Milan Fashion Week showcases emerging Black designers, launches initiative to fight discrimination

By COLLEEN BARRY
AP Fashion Writer

MILAN (AP) — Milan Fashion Week highlighted diversity in a new initiative that aims to promote inclusion across the industry. It also marked the return of a showcase for underrepresented designers as five days of mostly womenswear previews for fall-winter 2024-25 got underway Wednesday. An agreement signed by the Italian fashion council, a governmental anti-discrimination office, and a nonprofit promoting African fashion seeks to “trace, identify and fight” discriminatory practices. The initiative will start with a broad survey to create a snapshot of the representation of women, people of color and other underrepresented groups across the industry, from fashion houses to suppliers. The president of the Italian National Fashion Chamber said he hopes to have results in a year.