White increasingly international: foreign buyers (+7%) try to compensate for the drop in Italian buyers (-11%)
A 7% increase in foreign buyers which, however, fails to compensate - at least in the number of visitors - for the drop in domestic attendance (-11%). At the end of the September 2025 edition, White confirms an increasingly international identity: among the foreign buyers who arrived in the Tortona Fashion District, buyers from the Middle East stand out, which the group has been working on for some time with ad hoc projects, such as the partnership with Saudi Fashion Week scheduled from 16 to 21 October, but also with the collaboration with Qatar, which has resulted in a new appointment with the M7 project. There was also a good turnout from Spain, Japan, which reached interesting levels, and from Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
"The 7% growth in the foreign market and the increase in the Gulf markets in particular, are proof of a strategy and work that we have been doing for some time, that of exploring new markets for our companies. We will continue along this path by also looking into markets where demand is still important,' commented Massimiliano Bizzi, founder and president of White.
The event, held from 25 to 28 September, presented a brand mix of 364 clothing and accessories brands from all over the world, of which 55% came from abroad and 45% from Italy. And it recorded a 22% growth in exhibitors compared to the last two editions.
A key moment at White was the first Rlc Global Fashion Summit, organised at Mudec: the event brought together 200 representatives from the fashion, luxury, retail, technology and investment sectors under the theme 'Forces of Tomorrow'. Among the topics discussed were the strategic importance of GCC markets such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar, but also the use of artificial intelligence in business management and creativity. "The Rlc Fashion Summit brings together two extraordinary forces: the creativity of Milan Fashion Week and the strategic ability required to navigate today's complex and ever-changing scenario," said Panos Linardos, chairman of the Rlc Global Forum. By bringing together different voices in one context, we create the space for collaboration and innovative thinking that will define the future of our industry'.
