Andrea Incontri, Angelos Bratis and Uma Wang in the Hall of Caryatids in the Royal Palace • Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana

Andrea Incontri, Angelos Bratis and Uma Wang in the Hall of Caryatids in the Royal Palace

The site of prestigious art exhibitions, the Hall of Caryatids in the Royal Palace

Andrea Incontri, Angelos Bratis and Uma Wang in the Hall of Caryatids in the Royal Palace

The site of prestigious art exhibitions, the Hall of Caryatids in the Royal Palace is the new backdrop for the fashion shows in Milan Fashion Week.

An exception to the rule, which bears witness to the support given by the City of Milan to the National Chamber for Italian Fashion and the fashion industry. In particular to the young designers who will model their designs on such a striking catwalk: Andrea Incontri (Thursday 19th), who became part of the official programme two seasons ago to both commercial and critical acclaim; Angelos Bratis (Saturday 21st), winner of the 2011 "Who is on next?" competition; Uma Wang (Monday 23rd), who has arrived in Milan as part of her international tour.

The Hall's charm remains intact despite the scars of the past. Born as a great ballroom on the main floor of the Palace, it was built after 1752 by Piermarini. With him worked Milan's greatest plasterer of that time, Giocondo Arbertolli, and Gaetano Cellani, the sculptor of the forty sculptures depicting the Caryatids: thirty-two stand on their pedastals, whilst four pairs are located in the corners of the Hall.

Masterpieces of imagination that after two centuries are preparing to testify to the new creativity of "Made in Italy".