Top buyers explain why White Milano remains benchmark platform for fashion

Buyer numbers increased by 12 percent at White Milano. The event took place from February 26 to March 1 in Milan's Tortona Fashion District. The reactions from international and Italian buyers were very positive. "White is the ideal place to find new collections and discover new trends. Our search focuses on brands with fresh designs and on-trend colours.

When choosing a brand, we favour clear and recognisable originality in garments and accessories. These must represent our customers' desires and reflect their needs and style," noted buyers from esteemed companies such as United Arrows of Tokyo. "White confirms its status as a benchmark platform for discovering new businesses. It presents innovative brands and is an essential event for us, precisely because it is the place where you can intercept the real innovations in the sector," added Part Leo Guegan, senior buyer of luxury accessories and footwear at the Parisian department store Printemps.

Uberta Zambeletti of Wait and See: "this trade fair is essential for staying in touch with my current brands and for discovering new ones"

"Since I opened Wait and See 15 years ago, I have attended every single edition of White. I find this trade fair essential not only for staying in touch with my current brands but also for discovering new ones," explained Uberta Zambeletti, founder of Wait and See, a well-known Milanese shop. In short, this year's recently concluded edition of the trade show has once again confirmed itself as an ideal hub for brands and buyers in the city for fashion week.

In terms of numbers, over 300 brands were featured, a 10 percent increase in brands present compared to February 2025. 46 percent came from abroad and 54 percent were Italian. The presence of new brands was significant. It reflected an increasingly targeted search for independent, innovative, and highly recognisable businesses capable of authentically interpreting the new languages of contemporary fashion.

Specifically, the event confirmed its role as a strategic benchmark platform for contemporary womenswear. It recorded growing performance both in terms of brands and the quality of operators.

The edition was sponsored by the Lombardy Region and the Municipality of Milan and supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. It particularly enhanced the contribution of Ice–Agenzia, a strategic partner along with Confartigianato Imprese, further strengthening the event's international positioning.

Strong representation of buyers from Japan, Spain, Germany, China, US, Austria, Korea, and Emirates

The turnout of international buyers was particularly noteworthy, showing growth compared to previous editions. There was a strong representation from countries such as Japan; Spain; Germany; China; the US; Austria; Korea; and the Emirates, among others.

"The work carried out with Agenzia Ice, whose president Matteo Zoppas opened the event, has allowed us, together with the commitment of our team, to record a significant increase in international buyers, with a growth of 12 percent compared to February 2025," said Massimiliano Bizzi, founder of White Milano. He stressed that buyers greatly appreciated the new vision of the platform's brand mix.

Among them was Dorota Jagiello, buyer manager at Polish Boutique Catwalk Zakopane. "As a buyer, I think White is one of the most important trade fairs in Europe and I never fail to visit it, because I constantly find new collections for my clients. It is an unmissable fair for quality, beauty and for the discovery of new designers," stated Jagiello.

Junha Moon, head buyer at Opener Seoul: "White Milano is a key stop in our buying calendar"

Junha Moon, head buyer at Opener Seoul, echoed this sentiment: "White Milano is a key stop in our buying calendar because it offers privileged access to contemporary designers with a strong authorial identity and a defined cultural vision. It allows us to discover new brands, which is essential for maintaining our position as a fashion reference point in Seoul. Today we are looking for authenticity, coherence and a clear point of view, as buyers are becoming increasingly selective and less interested in generic contemporary brands."