High fashion takes centre stage in Rome this summer.
Rome is to act as the backdrop for catwalks showcasing new haute couture collections by renowned fashion houses including Dior, Fendi and Dolce & Gabbana.
The city’s embrace of high fashion will begin with a show on 27 May by French maison Dior, now part of the largest luxury and fashion group in the world, LVMH.
Dior will present its new Cruise 2025 collection at its first ever show in Rome.
Details are still under wraps however according to speculation in the Italian media the show’s venue may be Teatro della Cometa which was recently restored by Dior’s artistic director Maria Grazia Chiuri.
Later this summer, from 12-16 July, it will be the turn of Dolce & Gabbana when the Italian design duo showcase their work in Rome for the first time in their 40-year career.
The locations of the catwalks, which will include shows of the women’s and men’s haute couture as well as jewellery, were revealed this week at a presentation in city hall.
The four-day event kicks off on Via Veneto on 12 July, followed by the presentation of the Alta Gioielleria collection at Villa Adriana in Tivoli on 13 July and the Alta Moda collection being presented at the Roman Forum on 14 July.
The next day, Dolce&Gabbana will present its Alta Sartoria collection along the angel-filled Ponte Sant’Angelo, before ending with a final party on 16 July.
The fashion house’s founders and designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana said they were “deeply excited” at the idea of showcasing their collections in the Italian capital, stating: “Rome is a special place for us, a symbol of our love for Italy and an inexhaustible source of inspiration.”
Fendi, which was founded in Rome in 1925 and is now owned by LVMH, began its cetenerary celebrations with a show during Milan Fashion Week in February and is set to stage a series of exclusive fashion events in the Italian capital this summer. Details of the locations have not been made public.
The choice of Rome by the major international fashion houses is part of a growing trend and comes as Valentino and luxury jeweller Bulgari forge increasingly strong links with the Eternal City.
“It is proof of how attractive our city has become again” – Rome’s councillor for fashion, tourism, major events and sports, Alessandro Onorato said earlier this year – “We have proven to be reliable, guaranteeing certain times and procedures.”
In December Rome inaugurated the new headquarters of the Accademia Costume & Moda, a prestigious fashion academy, at a former landmark department store in the Esquilino area.
Photo credit: andersphoto / Shutterstock.com.