Why do Chinese designers pick Milan Fashion Week before London?

Immediately after Angel Chen’s catwalk show at Milan Fashion Week, the designer flew back to Shanghai, because 48 hours later she was launching her capsule collection collaboration with H&M. It’s a significant milestone in Chen’s career as she is the first Chinese designer to collaborate on a designer-capsule with the fast-fashion giant, joining a list that includes Balmain and Versace.

First things first however, she had a spring-summer 2020 collection to show and it was as audacious and explorative as we have come to expect from Chen, featuring iridescent python pattern jacquard tailoring, Hawaiian prints, cute iguana-shaped bags, and her more familiar sporty street-style shapes, in lightweight nylon and parachute dresses with asymmetric drawstring shaping.

This is the fourth season the Central Saint Martins’ graduate has shown in Milan following two seasons on the London catwalk, and she has found the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (CNMI) so supportive that she has moved her PR and sales offices to the city.

“Milan is one of the most important fashion capitals in the world and the whole atmosphere is more mature,” Chen said after the show. “So, when designers are being more creative and energetic, people watch. I think there is space for me here and I feel proud to present Chinese culture and being a Chinese designer on the international fashion platform.”

Like the British Fashion Council in London, the CNMI has been reaching out to China in recent seasons, introducing designers through the Vogue Talents showcase in Milan – a showroom of young international designers scouted by Sara Maino of Vogue Italia – as well as signing a partnership with Tmall. As part of its “China Cool” project, the Chinese e-commerce giant sponsored Shushu/Tong’s Milan catwalk show.