
White Milano has always positioned itself as a platform for emerging and independent fashion, but as we attended its latest edition, one thing became clear: its ambitions are increasingly international.
The CIRCLE project, spearheaded by White in partnership with Monica Sarti, is accelerating this expansion, securing permanent retail spaces and pop-ups across the Middle East — including four in Saudi Arabia, two in the UAE, and one in Qatar by the year’s end.
The February edition showcased 300 brands, with 45% hailing from outside Italy, underscoring White’s continued push for internationalisation. Cärol Ott, founder of CAROLXOTT, a brand from Estonia, shared that this experience allowed her to share her stories with Central Europe. Others, like Bombo Studio and Rosamund Muir, considered it a great opportunity to network and broaden their markets.
Buyers from Japan, China, the USA, and Germany were in attendance, alongside key industry figures from the Middle East, a region White has strategically set its sights on. The Gulf’s appetite for fashion — particularly the segment White defines as “New Luxury” — has made it a focal point for expansion, facilitated by collaborations with the AlMalki Group and Retail Leaders Circle.
This season’s Secret Rooms spotlighted five designers from China, Colombia, Estonia, Italy, and Denmark, bringing a sense of discovery to the fair’s curated mix. Meanwhile, a delegation of Indigenous Canadian designers returned for a second season, highlighting a commitment to diverse narratives within the industry. Sustainability remained on the agenda, examining the evolving retail landscape.
And while White has always been a trade show first and foremost, its presence is shifting — part business, part cultural exchange, part incubator for the future of independent fashion.
As White Milano looks ahead to its Summer 2025 edition in June, its trajectory is clear. With strategic global partnerships, a focus on “New Luxury,” and an expanding footprint beyond Milan, the fair is becoming less about a single location and more about a movement.

photography. White
words. Gennaro Costanzo