White Milano closed with a positive balance. The contemporary trade show recorded a consistent number of visitors compared to September 2022, with a 5% rise in foreign buyers thanks to the strategy and growth of the Expo White project. White Village, the first dopo-salone event in partnership with Mtv, was a great success with the public.
“We experienced an exceptional fashion week with Milan crowded with industry insiders. This demonstrates how important fashion is for the city, with attendees from all over the world. White contributes significantly with its numbers to achieving this result. Among the attendees of this edition, as was the case in February, a distinct increase in foreign participants is evident, showcasing that White's long-standing strategy is yielding results” said Massimiliano Bizzi, founder of White.
Organized with the patronage of the Lombardy Region and the Municipality of Milan, with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (Maeci), Ice-Agency for the Promotion of Italian Companies Abroad, and in partnership with Confartigianato Imprese, White reaffirms its position as the leading international reference platform for women’s fashion companies and a showcase for new trends. Over 360 brands were presented, with a perfect balance between Italian and foreign companies (50% Italian and 50% foreign). There was a significant increase in buyers from France, the US, and the Middle East, and a strong presence from China, Japan, and Korea. Among the buyers, we can mention 24s.com, Samaritaine, Lost&Found, Neiman Marcus, Holt Renfrew, Harvey Nichols Doha, Galeries Lafayette Dubai, Level Shoes, Chaloub Group, and from Saudi Arabia Westerly, Rubaiyat, Chapter4, and Pattern.
The Secret Rooms project renewed its successful format, featuring five special spaces where international emerging talents unveiled their latest collections. A selection of ten Spanish designers also participated to the show, thanks to the collaboration with Icex España Exportación e Inversiones, which began in September 2017 and continues to this day.
At the Visconti Pavilion, Expo White hosted the Saudi 100 Brands project, the Fashion Commission’s program that promotes fashion designers from Saudi Arabia. On the evening of September 20, at Palazzo Serbelloni, the collections of the designers were featured in a fashion show accompanied by the performance of the dancers from the Teatro alla Scala in Milan. From September 19 to 28, a selection of Saudi brands were featured at the pop-up shop at the famous luxury concept store 10 Corso Como.
Directly from the first edition of the Yerevan Fashion Week held earlier in the summer, a group of Armenian brands showcased their collections at White, while Fashion Firm SA introduced ten South African designers, promoting their entry into new markets.
There was also a significant turnout at the Mudec auditorium for the program “The couture code: The impact of AI on the fashion industry,” which saw the participation of numerous partners, including Albini Group, an important Italian textile company, and Mesmerise, a leading artificial intelligence company founded in 2016.
