From Heritage to Innovation: Designers from Around the World Present at Milan Fashion Days

Milan Fashion Days showcased outstanding designers from around the world at the magnificent Villa Borromeo, where the timeless grandeur of the historic residence once again transformed the runway into a celebration of global creativity and couture.

This season’s runway brought together outstanding talents from across continents, including: SPARKLE by KAREN CHAN, AKEL COUTURE, ENHLE BABES COUTURE, BY VEL, TINATIN MAGALASHVILI, SOFIA KHARCHI, NURBRAND, ALETHEA SPOSA, LIMA’S ANGELS, PAROMA ALA MODE, SHOW MODELS, HOUSE OF RINA, IA GONIADZE, and ANTON GIULIO GRANDE. Each collection reflected a unique creative identity, transforming the runway into a dialogue of cultures, craftsmanship, and contemporary vision.

As part of the event, the Milan Fashion Awards ceremony was held, honoring outstanding achievements within the global fashion industry. The awards celebrated excellence across multiple categories, recognizing exceptional talent, innovation, and dedication to the art of fashion.

SPARKLE by KAREN CHAN

Karen Chan, Founder and Creative Director of the avant-garde Chinese fashion house SPARKLE by KAREN CHAN, unveiled the collection “Reinventing the Traditional Chinese Cheongsam into East-Meets-West High Fashion.” The designer reimagined the iconic qipao through bold contemporary couture, introducing sculptural silhouettes, dynamic layering, and rich cultural symbolism. By seamlessly merging heritage with innovation, the collection created a compelling dialogue between Eastern tradition and Western avant-garde.

SPARKLE by KAREN CHAN was also honored as a laureate of the Milan Fashion Awards in the prestigious category Best Fashion Designer. A visionary force in contemporary cultural couture, Karen Chan is internationally acclaimed for transforming the cheongsam into a refined global fashion language and elevating Chinese heritage onto the international luxury stage.

AKEL COUTURE

AKEL Couture presented the collectionDOMINION – The Sovereignty of Style, a powerful couture narrative dedicated to strength, authority, and modern femininity. Founded by Zoriana Semeniuk in Ukraine and now based in Berlin, the house showcased architectural silhouettes, sculpted corsetry, sharp tailoring, and fluid yet commanding lines that created a sophisticated dialogue between power and sensuality. Rich textures and meticulous craftsmanship transformed each look into a statement of contemporary couture. Guided by its signature philosophy, “Shining is our DNA,” AKEL Couture once again affirmed its global presence and its vision of fashion as an expression of sovereignty, individuality, and radiant elegance.

ENHLE BABES COUTURE

Enhle Babes Couture brought a radiant celebration of African heritage to the runway, presenting a collection that translated royalty into joyful couture for a new generation. Founded in South Africa by prodigious designer Enhle at just ten years old, the brand infused Milan with vibrant colour, rich cultural prints, and a spirit of unapologetic optimism. Silhouettes designed for children and teens carried the confidence of ceremonial dress, where sparkle, texture, and bold patterning became symbols of identity and pride.

BY VEL

by Vel unveiled a new chapter of its signature line, Secret Garden: Alice Through the Looking Glass, a collection that turned the runway into a dreamscape of memory, reflection, and inner freedom. Founded in Ukraine by two sisters, the brand continues to explore the emotional language of childhood through an unmistakably contemporary lens, where airy, fluid dresses, sculptural volumes, and softly reimagined archival colours moved with weightless grace.

TINATIN MAGALASHVILI

Tinatin Magalashvili presented Color Manifesto, a collection that treated color not as decoration but as a language of identity. One of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Georgian fashion, the designer transformed the runway into an emotional composition where aristocratic references, cultural memory, and modern feminine power converged. Structured silhouettes and fluid layers allowed rich, saturated hues to move like living energy. More than a seasonal proposal, Color Manifesto emerged as a visual philosophy — a statement of individuality, intellect, and the quiet authority of a woman who defines fashion on her own terms.

SOFIA KHARCHI

KHARCHI presented Space Between Us, a collection that approached fashion as a meditation on time, identity, and human connection. Founded by Georgian designer Sofia Kharchilava, the independent house transformed the runway into a quiet yet powerful dialogue where women of different ages appeared not in contrast, but in continuity — a living timeline of experience and desire. Rooted in the cultural symbolism of Samegrelo and shaped by a philosophy of slow, handcrafted creation, the silhouettes explored texture, movement, and the poetry of space as an emotional force. Here, distance became unity, age lost its authority, and elegance existed beyond definition.

NURBRAND

NURBRAND introduced a quietly luminous vision of modern femininity, where modesty, comfort, and elegance were woven into a language of inner light. Created by Ainur Sultanbek, the contemporary womenswear label explored fluid silhouettes, balanced proportions, and tactile fabrics that moved with calm precision, offering clothing not as statement but as atmosphere. Inspired by the meaning of “nur” — light as warmth, harmony, and strength — the collection embraced an inclusive approach, resonating with women across different styles and expressions. Each look carried a sense of gentle confidence, proving that sophistication can be soft, and that true power often speaks in a whisper.

ALETHEA SPOSA

Alethea Sposa unveiled The Oriental Code: Whispers of the East, a bridal couture narrative where heritage was translated into a language of modern refinement. Founded by Evelyn Witono Putri, the bespoke atelier brought to the runway its signature mastery of embroidery and precise tailoring, reimagining the cheongsam and the contemporary wedding gown as timeless symbols of feminine grace. Centuries-old motifs and cultural philosophies were decoded into sculpted silhouettes, delicate textures, and intricate surface work that moved with quiet authority. The collection spoke in a soft yet powerful voice, celebrating Eastern elegance not as tradition preserved, but as tradition transformed — a poetic dialogue between ancestry and the woman of today.

