Italian Style Lands in India; Italian Fashion Days' launch a new chapter in bilateral ties.
The inaugural Italian Fashion Days in India (Le Giornate della Moda Italiana nel Mondo) officially opened on October 28 at the Embassy of Italy in New Delhi, marking a new chapter in Italy–India cooperation. The three-city initiative, a first of its kind in India, forms a key pillar of Italy’s “Diplomacy and Growth Strategy” and will travel to Mumbai and Ahmedabad on October 29 and 30, respectively.
Fashion as a catalyst for business and cultural exchange
Italian representatives described the event as going well beyond a luxury showcase. Aurora Russi, Minister Counsellor at the Embassy of Italy, highlighted the program’s broader objective, noting that the Embassy was “delighted to bring some of our finest examples of fashion and the fashion industry to New Delhi, Mumbai, and Ahmedabad.” She added that while the event celebrates the “strength and excellence of Made in Italy,” it also emphasizes that “fashion serves as a driver of business and cultural exchange between our two countries.” Russi acknowledged that fashion is often viewed as luxury but stressed that it remains “a generator of wealth and opportunity at all levels.”
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High-profile delegation and creative programming
Launched globally by Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, the initiative fosters direct engagement with India’s dynamic fashion ecosystem.
The New Delhi leg welcomed a distinguished Italian delegation including Matteo Marzotto, President of Minerva Hub; Antonio De Matteis, CEO of Kiton and President of Pitti Immagine; Giacomo Tonelli of Minerva Hub; Claudio Marenzi, President of Herno and Montura; and Alberto Racca, CEO of Gruppo Mirolo and Trussardi. Prominent Indian designers David Abraham and Vinu Singh also joined the dialogue with their Italian counterparts.
Speaking about the scale of the exhibition, Russi remarked that representing Italian fashion in India “cannot be captured by just a few names or words.” Following inaugural talks, the delegation jointly opened the exhibition Italia è Moda (Italian Fashion), curated by Clara Tosca Manfini.
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Optimism amid global trade challenges
The event’s timing reflects Italy’s strategic focus on India, even as global trade faces headwinds. Russi addressed the effects of ongoing tariff developments under President Trump’s administration, viewing them as “an opportunity for diversification.” She noted that such changes push “European firms and institutions to work even more closely with India.” Expressing optimism for the forthcoming EU–India Free Trade Agreement (FTA), Russi said both sides are “attaching great importance to an outcome that will benefit Europe and India alike,” adding that the agreement could be finalized “within less than six months.”
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Deepening a strategic partnership
The fashion initiative aligns with the broader effort to strengthen the Italy–India “strategic partnership,” formally elevated this year by the two Prime Ministers.
Economic ties have grown steadily through 2025, supported by two major business forums—one in New Delhi in April, attended by Deputy Prime Minister Tajani and 400 Italian firms, and another in Brescia, Italy, with India’s Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister Tajani. Russi confirmed that a third forum is planned in India “in the coming weeks,” underscoring that “Italian and Indian businesses need to collaborate even more.”
Beyond fashion, the partnership extends to sectors such as machinery, agri-tech, and technical textiles. Concluding the launch event, Russi expressed the Embassy’s enthusiasm, hoping this marks “the first of many Italian Days dedicated to Made-in-Italy fashion.”
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