Global Fashion CEOs Converge in Milan as Saudi Arabia takes Centre Stage in Industry’s Strategic Reset

Rashad Iskandrni 

Global fashion and luxury leaders convened in Milan on June 4 for the 2026 RLC Fashion Summit, a high-level, closed-door gathering of chief executives, institutional figures, investors and decision-makers examining how the industry grows, competes, and allocates capital in a world that has fundamentally changed. The Summit forms part of RLC Global Forum’s wider international reach, anchored by its annual flagship gathering in Saudi Arabia.

Held at the Four Seasons Hotel Milano, the RLC Fashion Summit moved beyond short-term market conditions to address the structural questions now facing fashion and luxury: geopolitical fragmentation, shifting consumer demand, capital discipline, AI, the future of multi-brand retail, and the growing influence of new markets.

The initiative Fashion Futures of the Saudi Fashion Commission joined the Summit as Principal Partner, reflecting the Kingdom’s growing role in global conversations around fashion, retail, investment, and creative-sector development. Its participation placed Saudi Arabia’s evolving fashion ecosystem at the center of a high-level international dialogue on how new markets are influencing the future of luxury, consumer engagement and long-term industry growth.

On the evening of June 3, for the first time in Milan, the RLC Honors Dinner took place celebrating André Maeder, Chief Executive Officer of Selfridges Group, with the Luxury Retail Leadership Award. The recognition honored Maeder’s five decades of leadership across some of the world’s most respected retail institutions, and his role in shaping a more experiential, service-led and culturally relevant vision of luxury retail.

“It is a great honor to be recognized with the Luxury Retail Leadership Award. Retail is one of the most exciting and dynamic industries out there, and over the past five decades I have had the pleasure and privilege of working with some of the best in the business. The customer will always be front and centre of everything we do, and I am hugely energised by the opportunities ahead as we work together to inspire and shape the next chapter of luxury retail”, said André Maeder.

The full-day Summit opened on June 4 with an address by Adolfo Urso, Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy, followed by a welcome from Debora Massari, Regional Councillor for Tourism, Territorial Marketing, Fashion and Major Events of the Lombardy Region. Their participation underscored the Summit’s institutional significance and its role in connecting Italy’s creative economy with the wider global agenda for fashion and luxury.

Throughout the day, it brought together a focused group of senior leaders, including Stefania Lazzaroni, CEO of Altagamma; Carlo Capasa, President of Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana; Jean-Marie Tritant, former CEO and Chairman of Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield; Alison Rehill-Erguven, CEO of Cenomi Centers; Silvio Campara, CEO of Golden Goose; Maura Basili, President of Camera Buyer Italia; Luca Lisandroni, CEO of Brunello Cucinelli; Lana Todorovich, Chief Global Brand Partnerships Officer of Saks Global; Andrea Bonini, CFO of Prada Group; Antonio De Matteis, CEO of Kiton; Stefano Canali, CEO of Canali Group; and John Hooks, Board Member at Armani Group.

As capital, infrastructure and consumer expectations continue to shift across the Gulf region, Burak Çakmak, Chief Executive Officer of the Saudi Fashion Commission, addressed what credible, long-term engagement requires from global brands, investors and local partners; “Our focus is on creating the conditions for long term growth across the Saudi fashion sector. As the industry continues to evolve, we are working to increase opportunities for international brands, manufacturers, investors, and industry partners to engage with the Kingdom’s market and contribute to its development. Through strategic partnerships, market insights, and ecosystem building initiatives, we are helping connect global expertise with local opportunity, creating value for both the sector and the wider economy,” said Burak Çakmak.

The Commission’s participation also reflects the broader momentum behind Saudi Arabia’s fashion sector, as the Kingdom continues to invest in creative industries, talent development, retail infrastructure and international industry partnerships.

OC&C Strategy Consultants joined the Summit as Partner, contributing perspective on consumer shifts, value creation and the changing economics of luxury, and helping frame the commercial questions behind the industry’s next phase of growth.

The 2026 RLC Fashion Summit concluded with a clear message: the next chapter of fashion and luxury will be defined not by scale alone, but by relevance, discipline, cultural authority and the ability to build lasting value in a more complex world.

"It's rare to see this level of leadership come together in one place for a full day of genuine, open exchange," said Panos Linardos, Chairman of RLC Global Forum. "The RLC Fashion Summit brought together the people shaping the future of fashion and luxury globally, and the sense coming out of it was clear - leaders see meaningful growth ahead, and they're thinking seriously about where and how to capture it”.