Milan fashion week sees grueling calendar

Milan's compact fashion week calendar is an ongoing saga for buyers and press, with a grueling week anticipated. Although the final schedule has not yet been confirmed, the city's shows, scheduled to run Sept. 22 to 29, will be squeezed into the four central days, from Monday to Thursday. Versace's decision to move its show from Friday to Thursday, Sept. 27, prompted a number of fashion houses to try and slot their presentations before Versace's, leaving only a small number of brands to close the week, reported WWD.

Byblos, Ermanno Scervino, Blugirl, Dsquared and Luisa Beccaria are now set to present their spring collections on Friday, Sept. 28. "Italian designers are not aware of their strength," said Mario Boselli, head of the Italian Chamber of Fashion, in a report by WWD. "They don't have the courage to stand up for their right to have a longer fashion week, conversely to their French neighbors."