One of the missions of Camera Showroom Milano is to keep alive the memory of fashion and its historical, cultural, and creative heritage, highlighting the figures, fashion houses, and moments that have contributed over time to building what we recognize today as one of the most important expressions of "Made in Italy." It's a path rooted in 1951, with Giovanni Battista Giorgini and the Palazzo Pitti fashion shows in Florence, a foundational moment of an identity destined to conquer the international stage.
Through the CSM Culture Club initiative, held in conjunction with Milan Men’s and Women’s Fashion Weeks, CSM hosts exhibitions, retrospectives, and tributes designed to refocus attention on the designers, fashion houses, magazines, and figures that have shaped the evolution of Italian and international fashion. Throughout 2026, the series has spotlighted iconic Milanese designers across the final four decades of the 20th century. This September edition focuses on the transformative 1990s.
In the '90s, Milan solidified its position as the global capital of prêt-à-porter. Six key brands helped define the decade's global impact:
ICEBERG
From its very beginnings, Iceberg distinguished itself by revolutionizing the concept of luxury sportswear, combining Italian manufacturing excellence with a youthful, colorful, and contemporary creative language. In the 1990s, designed by Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, Iceberg was among the key players at Milan Fashion Week, contributing to defining the image of a dynamic Italian fashion capable of fusing fashion, art, music, and youth culture.
ALBERTA FERRETTI
From her earliest collections, Alberta Ferretti stood out for a refined, romantic, and timeless style, characterized by impalpable fabrics, chiffon, silks, embroidery, and an extraordinary attention to the lightness of shapes. In the 1990s, the brand became one of the key figures of Milan Fashion Week, winning over an international clientele and dressing numerous actresses and entertainment personalities for film festivals, ceremonies, and red carpets.
ALESSANDRO DELL’ACQUA
The Alessandro Dell’Acqua brand was founded in 1996 in Milan by the Neapolitan designer of the same name. Dell’Acqua rapidly established himself in the Italian scene thanks to a recognizable style built on a sophisticated and sensual femininity, where sheer elements, lace, jersey, fluid fabrics, and contrasts between delicacy and provocation coexist.
ANTONIO MARRAS
The Antonio Marras brand was born in 1996 in Milan by the Sardinian designer of the same name from Alghero, considered one of the most poetic and personal Italian designers of his generation. Self-taught and deeply attached to Sardinian culture, Marras brought a unique language to fashion, rooted in the convergence of artisanal tradition, memory, art, and contemporaneity. His fashion is often defined as "contemporary couture": a balance between high craftsmanship, material research, and Mediterranean culture.
GENNY
Genny is a historic Italian fashion brand specializing in womenswear production. In the 1990s, Genny became one of the most prestigious fashion houses of Italian prêt-à-porter, playing a leading role in the growth of Milanese fashion. Genny holds an important place in Italian fashion history as one of the first major ready-to-wear houses, contributing to the birth of the fashion system.
JIL SANDER
From its debut, Jil Sander was distinguished by an innovative vision, eliminating superfluous decorative elements to focus attention on cut, proportion, material quality, and sartorial perfection. In the 1990s, the house achieved international consecration, becoming a cornerstone of Milan Fashion Week. Jil Sander is often hailed as the "queen of minimalism" and represents the intellectual alternative to opulent glamour and traditional luxury.
Thursday, September 24, 2026 | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Chiostri di San Barnaba – Via San Barnaba 48, Milano
