- Trump rallies at site of failed assassination: 'Never quit'
- Too hot by day, Dubai's floodlit beaches are packed at night
- Is music finally reckoning with #MeToo?
- Fans hail Trump's 'guts' as he returns to site of rally shooting
- Lebanon state media says 'very violent' Israeli strikes hit south Beirut
- Guardians maul Tigers, miracle Mets rally in MLB series openers
- Lebanon state media says Israeli strikes hit south Beirut
- Miami on track for MLS record points after win in Toronto
- Madrid beat Villarreal but Carvajal suffers knee injury
- Madrid beat Villarreal to move level with Liga leaders Barcelona
- Monaco take top spot in Ligue 1 with win at Rennes
- French rugby player on rape charge whistled but 'serene' on return
- Madrid beat Villarreal to level Liga leaders Barca
- Thuram treble fires Inter past Torino and up to second
- 'Fight': defiant Trump jets in to site of rally shooting
- Toddler among 3 dead in migrant Channel crossings
- Mexico City's new mayor sworn in with pledges on water, housing
- Israel on alert ahead of Hamas attack anniversary
- Guardians maul Tigers in MLB playoff series opener
- Macron criticises Israel on Gaza, Lebanon operations
- French rugby player whistled but 'serene' on return amid ongoing rape case
- Kovacic stars as Man City sink Fulham to get title bid back on track
- Retegui hat-trick fires five-star Atalanta to hammering of Genoa
- Heavyweights Australia, England off to World Cup winning starts
- Visiting UN refugee agency chief decries 'terrible crisis' in Lebanon
- Spinners come to party as England defeat Bangladesh at T20 World Cup
- Search continues for missing in deadly Bosnia floods
- Man City sink Fulham to get title bid back on track
- France's Auradou whistled on Pau return in Perpignan loss amid ongoing rape case
- A 'forgotten' valley in storm-hit North Carolina, desperate for help
- Arsenal hit back in style after Southampton scare
- Thousands march for Palestinians ahead of Oct 7 anniversary
- Hezbollah heir apparent Safieddine out of contact after strikes
- Liverpool stay top of Premier League as Arsenal, Man City win
- In dank Tour of Emilia, Pogacar shines in rainbow jersey
- DR Congo launches mpox vaccination drive, hoping to curb outbreak
- Trump returns to site of failed assassination
- Careless Leverkusen held to Bundesliga draw
- O'Brien's 'superstar' Kyprios posts landmark win on Arc weekend
- Toddler crushed to death in migrant Channel crossing
- Liverpool suffer Alisson injury blow
- Habosi helps Racing beat Vannes before Auradou's playing return
- Thousands march in London in support of Palestinians, 1 year after Oct 7
- Israel readying response to Iran missile attack
- Schutt, Mooney help Australia beat Sri Lanka in Women's T20 World Cup
- Liverpool extend Premier League lead with win at Palace
- Djokovic 'shakes rust off' to make third round of Shanghai Masters
- 'Imperfect' PSG fighting on all fronts - Luis Enrique
- Struggling Pakistan look to thwart adaptable England
- Child 'trampled to death' in asylum seekers' Channel crossing: minister
Sidewalk is new catwalk outside Milan fashion shows
A cry goes up the from crowd, a sea of craning necks and suddenly hundreds of cellphones go up in the air clicking photos.
An influencer has just arrived at a fashion show.
This is the scene that has played out day after day at Milan Fashion Week, where live shows began Wednesday, all accompanied by crowds of fashion hopefuls, fans and photographers hoping to capture a perfect Instagram shot of their favourite influencer.
At Versace on Friday night, hundreds of fans crushed against a barrier to catch a glimpse of someone -- anyone -- photo-worthy to later post on social media. Every few minutes, dozens of fans would dash to another area of the barricade at the sound of a vehicle.
"We just saw a black car come in, but we saw nothing," said Riccardo Capobianco, 24, in the crowd with his friend Irina. "We have no idea what's happening."
Ditto with Sarah Pilot, 22, an American student surrounded by her girlfriends.
"We're kind of laughing at ourselves watching," she admitted sheepishly.
A scream went up in the crowd, but cut off quickly, as a new group of people entering the show came into view.
"Are those just average people with tickets?" one of the girls asked.
- Nobody becomes somebody -
Outside Prada, Gucci, Moschino, Max Mara and more, the sidewalk is the new catwalk for fashion wannabes, the Instagram stars they worship and photographers from all across the globe -- mostly freelancers or amateurs -- who capture it all.
But who are these people, this reporter asked, as the umpteenth preening starlet flipped her hair, pursed her lips and jutted out a hip for anyone who pulled out a camera.
"They're all Instagram fashionistas," explained London photographer Ash Mahmood, 26, outside Max Mara. "They're nobody turned into somebody. That's how it works."
The amateur photographers hope their subjects -- with their thousands even millions of followers -- will repost their photos, gaining exposure.
But the exercise isn't even about fashion, or beauty for that matter, but recognisability, they acknowledged.
"A photo of just anyone isn't worth anything," said Marco Tadini, 60, one of the sidewalk's professionals. "You can be gorgeous but it doesn't count a bit".
Two American fashion students looking bemused at Fendi said it was their first time outside a show.
New Yorker Taylor May, 20, said she was used to seeing "a lot of weird fashion" back at home so was curious to see what was on display in Milan -- namely neon colours and maxi skirts.
So far the pair hadn't recognised anyone entering the fashion show.
"We're lost but we can see who's getting their picture taken," said her friend Kia Patterson, 21, from Missouri.
That didn't mean all the fashion was good, May cautioned.
"One of the outfits, I was like 'Nooooo'...." she said.
Back outside Versace, the squeals from the fans and the mad rushes at the barricades to catch a glimpse of arriving guests were starting to get old for Sara Pelizzoli, 22, and her friend Paola Cecinati, 21.
"They're a little fanatic, they could calm down a little bit," Pelizzoli said.
Milan Fashion Week wraps up Monday.
C.Garcia--AMWN