Website: www.milaschon.com
She was born Maria Carmen Nustrizio Schon, in Dalmatia, Yugoslavia in 1919. Her parents were wealthy Yugoslav aristocrats who settled in Italy when she was a child, to escape the Communists.
She was initially a customer of Balenciaga and she gained her love of couture, by wearing his clothes.
In 1958, with no previous experience, she set up a dressmaking establishment in Milan, Italy. Her first couture collection presented in 1965, at Florence's Palazzo Pitti. It was well received in Italy and the USA. She received the Fashion Oscar in 1967. A ready-to-wear collection followed in 1971. She also brought out her menswear line that same year.
Essentially a classic designer of dresses, suits and eveningwear, Schon, though not as well known as many of her colleagues, is one of the most respected names in Italian fashion and is noted for her sophisticated style and precise tailoring.
Schon's favourite fabric was double-faced wool and this white suit represents her design signature. She was a perfectionist who worked within a classical structure, to exacting specifications and she created modernist garments.
Mila Schon also designs uniforms for airlines and has made for Alitalia in 1969 and Iran Air in 1972. She made uniforms for the Milan Soccer team and the clothes worn by the Italian national team for the Barcelona Olympics in 1992.
The house of Mila Schon is now owned by the fashion group Mariella Burani. Several young designers have worked at Mila Schon in recent years. A design trio of Myler, Citron and Piggi were there but moved on to Byblos. Mila Schon herself supervises the designs of the house she founded.
Marc Helmuth
The present designer is Marc Helmuth (shown on the right) who presented his first Mila Schon collection for Spring/Summer 2003 in Milan in September 2002. An outfit from that show is shown on the left.
Fall 2003
The house of Mila Schon presented their Fall 2003 collection during Milan Fashion Week in March 2003. It was very well received.
Spring/Summer 2005
During Milan Fashion Week in September 2004, Mila Schon presented her Spring collection. A pretty printed chiffon dress from the collection is shown on the right. It was a lovely feminine collection.
Mila Schon, at the age of 85, still presented her own show. She was also in the front row at Byblos where three Italian designers who worked for her some years back, Citron, Myler and Piaggi, were displaying their creations.
Autumn/Winter 2005
Mila Schon presented her Autumn/Winter collection on the first day of the Milan Fashion Week in February 2005.
On the left is one of her white shirt-dresses embellished with a tie scarf. It was a pretty and elegant collection.
Spring/Summer 2006
Milan Fashion Week
The design team at Mila Schon presented their Spring/Summer 2006 collection during Milan Fashion Week in September 2005. Madame Schon herself takes a very careful interest in the clothes shown in the name of her house.
Here on the right is a line of outfits from the collection. The first one is a outfit consisting of white long line cuffed shorts and jacket. This is followed by black mini dresses and printed frocks. At the end is a white ruffled dress.
Her house is known for it's pretty wearable casuals, and this season was no exception. Lovely printed sundresses and skirts just right for next spring and summer, filled her runway.
Mila Schon (W)