1. THE FASHION DESIGN
CLUSTER IN MILAN, ITALY
Ludovica Consumano
Jo Patroni
Patricia Schmiedigen
Michelangelo Secchi

2. COUNTRY PROFILE: NATURAL
ENDOWMENTS
Italy
World’s 11th largest
economy
Population: 60.6 million
Natural Endowments:
• Geography
• Terrain
• Climate
• History

3. COUNTRY PROFILE: HISTORICAL

4. COUNTRY PROFILE: ECONOMIC
PERFORMANCE
GDP by Region (Italy) 2008
GDP per capita (PPP)
Present Value: 2010
31555 USD
Historical High: 2008
33268.85 USD
Historical Low: 1980
9209.67 USD

5. ITALY NATIONAL COMPETITIVENESS:
THE NATIONAL DIAMOND

6. ITALY NATIONAL COMPETITIVENESS:
THE NATIONAL DIAMOND

7. ITALY NATIONAL COMPETITIVENESS:
THE NATIONAL DIAMOND

8. ITALY NATIONAL COMPETITIVENESS:
THE NATIONAL DIAMOND

9. ITALY NATIONAL COMPETITIVENESS:
THE NATIONAL DIAMOND

10. CLUSTER ANALYSIS: HISTORICAL
FASHION IN ITALY (BEFORE 1970)
 Late XXVIII - Apparel/Textile Sector at dawn of
Industrialization of Italy: first concentrations around
smaller town in Northern Italy
 1860 - Specialization and technological advancement after
Italy unification
 First fair ground opened in Milan in 1906
 Beginning XX – First Haute couture Fashion Houses and
related Boutiques (Prada 1913, Gucci 1921)
 30’s - Autarchy and sanctions during the Fascism
 After WWII Economic Boom involved Fashion System in a
strong growth
 50’s-60’s - Changes in consumptions patterns:
differentiation of styles, consumerism.

11. CLUSTER ANALYSIS: HISTORICAL
BIRTH OF MILAN FASHION CLUSTER (1970S &
1990S)
 Manufacture process reorganized through specialized
districts. Textile/apparel districts in Lombardy.
 New relation between Design and Manufacture
 Birth of «Stilismo»: new Fashion House established in
Milan. Armani (1975), Versace (1978), Moschino
(1983), D&G (1986).
 Run-ways tradition started in Milan in 1975 (Albini)
 Growth of specialized fashion fair system
 Creation of Showcase districts led by new boutiques
like Fiorucci (1967) Moschino (1989), Krizia (1984)
 Milano Capital of Fashion and the International
Competition )(analysis of export trends

12. MILAN FASHION DESIGN CLUSTER MAP
Finance Events&Fairs Media
Banks Financial Model Run ways Cinema Television
Services Agencies events
Specialized Web
Exposition Interior Press
spaces Design
Manifacturing Communication Agencies
Fibers
Textiles Marketing&Promotion
Tourism
Notions
Fashion Local Hotels Long Distance
Transport
Apparel Design Retail Local
Leather Transport Restaurant
Distribution
Jewels Travel Agencies
Accessories Institutions for Collaborations
Retail
District Government
Fashion
Associations National
Education&Training Municipality National
Development
Chamber c Government
Universities c Professional
Agencies Related Region
Training EU
Industry
Commercial associations
Chambers

13. CLUSTER ANALYSIS: EXPORT
ITALY FASHION SYSTEM

14. CLUSTER ANALYSIS:
GLOBAL CHALLENGES (1990S &
2000S) trends after 95
 Export
 Competitiveness on Manufacure basis (textile and
fibers) from new developing economies
 Shift on creativity cluster
 Growth of education supply
 Retail power and new attractiveness for international
brands.
 FDI
 The challenges after 2008

16. MILAN FASHION DESIGN CLUSTER:
THE DIAMOND

17. MILAN FASHION DESIGN CLUSTER:
THE DIAMOND
GOVERNME
NT
- Milan City Administration, Assessor for fashion and design;
-Lombardy Region: fashion start-up project financing;
- Memorandum of Understanding with French Federation for
Culture;
- Directive 2008/121/EC on textile labelling;
- Agreement with the Chamber of Chinese Fashion;
- Agreement with Association of Spanish Fashion Creators;

18. MILAN FASHION DESIGN CLUSTER:
THE DIAMOND
FACTOR
CONDITIONS
-Made in Italy concept;
-Milan as financial heart and editor heart of Italy;
-City-web structure;
-Specialized industrial design firms;
-Advantageous infrastructure system;
DEMAND
CONDITIONS
-Exports;
-Sophisticated domestic demand;
-Foreign buyers;

19. MILAN FASHION DESIGN CLUSTER:
THE DIAMOND
CONTEXT FOR FIRMS STRATEGY AND
RIVALRY

20. MILAN FASHION DESIGN CLUSTER:
THE DIAMOND
SUPPORTING
INDUSTRIES
-Media Industries (TV producers, Magazine editors,
Press office, Billboard space providers, Publishing,
Printing);
-Education (fashion academies, research institutes);
-Sales outlets;
-Interior design industries (furniture);
-Entertainment Industries (Clubs);
-Event Organization companies (Showrooms, PR agency,
Model agencies, Trainers);
-Facilities (Hotel, Restaurant, Travel agencies);

21. MILAN FASHION DESIGN CLUSTER:
THE DIAMOND
INSTITUTIONS FOR
COLLABORATION
- National Chamber of Italian Fashion;
-Milan Chamber of Commerce (Promos);
-Fiera Milano;
-Fashion Museum;
-Italian Fashion System;
-Via Montenapoleone Association;
-Unione Confcommercio;
-Federmoda;
-Altagamma Foundation;
-Chamber of Italian Fashion Buyer;
-Trade Fashion Fairs (Anteprima, Milano Unica, Mi-Milano Pret a
Porter, Micam);
-Fédération Française de la Couture, du Pret-à-Porter des Couturiers
et des Créateurs de Mode;