Martine Rose brings a new mood to Milan
The London-based menswear designer will make her Milan debut
on Sunday as she continues to scale her business.
Her aim is to bring a fresh perspective to the Italian city’s buttoned-up vibe.
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On Sunday afternoon, a couple of hours after the Prada show, London menswear star Martine Rose will make her Milan Fashion Week men’s debut — an important step in her ambitious growth journey.
This will be her first runway show at a big four fashion week outside of London. While post-Brexit London still has a reputation for its fashion schools and creativity, it is not viewed as the best launchpad for international success. Milan, meanwhile, has been vying with Paris for the title of Europe’s fashion capital — drawing buyers and press from around the globe to its blockbuster shows. It makes sense for a designer like Rose at this stage in her career, though she flags that she will return to showing in London in the future.
It’s not Rose’s first outing abroad. The designer, who received a majority stake investment from Tomorrow Ltd in 2021, was guest designer at Italian trade show Pitti Uomo in January 2023. She returned to London later that year for the Spring/Summer 2024 season, showing in St Joseph’s Parish Centre in Highgate, North London, in tribute to the community centres and the youth clubs where young people would hold club nights back in the day. Last season, Rose took a more intimate approach, presenting a film for “friends and family” in Paris.
I sat down with Rose ahead of her show, to understand the plan for Milan.
