Roma Fashion Week February 2022. Overview and Review

Four months is a looong time to review any fashion week. However, the bright side is that what was on the runway back then is closer to what will be in the shops and boutiques next autumn/winter. That is still the usual slow fashion cycle that, from a sustainability angle, I believe it can be better than fast fashion or even the see now-buy now model. It does and should help designers to have better data from orders they get and, hopefully, produce what’s needed with no need of discounting and above all produce too much and produce waste.

Me as a happy bunny last time I attended in January 2020 ( just before the pandemic!)

But back to Rome Fashion Week February 2022. I’d like to start looking back with some facts and figures just to let anybody not familiar with this bi-annual event how serious and relevant it is within the Italian fashion system and to a degree the international fashion system.

90 brands and designer on the calendar, 11 shows in the Cinecitta’ Studios (Yes! Those mythical studios where Ben Hur was shot and Fellini used too!) and an external one, 400 accredited journalists and 40 from overseas, 170 buyers accredited online and 50 in person and 76K people followed the event online on its on digital platform (including myself). Important numbers for Rome that historically has been neglected after its more notorious and rich cousins – Milan and Florence. Not anymore since Roma Fashion Week has pivoted from showing Italian Alta Moda (Haute Couture) from showcasing, nurturing and supporting emerging brands and designers by providing a framework, a platform, an audience and a springboard unmatched anywhere else in the country. Plus, huge plus, in a setting abundant with history, culture and charm…that is the city itself and the location chosen over the years for the events.

The video above is one of the best examples and practices that the Roma Fashion Week has in place. A collective show called ‘Rome is my Runway’ where brands that already have stepped into the organisation programme in previous years can taste what a show is like and above get experience, exposure and learn from it. Infact new brands can dip their toes gradually into the fashion system through other two opportunities that Rome provides: Showcase and Who is On Next.

Showcase is a one day/all day set up where brands and designers literally showcase their products on stands and rails to press and buyers and have the opportunity to establish connections and plant the seeds for future sales and collaboration. Who is On Next, instead, in collaboration with Vogue Italia, gives them a chance to be selected for a final collective show in Rome, during the summer edition, be featured on the magazine, print and online, and get real and useful feedback from the jury. Usually most of the finalists then keep showing at the Roma Fashion Week for the next few seasons before taking the big leap to Milan.

But there is more to Roma Fashion Week. Infact the organisation gives slots in the calendar for the Lazio region fashion schools and in conjunction with the regional and city council organises workshops, work experience and a final show for fashion students.

This is what Roma Fashion Week is all about my friends and I can't wait to get involved in about a month's time during the July edition.