'Black Lives Matter' campaign successfully takes hold at Milan Fashion Week

Five Italian designers of African origin opened the Autumn/WInter 2021 Milan Fashion Week. Photo: Instagram/@afwmilano

A digital runway show by five Italian fashion designers of African origin opened Milan Fashion Week on Wednesday (Feb 24), one tangible result of a campaign launched last summer by the only Black Italian designer belonging to the Milan fashion chamber.

After some initial resistance and a slow start, designer Stella Jean credits the Italian National Fashion Chamber with "a lot of goodwill” in pushing through an enhanced collaboration with five young designers, including financing and partnerships with Italian suppliers.