Milan Fashion Week is part of the Fashion marathons that take place in February each year and cover New York, London and Paris also. Fashion houses such as Versace, Gucci and Armani regularly take part in Milan Fashion Week.

There are separate shows for fashion buyers and for the press. Only those who receive an invite are able to attend. At the February 2010 shows designers offered a different perspective than in previous years. The Prada show seemed to be creating a caricature of sexiness, with exaggerated details on the bosom of dresses.

The Gucci show rejected the ‘bling’ of previous shows and stuck to neat tailoring and accessories which were much more luxurious. The designs seemed to be aimed at the independent woman rather than the one who spends her time trying to attract a man.

Dolce & Gabbana celebrated the hourglass figure and its collection focused on femininity. The collection was well received and was one of the most popular during the week. Armani presented jackets for women that took their inspiration from male tailoring. Versace stuck with its tried and tested style, including leather trousers and biker jackets.

These shows did much to repair the damage that has been done to the city’s reputation as one of the main fashion capitals of the world. The last few years has seen the rise of London and New York in the fashion world and fashion houses such as Gucci and Versace have suffered a little, even though their fortunes are turning around.