained with outlets, even though Ascomodamilano reports not encouraging data. " This trend is not good for retail, traditional, one brand store in the historical centre." Franco Tomelli explains, secretary of Fashion Federation. And the futures about sales period (2% sold more than the previous year, medium receipt 150 euro) are not enough. " They are going to finish soon and people won't spend until the next ones. There are other priorities in the long run."

On Saturday, Milan Male Fashion Week is going to start for the F/W 09/10 and will be interrupted on the 20th of January: 4 days, one less the usual, because of the YSL event in Paris, designed by Stefano Pilati.