On 25 June in Cannes, The Italian Fashion Chamber (Camera Nazionale Della Moda Italiana-CNMI) and the French Fédération De La Haute Couture Et De La Mode (FHCM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding the strengthens the dialogue between Italy and France on the sector’s key strategic issues.
Yesterday, on July 15, the dialogue continued with a Fashion Roundtable, which was convened by the Italian Minister for Enterprise and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso, and also attended by the French Minister Delegate for Industry, Sébastien Martin, Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (CNMI) and the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode (FHCM) they reaffirmed the importance of close collaboration between Italy and France in order to support the competitiveness, creativity and development of European fashion.
The two associations welcome the attention that their respective governments are devoting to the sector and agree on the need to strengthen structured dialogue with European institutions, so that future industrial policies support the growth of this strategic sector for the economy, employment, and Europe’s creative heritage.
In this context, CNMI and FHCM presented to the Fashion Roundtable the Memorandum of Understanding signed on 25 June in Cannes, as part of the France-Italy Summit, in the presence of Ministers Adolfo Urso and Sébastien Martin.
This agreement marks a new phase in the cooperation between the two associations, firmly establishing fashion as a key area of industrial collaboration between Italy and France.
The Memorandum outlines a joint working plan to address some of the sector’s key challenges, including maintaining the high-level and dialogue between Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks, supporting emerging designers, taking a shared stance on sustainability, eco-design, intellectual property protection and counterfeit prevention, and promoting know-how, training and fashion industry careers.
“I would like to thank Minister Adolfo Urso for promoting this important moment of dialogue, which reflects the growing attention of institutions towards a strategic sector for Europe’s economy, culture and competitiveness,” commented Carlo Capasa, chairman, Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana.
“Today’s round table represents a significant step forward in ensuring continuity to the path of collaboration between these two federations further strengthened by the Memorandum of Understanding signed in Cannes. The participation in this round table of some of the leading Italian and French industry associations, as well as of the French Minister Sébastien Martin, confirms how essential it is to build a strong network and work together, leveraging shared expertise, experience and visions to strengthen the entire European fashion ecosystem, for the benefit of the whole value chain,” he added underscoring how Italy and France share an extraordinary heritage that celebrates beauty, placing creativity, craftsmanship and savoir-faire at its core. Moreover, they aim to collaborate together in order to enhance the ability of European fashion to address the major present challenges–from competitiveness to sustainability, from the protection of intellectual property to the promotion of skills and the new generations of creatives.
“We would like to thank both Minister Adolfo Urso and Minister Sébastien Martin for organising this round-table,” added Pascal Morand, executive president, Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode explaining that both countries have very intertwined ecosystems when it comes to the fashion industry, valuing creation at the highest level and supported by unique savoir-faire.
The Memorandum of Understanding they signed during the France-Italy Summit on June 25th, 2026, underlines how both organizations want to cooperate regarding Fashion Weeks, emerging brands, a common ESG framework, and their shared vision towards European challenges in the global economy.
“It is also essential that France and Italy speak with one voice towards European institutions, to stand for a strong, responsible and innovating fashion ecosystem, playing a key role for the European competitiveness and creativity, and embodying the osmosis between economy and culture inherited from the past and preparing the future,” continued Morand.
This joint collaboration is based upon the idea that a shared vision can truly promote European excellence and strengthen its international competitiveness, while it is committed to maintaining a dialogue between the two governments, as well as with European institutions, to ensure that fashion is recognised as a strategic industry for Europe’s growth, innovation, and culture.
The meeting was also pursued with an exchange about shared challenges for the sector, including interventions from both countries’ industry associations Confindustria Moda, Union Française des Industries de la Mode et de l’Habillement, Union des Industries Textiles and Groupement de la Fabrication Française.