Milan Fashion Week expected to generate over 219 million euros

Milan Fashion Week kicks off today, September 22, with a schedule of 203 appointments. This includes 61 catwalk shows, 54 of which are physical and seven digital. There will also be 88 presentations, with four by appointment only, and 54 events.

Increase in foreign visitors and fewer Italian attendees expected

For Milan Fashion Week, which concludes on September 28, the economic impact from tourist spending is set to exceed 219.5 million euros (251 million dollars). This represents a decrease of 8 percent compared to September 2025, but a 1.4 percent increase on February of this year. A total of 100.8 million euros will be allocated to shopping; 85.4 million to accommodation and dining; and 32.9 million to transport.

Nearly 140,900 visitors are expected. The number of foreign visitors is set to increase by 22 percent, while Italian attendees will decrease by 29 percent. These estimates are from the Research Centre of Confcommercio Milano Lodi Monza e Brianza, based on data from Istat, the Milan Police Headquarters, the Bank of Italy, Global Blue (average receipt data), and Banca Ifis.

The average per-capita tourist spend will be 1,555 euros, down 2.8 percent on 2025. Foreign visitors are expected to spend more, at 1,594 euros, compared to 1,522 euros for Italians.

“The challenging general context of this period is influencing the estimated economic impact of the fashion week starting tomorrow. We forecast lower overall spending compared to 2025, but still an increase compared to this year's February edition. A very positive sign is the growth in foreign visitors. This confirms the internationality and appeal of Milan and the event,” Marco Barbieri, secretary general of Confcommercio Milano, noted in a statement.