Prada, Tod’s and more than a dozen Italian luxury goods makers have pledged to work together to promote Milan Fashion Week amid concern it is losing out to New York, London and Paris.

“The name of the game is unity,” Ermenegildo Zegna, chief executive of the suit maker of the same name, said in Milan yesterday at the unveiling of the Italian chamber of fashion’s new board.

“We are at the forefront of the world fashion system. We want to maintain our leadership.”

Burberry, after about a decade of showing its menswear collections in Milan, last week hosted its runway show in London, fuelling concern the Italian fashion capital is losing its appeal.

By strengthening the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana’s board, the so-called “senators” of Italian fashion aim to raise Milan’s profile, said Prada chief executive Patrizio Bertelli, who was named the chamber’s vice-president.

Everyone should have more respect for Italy’s fashion industry because without it “international fashion wouldn’t be as strong”, Mr Bertelli said.

While the new members of the board, which include Tod’s chief executive Diego Della Valle, pledged to increase spending on marketing, Mr Bertelli ruled out bringing back Prada unit Miu Miu’s runway show to Milan from Paris.

“We want to be democratic and not nationalistic,” he said.

Milan’s menswear fashion week ends tomorrow. – (Bloomberg)