Tax Free Shopping Soars at Milan Fashion Week 2025
Milan: A City Where Luxury Meets Shopping Experience
As Milan took center stage for its celebrated Fashion Week this June, the city once again became a magnet for international luxury shoppers. From Via Monte Napoleone to flagship boutiques across the Quadrilatero della Moda, footfall surged and so did Tax Free shopping activity.
Milan Fashion Week 2025 featured some of the biggest names in the fashion world - Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, Brunello Cucinelli, Bally, Vivienne Westwood, and Tod’s, drawing style-savvy international visitors eager to shop the season’s hottest collections.
Milan Fashion Week enhances the city’s luxury shopping scene, drawing even more high-spending international visitors.
This seamless blend of fashion, culture, and premium retail services positions Milan as a must-visit city for Tax Free luxury shopping, attracting high-spending tourists from across the globe and driving strong in-store conversion.
Luxury retailers can enhance the shopping journey with Global Blue during Fashion Week by offering:
- VIP lounges for HNW clients
- Effortless online refund process for shoppers
- Enhance the in-store journey with seamless Tax Free services
According to Global Blue data, Milan Fashion Week attracted high-value international visitors, with spending driven by affluent shoppers and younger generations, particularly Millennials.
Affluent Shoppers Drive Tax Free Sales during Milan Fashion Week
Luxury retailers in Milan saw significant uplift thanks to strong engagement from affluent and (U)HNWI shoppers. Affluent shoppers represented 27% of international visitors but contributed 43% of total Tax Free spend, with an average spend per shopper of €2,600. [1]
Ultra-High-Net-Worth Individuals (UHNWI) accounted for just 7% of shoppers but drove 36% of total spend, averaging €9,000 per transaction. By contrast, aspirational shoppers, who made up the majority (66%), contributed only 21% of the spending, reflecting an average spending of €530.
Millennial Tourists Lead the Luxury Spending during FW25
- Global Blue data revealed that Millennials were the top-spending generation at Milan Fashion Week. Millennials made up 38% of shoppers with an average spend of €1,650.
- Gen Z tourists, while present in large numbers (21%), spent on average €1,225 per person.
- Gen X and Silver Age shoppers demonstrated the highest per-shopper spend at €1,850 and €1,900 respectively.
US and Asian Tourists Fuel High-Value Spend in Milan
International shoppers from the US and Asia were among the highest spenders during Milan Fashion Week 2025, reaffirming Milan's status as a magnet for international luxury shoppers.
American shoppers made up 19% of international visitors and delivered 21% of total spend, averaging €1,900 per shopper.
Tourists from Mainland China, Southeast Asia, and Hong Kong & Taiwan each spent more than €2,100 per person, showing strong demand for Milan’s luxury retail offering.
GCC shoppers maintained a steady presence, contributing 9% of both spend and footfall, with an average spend of €1,700.
Milan Fashion Week represents a key moment for international shoppers and luxury retailers alike for Tax Free Shopping activity across the city. With affluent and aspirational shoppers contributing over 60% of total spend, retailers can capitalize on global shopper traffic and elevate the in-store experience of shoppers with Global Blue's traveler solutions.
Fashion, Tourism, and Tax Free Shopping Align to Boost Milan Luxury
Milan Fashion Week once again showed its strong impact on luxury retail and Tax Free shopping in the city. It brings together fashion, global tourism, and high-end shopping, creating a key opportunity for retailers to connect with their most valuable international shoppers.
At Global Blue, we empower retailers to unlock the full potential of peak shopping moments like Milan Fashion Week. From advanced Tax Free Shopping solutions for retailers to tailored traveler services, our offerings are designed to:
- Identify and engage top-spending international shopper segments
- Elevate the in-store experience through effortless Tax Free shopping journeys
- Boost Tax Free conversion rates while enhancing overall shopper delight
- Offer premium services like Tax Free lounges for your VICs
Whether you're preparing for the next fashion season or refining your international shopper strategy, our teams are here to support your growth in Milan and beyond.
[1] Source : Global Blue Data 2025
