Simona Severini, General Manager at White, discusses the show’s brand selection

"When Massimiliano and Brenda Bizzi and I founded White many years ago, we had, perhaps presumptuously, the ambition to do something different as there were already many shows. Today, our desire to create a brand selection that excites and encourages buyers to visit Milan, specifically the Tortona area, remains strong." With these words, Simona Severini, General Manager of White, emphasizes how selecting the right brands is crucial for the event, which will take place in Milan's Tortona Fashion District from Thursday, February 22 to Sunday, February 25. The FW24/25 collections will be showcased at the show. "We have created a mix of brands that offer freshness, innovation, and style without compromising the saleability of the garments and the functionality. In fact, it’s a brand mix that transforms White into a fashion hub, where buyers who already have almost everything in the store can still find excitement," Severini explains.

The White show, sponsored by the Lombardy Region and the Municipality of Milan, supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (Maeci) and Ice, an Agency for Foreign Promotion and Internationalization of Italian Companies, features a wide array of both Italian and international offers. More than 300 companies from across the globe will present their collections at Superstudio (via Tortona 27), Base Ex Ansaldo (via Tortona 54), and Padiglione Visconti (via Tortona 58). It’s where the reality of White Village will come to life and where it will be hosted for the first time, in a collaboration with East Market. "The show re-establishes itself as an international reference platform for companies and as a showcase for new trends," said White's general manager. He highlights that the brands selected by a seven-person sales team, were found in fashion weeks around the world. "The big fashion capitals, but also Los Angeles, Riyadh, Seoul, Tokyo."

For this season, White decided to focus on a team of young and talented creatives, who joined forces by collaborating on the campaign imagery creation. This season's theme, conceived by Massimiliano Bizzi, founder and art director of White, is "Women... Magical Creatures." The event emphasizes the value and importance of women, who have always been the main protagonists of fashion. It's not designers who choose who to dress, but it's women who choose how to dress, how to express themselves, how to enhance themselves. "I think it's clear to everyone that we are going through a moment of significant change and today as a group, we are more committed to aligning our strategic evolution to the change, rather than just achieving large numbers. I hope and trust that Milan will seize the opportunity to go along with this transformation and that it will become the undisputed capital of European fashion," Bizzi said.

One of White’s many new projects are the Secret Rooms. These are five hidden rooms in which international talents of the new generation present their collections in spaces matching the brand's personal vision. For the February 24, 2024 edition, Simona Severini has selected designer Alberto Ciaschini and his iconic footwear featuring cigarette heels; Samanta Virginio with her pop and hyper-feminine collection; Miao Ran who plays with masculinity and femininity; And Yangkehan, a Chinese designer who draws inspiration from traditional oriental aesthetics and turns them into ethereal shapes with soft coloring. Prototype: Am, a high-end ready-to-wear outerwear brand from Berlin that experimentes with new silhouettes, overlays and volumes, will also be present.

The show will also feature a selection of Spanish designers presented through the longstanding collaboration with Icex España Exportación e Inversiones. Another international partnership of White is with Kfashion82. This is a Korean business-to-business sales platform, launched in May 2023 and managed by the Shinsegae department store, the first promoter of Korean fashion. The collections of six talented brands (Ryu Classic, Jiminlee, Liberadd, Kimoui, HANNAH SHIN and MAN.G) will be presented at White.

"But there are many more novelties present, such as the creations of Dutch designer Yume Yume, to British artist Ia.London," Severini says. Also inside Superstudio are the Lofts, where Avant Toi and Stefano Mortari continuously collaborate. It's always surprising to see the savoir-faire of these brands at work and to discover how they have developed their own storytelling. In these spaces, customized by the individual designers, buyers can immerse themselves within the narrative that the brand brings forth season after season. The third Loft space of the edition starting February 22, 2024 will welcome the return of the celebrated jewelry brand Goti, founded by master jeweler Riccardo Goti with the intention of realizing his creative vision: a sartorial jewelry that mixes fabrics and leather cuts with handcrafted silver and other small precious elements.

The Basement will be dedicated to research and avant-garde collections. Telling their story will be M1978 with its handmade jewelry and special techniques such as using real flower casts into which silver is poured to achieve striking floral shapes. Vuscichè on the other hand, offers an agender wardrobe made from antique and salvaged fabrics. Finally, the creations of Dutch-Italian designer Marianne Vanderwilt will be featured as well. The Vanderwilt brand is recognized for working with leather, which she molds into sculptural garments for women. Complementing the brand mix will be offerings that meet different market demands. Haine Inside Us is an avant-garde made-in-Italy collection with a dark taste, where all-black hues, fabric overlays and asymmetrical cuts take over. The collection quickly found success internationally, blending streetwear and avant-garde elements. Atelier Hamza is the Romanian-born brand founded by Stefan Hamza. At the core of his vision is the production of eco-friendly (such as organic cotton) and high-quality garments.