White Milano, a successful edition for the internationalisation of New Luxury

Supported by the Municipality of Milan and backed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI), ICE – the Agency for the Promotion of Italian Businesses Abroad and their Internationalisation, as well as a partnership with Confartigianato Imprese, White has established itself as a true intercontinental hub. Thanks to its numerous international initiatives, the event brings together buyers, designers, media, and industry professionals to shape the new trajectories of contemporary fashion.

For its February 2025 edition, the trade show highlighted a selection of 300 brands that White categorizes as New Luxury, with 55% of the brands being Italian and 45% coming from abroad, including emerging markets. This further proves its growing role as a global benchmark in innovation, creativity, and elegance, underscored by the meticulous staging of the exhibition spaces.

Thanks to its alliance with Confartigianato, the event welcomed 24 exceptional artisanal companies, entirely Made in Italy. Additionally, numerous international designers presented their collections, embodying the creative essence of their home countries: Spain, with the support of ICEX España Exportación e Inversiones; Armenia, represented by the Fashion & Garment Chamber of Armenia, benefiting from co-financing from the Private Sector Development and TVET South Caucasus Programme and support from GIZ Armenia, mandated by the German government. A delegation of Indigenous Canadian designers, supported by Indigenous Fashion Arts (IFA), also returned to White after their first participation in February 2023, offering a vision where aesthetics and ethics merge in favor of a more sustainable future.

In terms of attendance, the trade show recorded a 7% increase in international buyers, the result of intensive and targeted efforts. However, Italian attendance declined by 12%, aligning with industry trends.

White’s Ambassadors, permanently stationed in key regions such as the Gulf and the Middle East, South Korea, Japan, South America, Canada, Northern Europe, the DACH region, Benelux, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Vietnam, Thailand, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Poland, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Turkey, and Africa, actively mobilised top retailers and media from their respective territories. Their dedication ensured a steady flow of high-level buyers throughout the four-day event.

Among the many international retailers present, several prestigious names stood out: Villa Baboushka and HIP Store (Egypt), Cul de Paris, Takashimaya, Hankyo, Elle Shop, Estnation, Dressterior and Wondercube (Japan), SND and I.N. Select (China), Bloomingdale’s, Outline, and Nido (United States), Jades, Aest, Angelo’s, By A Store, and Abseit (Germany), Demsa Group (Turkey), Le Bon Marché, DFS – Samaritaine (France), Westerly from AlMalki Group (Saudi Arabia), Phaenomen (Switzerland), Ymra, Lune Lautre, and Smets (Belgium), Van Dijk (Netherlands), Glore (Austria), Tenero (Montenegro), The Feeting Room (Portugal), Runway Vietnam (Vietnam), Layers (United Kingdom), Frisee (Spain), and finally Chalhoub Group, Wild Fabrik, and Concept N. (United Arab Emirates).

This edition also highlighted White’s initiatives through the Circle project, in partnership with Monica Sarti. An ambitious vision for the future began with the signing of an MoU with the Retail Leaders Circle, a key reference in the Gulf and Middle Eastern markets. Through this project, White is securing a lasting presence in Riyadh, in collaboration with the AlMalki Group, to curate brands for the Westerly concept store.
Numerous openings are planned: three boutiques in Jeddah’s Yacht Club, two event pop-ups from October to December at Ether in Abu Dhabi and Wild Fabrik in Dubai, as well as a pop-up at 51East in Doha, set to launch by the end of 2025.