Milan Fashion Week kicked off on Tuesday September 18th with cutting-edge couturiers taking over the city to present their women's ready-to-wear Spring/Summer 2019 collections, while doffing a collective cap to the environment. Following on the high heels of New York and London fashion weeks, and ahead of the biggest of them all in Paris, Milan's catwalk season will see dozens of shows by the likes of Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, Versace, Cavalli, Armani and Fendi.

Notably absent will be Gucci, which this year escapes to Paris so creative director Alessandro Michele can pay homage to the City of Light that inspired his new collection. Some renowned designers will be absent, such as Emilio Pucci and Trussardi, while others will return, like Philipp Plein and Iceberg, along with some surprises such as 1990s sportswear giant Fila. Last year's collaboration with Fendi, which saw the two brands' logos playfully mingled by artist Hey Reilly, catapulted Fila back into the limelight.