Key Insights
Essential data points from our research
The Italian fashion industry was valued at €96.6 billion in 2022
Italy exported €70.4 billion worth of fashion goods in 2022
The textile and apparel sector employed over 400,000 people in 2022
Milan hosts over 1,000 fashion show events annually
In 2021, Italy was the third-largest global exporter of fashion products
Italian leather goods represent 22% of global leather exports
Italy’s fashion market revenue is projected to reach $20.73 billion in 2024
Online sales accounted for 26% of total fashion sales in Italy in 2023
Italy’s luxury fashion segment generated €26 billion in revenue in 2023
Gucci was Italy’s highest-grossing fashion brand in 2022 with €10.5 billion in revenue
70% of Italian fashion companies are SMEs
56% of Italy’s fashion exports go to EU countries
Tuscan region is responsible for over 35% of Italy’s leather production
Economic Impact and Market Size
- The Italian fashion industry was valued at €96.6 billion in 2022
- Italy’s fashion market revenue is projected to reach $20.73 billion in 2024
- Online sales accounted for 26% of total fashion sales in Italy in 2023
- Italy’s luxury fashion segment generated €26 billion in revenue in 2023
- Gucci was Italy’s highest-grossing fashion brand in 2022 with €10.5 billion in revenue
- 70% of Italian fashion companies are SMEs
- Fashion represents 1.3% of Italy's GDP
- Italy's second-hand fashion market was valued at €1.2 billion in 2022
- 87% of luxury fashion brands with HQ in Italy are family-owned
- The Italian footwear industry produced 148.8 million pairs in 2022
- Italy is the world's leading producer of luxury textiles with €3.5 billion revenue in 2021
- The average Italian spends €802 annually on fashion items
- Italy represents 16% of the global luxury goods market
- Versace has over 200 boutiques worldwide
- The fashion industry was the fifth largest sector in Italy’s economy in 2022
- Italian fashion e-commerce grew by 23% in 2022
- The industry invested over €2.1 billion in innovation in 2022
- Over 5,600 companies specialize in fashion manufacturing in Italy
- Italian wool textile output reached 44,000 tons in 2021
- Rome ranks fourth globally for luxury fashion shopping
- 72% of Italian shoppers value "Made in Italy" fashion label
- Italian fashion companies spent €540 million on advertising in 2022
- Italy’s fashion sector contributes €10 billion in taxes annually
- Bottega Veneta's revenue reached €1.7 billion in 2022
- In 2021, 60% of Italian luxury brands increased their digital investment
- The resale fashion market in Italy grew 40% in 2023
- Florence’s fashion industry contributes €450 million to local GDP
- Over 100,000 fashion patents have been filed in Italy since 2000
- Milan’s luxury retail market value reached €3.6 billion in 2022
- Italian fashion start-ups increased by 17% in 2023
- Italian fashion market expected to grow by 4.12% CAGR until 2027
- Italy is the second-largest EU apparel producer after Germany
- The sustainable fashion market in Italy reached €700 million in 2022
- Armani generated €2.35 billion in revenue in 2022
- The Italian kids' fashion sector was valued at €3.5 billion in 2023
- Italian luxury outerwear sales reached €1.8 billion in 2022
- Italian-made accessories account for 35% of Europe’s fashion accessories market
- Emilia-Romagna is Italy’s third-largest fashion-producing region
Interpretation
Italy’s fashion industry is a well-heeled economic titan—tailored by SMEs, stitched with €96.6 billion in ambition, and walking the global runway with a designer mix of heritage, digital savvy, and high-priced glamour that even second-hand trends can’t outdress.
Employment and Workforce
- The textile and apparel sector employed over 400,000 people in 2022
- Italy has over 40 fashion-related university courses
- Prada employs over 13,700 people globally
- 95% of luxury handbags in Italy are handmade
- 12% of Italian fashion students attend international study programs
- Modena is home to over 200 small leather fashion workshops
- 64% of Italian fashion industry leaders are female
- Italy's fashion apprenticeship programs trained 3,800 students in 2022
- 39% of global catwalk models in Milan are from outside Europe
- Naples has over 1,400 registered tailors
- Fashion internships in Milan grew by 12% in 2022
- Milan’s fashion industry employs over 60,000 people
- Italy’s eyewear industry employs 17,250 people
Interpretation
Italy’s fashion industry is a finely stitched tapestry of tradition, talent, and global influence—where handmade luxury, female leadership, and a booming workforce transform catwalk dreams into a $100-billion reality, one impeccably tailored seam at a time.
Exports and International Trade
- Italy exported €70.4 billion worth of fashion goods in 2022
- In 2021, Italy was the third-largest global exporter of fashion products
- Italian leather goods represent 22% of global leather exports
- 56% of Italy’s fashion exports go to EU countries
- 80% of global high-end menswear is produced in Italy
- Italian eyewear exports reached €5 billion in 2022
- Exports account for 85% of the Italian footwear industry's revenue
- Italian fashion exports to China grew by 18% in 2021
- Salvatore Ferragamo operates in over 90 countries
- Italian fashion industry exports to the US were €6.3 billion in 2022
- Italian fashion SMEs contribute 52% of sector export value
- Italy’s exports of hosiery totaled €1.1 billion in 2022
- Venice’s artisanal fashion exports rose 9% in 2022
Interpretation
Stylish yet unstoppable, Italy's fashion industry struts across global markets like a supermodel on a mission—dressed in leather, eyewear, and heritage—proving that when it comes to exporting elegance, all runways lead to Rome.
Fashion Events and Industry Activities
- Milan hosts over 1,000 fashion show events annually
- Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana was founded in 1958
- Florence’s Pitti Uomo attracts over 30,000 visitors annually
- 65% of Milan Fashion Week participants are international brands
- Italy hosts over 20 major fashion trade shows annually
Interpretation
With a legacy stitched since 1958 and catwalks drawing tens of thousands from around the globe, Italy’s fashion scene proves that style is not just stitched into its culture—it struts proudly down over a thousand runways a year.
Sustainability and Regional Contributions
- Tuscan region is responsible for over 35% of Italy’s leather production
- Venice produces over 50% of handmade fashion lace in Italy
- 27% of Italian fashion companies plan to invest in sustainability by 2025
- 60% of garments sold by Italian fashion houses are produced within Italy
- 78% of Italy’s silk production is concentrated in Como
- 22% of Italians buy fashion based on sustainability credentials
- LVMH sources 30% of its garments from Italian manufacturers
- Over 40% of fashion companies in Italy have a sustainability program
- 45% of Italian fashion waste is recycled or reused
- 54% of Italian fashion brands believe sustainability boosts competitiveness
Interpretation
Italy’s fashion industry may be stitched together by regional craftsmanship—from Tuscan leather and Venetian lace to Como silk—but its future seams are increasingly being sewn with sustainability, as the country balances centuries of style with a conscience for the climate.