Italian Fashion Days Return to Montreal for Italia è Moda Exhibition

Montreal is about to get a serious dose of Italian style. From August 17 to 23, the city will host the second global edition of Italian Fashion Days in the World, an initiative of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI), landing here as part of the 26th edition of the M.A.D. Festival (Fashion, Arts and Entertainment).

Montreal has the honour of being the very first stop on this new international tour, which is designed to showcase the excellence, creativity, and craftsmanship behind Made in Italy to audiences around the world. The week is being organized with support from the Embassy of Italy in Ottawa, the Consulate General of Italy in Montreal, the Italian Cultural Institute in Montreal, and the Italian Trade Agency (ITA/ICE), Montreal Office.

The Centrepiece: “Italia è Moda”

At the heart of the week is the exhibition Italia è Moda, opening August 17 at 4:30 p.m. at the Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth Hotel (opening night is by invitation only; the exhibition then runs to the public through August 23).

Curated by Clara Tosi Pamphili and staged like a theatrical set, the exhibition walks visitors through the rhythms of everyday life: daywear, eveningwear, and sportswear. Expect tuxedos alongside tracksuits, and evening gowns next to pieces from emerging designers. Leather goods, footwear, eyewear, and cosmetics round out what amounts to a full portrait of contemporary Italian fashion and design.

Two show-stopping artifacts anchor the exhibit: authentic costumes from Federico Fellini’s Casanova, designed by Danilo Donati and crafted by Sartoria Farani. They’re part of the costume design work that won the 1977 Academy Award. Video installations spotlighting Italy’s major fashion associations round out the experience, along with two interactive Nova Arca chatbot installations that let visitors explore the exhibition’s full catalogue on the spot.

Opening night continues at 6 p.m. with a conversation between Clara Tosi Pamphili and Stéphane Leduc, part of the M.A.D. Festival’s Encounters talk series.

On Screen: Two Documentary Nights

The Italian Cultural Institute in Montreal is adding two film screenings to the week:

Tuesday, August 18 at 6 p.m.: Grand Tour: A Journey Through the Academies of Arts and Crafts, directed by Alessandro Manieri. The documentary tours Italy’s fashion house academies, letting the people who teach and train there tell the story of Made in Italy as a living system of creativity, manufacturing, and craftsmanship rooted across the country.
Thursday, August 20 at 6 p.m.: Costumitaly, a look at the role of costume design in film and theatre and the creative push-and-pull between costume designers, directors, and actors. Through interviews and archival material, the film honours masters like Piero Tosi and Danilo Donati and takes viewers inside the historic costume ateliers that safeguard that legacy.

Why It Matters

Fashion isn’t a side note for Italy’s economy. It’s a pillar of it. The event brings together companies and designers from across the country’s fashion supply chain, including haute couture, textiles, leather goods, footwear, eyewear, jewelry, goldsmithing, and cosmetics, representing more than 62,000 companies and 500,000 jobs.

The participating trade associations include Altagamma, ANFAO (Italian Optical Manufacturers Association), CAM Confindustria Accessori Moda, Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, CNA Federmoda, CNA Orafi, Confartigianato Imprese (Confartigianato Moda e Confartigianato Orafi), Confindustria Moda, Cosmetica Italia, and Federorafi.

Launched in 2025, Italia è Moda is part of a broader cultural and economic diplomacy push using Italy’s global diplomatic and cultural network to promote Italian creativity abroad. By kicking off this world tour, Montreal cements its reputation as a creative capital while deepening the cultural and economic ties between Canada and Italy.