LIMA’S ANGELS

Lima’s Angels presented Beauty Is Free, a collection where fashion became a language of courage, transformation, and radical acceptance. Founded by Nini Julakidze in collaboration with the organization Hope, the Georgian label approached the runway as a space of dignity and emotional truth, celebrating the female body in all its evolving forms. Handcrafted and knitted textures carried a tactile intimacy, while refined silhouettes moved with quiet strength, telling real stories of resilience and renewal. Positioned at the intersection of design and social impact, the brand transforms beauty into an act of compassion — with part of its proceeds supporting psycho-social rehabilitation for oncology patients.

PAROMA ALA MODE

Paroma-Àla-Mode, founded by Paromita Ghosh, delivered a deeply personal couture statement where heritage, femininity, and theatrical elegance converged. Working in a dramatic palette of bordo and black, the collection unfolded through sculpted velvet silhouettes, fluid draping, and intricate surface embellishments that balanced sensuality with strength. Statement hats, corseted structures, and layered textures introduced a sense of modern vintage glamour.

Paroma-Àla-Mode, led by Founder and Creative Director Paromita Ghosh, was honored as a laureate of the Milan Fashion Awards in the prestigious category Best Luxury Fashion Designer. Launched in 2024 and rooted in a deeply personal story of family and heritage, the brand has quickly gained international recognition for its refined fusion of cultural narrative, innovative print design, and contemporary elegance, establishing itself as a distinctive new voice on the global luxury fashion stage.

SHOW MODELS X BERKEY

SHOW MODELS X BERKEY presented a manifesto on conscious tailoring, where sustainability met architectural precision and gender-fluid attitude. BERKEY’s sharply structured yet instinctively expressive suits — reworked through the philosophy of second hands — introduced unexpected proportions, bold color contrasts, and a new language of modern elegance. Clean lines collided with experimental styling, while body language became as essential as the garments themselves, turning each exit into a statement of individuality and transformation. Amplifying this vision, SHOW MODELS infused the runway with the energy and discipline of Latin America’s new generation, demonstrating a level of performance where presence, identity, and professionalism function as an art form.

HOUSE OF RINA

House of Rina unveiled Le Donne Di Rosso, a tribute to women everywhere — honoring their courage, resilience, and transformative power. More than a presentation of garments, the show unfolded as an emotional journey, capturing the layered nature of modern womanhood, where softness and strength exist in perfect harmony. A deliberate dialogue between shadow and fire defined the palette: deep black lace, chiffon, satin, and velvet spoke of untold stories and inner fortitude shaped by experience, while silhouettes in defiant red charmeuse, organza, georgette, and fluid silk emerged as a collective voice of visibility and solidarity. The red pulsed with life and purpose, symbolizing courage and the unbreakable bond between women who rise together. Subtle crystal and pearl embellishments highlighted the precision of couture craftsmanship, as the contrast between structured velvet and weightless chiffon mirrored vulnerability and power coexisting within a single, commanding vision.

House of Rina, led by Creative Director Rina Patel, was honored as a laureate of the Milan Fashion Awards in the prestigious category Rising Fashion Designer. Following its acclaimed debut at Milan Fashion Days and Paris Fashion Days SS2026, the brand quickly gained international recognition for its powerful vision of modern femininity and its harmonious fusion of strength and elegance.

IA GONIADZE

Ia Goniadze presented a vision of modern couture rooted in the philosophy of exclusivity and timeless refinement. A refined palette of muted gold and black framed the collection, while corseted waists, architectural ruffles, and sheer, weightless layers created a dialogue between structure and fluidity. Handcrafted textiles and meticulously constructed silhouettes highlighted the house’s devotion to individuality — each look existing as a singular work rather than a repeatable design. Balancing classic elegance with a distinctly modern edge, the collection embodied a quiet, confident luxury, reaffirming Ia Goniadze’s long-standing philosophy that true couture begins where uniqueness becomes absolute.

ANTON GIULIO GRAND

Anton Giulio Grande brought to Milan Fashion Days the authority of Italian haute couture, unveiling a vision where sensuality, artisanal savoir-faire, and a powerful sense of personality define modern elegance. Renowned for his entirely handmade creations developed in traditional ateliers where time replaces machinery, he continues to celebrate a woman whose presence transcends conventional beauty — one remembered for her character and allure.

Honored as a laureate of the Milan Fashion Awards in the prestigious category Best Womenswear Designer, Anton Giulio Grande confirms his place among the most influential voices in couture, with a career spanning more than twenty-five years and a language that transforms craftsmanship into pure theatrical refinement.

A key milestone of this edition was the expansion of the Milan Fashion Days Showroom, creating new opportunities for designers not only to present their collections, but also to build meaningful commercial connections and secure long-term international visibility. Among the brands featured in the showroom were TINATIN MAGALASHVILI, SOFIA KHARCHI, IA GONIADZE, and OTANADZE DESIGN, IRDA, MANCHO ZARIDZE, NANASIA each contributing to a dynamic space dedicated to networking, discovery, and the future of fashion business.

“Our goal is to build an international platform that gives designers real visibility, strong media presence, and meaningful commercial opportunities. Milan Fashion Days is not only a runway — it is a strategic bridge between creativity and the global fashion market,” noted Zoriana Semeniuk, Founder and Organizer of Milan Fashion Days.