MFW - WHITE Milano 2024

WHITE Milano 2024
*A New Chapter in Contemporary Fashion

written Sarah Arendts

As Milan Fashion Week approaches, all eyes are on WHITE Milano, the event that has become a global hub for showcasing cutting-edge women’s prêt-à-porter fashion.

Running from September 19 to 22, WHITE Milano returns with more than 300 brands, pushing the boundaries of style, sustainability, and innovation. Hosted at iconic venues Superstudio Più and BASE Ex-Ansaldo, the event promises a potent mix of established labels and rising stars ready to shape the future of fashion.

WHITE MILANO 2024
MIAORAN STUDIO

WHITE MILANO 2024
THE WHITE RAVEN

The buzz around this year’s WHITE edition is electrifying, thanks to its carefully curated lineup of designers who challenge conventional norms. The show’s emphasis on sustainability and originality sets a new benchmark for contemporary fashion. Alessia Cappello, Milan’s Councilor for Economic Development and Labor Policies, underscores the significance of this moment: "Fashion is Milan’s asset. WHITE continues to be a powerful force in driving forward employment and reputation for the city, with a clear focus on future-forward trends and innovative solutions."

WHITE’s famous "Secret Rooms" are back, spotlighting emerging designers who have been carefully handpicked for their vision and bold approach. This season, talents like YANGKEHAN, MIAORAN, and PROTOTYPE: AM are at the forefront, each transforming traditional craftsmanship into something new and daring.

Secret Rooms Where Emerging Talents Shine

WHITE MILANO 2024
PROTOTYPE: AM

YANGKEHAN blends classic oriental aesthetics with a fresh, contemporary twist, offering intricate handmade garments that radiate feminine power. Meanwhile, MIAORAN’s SS25 collection, "La Tempesta," channels nature’s raw elements through macramé techniques and sustainable practices. From stormy seas to delicate sands, MIAORAN’s vision of genderless clothing marks a new frontier in fashion’s fluidity.

Berlin-based PROTOTYPE: AM flips the script on office wear with its "OUT OF OFFICE" collection, playfully subverting corporate dress codes with a palette dominated by olive green and striking silhouettes.

WHITE’s Loft and Basement spaces have long been where boundary-pushing collections find their home. This year is no different. South African designers—like FIKILE SOKHULU and GOOD FRIDAY—bring a global perspective to the Loft, combining craftsmanship with striking feminine elegance. On the other hand, the Basement is reserved for those pushing the limits of avant-garde design. VANDERWILT’s leather sculptures and VUSCICHÈ’s botany-inspired creations are testament to the growing demand for sustainable, circular fashion practices that still feel luxe and tactile.

WHITE MILANO 2024
CAVIA

WHITE MILANO 2024
YID'PHROGMA

WHITE MILANO 2024
YID'PHROGMA

With ExpoWHITE, the boundaries of fashion are extended far beyond Italy. This season, WHITE welcomes emerging designers from South Korea, Latin America, and Armenia. The global scope is undeniable, with designers like MAN.G from Korea and VERDI from Colombia showcasing collections that merge local heritage with global appeal.

In a major first, WHITE also partners with Istituto Marangoni for the debut edition of the “I’M TALENT SHOWROOM,” spotlighting the institute’s most promising alumni. This collaboration highlights WHITE’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of designers, offering a platform for young creatives like Victoria Jenkins of UNHIDDEN and Jun Zhou of PRONOUNCE to connect with international buyers and fashion industry heavyweights.

ExpoWHITE
A Global Stage for Emerging Markets

WHITE is a cultural platform where fashion, music, and business intersect. With a diverse of events, WHITE solidifies its role in shaping industry trends and future outlooks. WHITE Milano 2024 os going to reflect fashion’s evolving landscape, driving sustainability, creativity, and innovation, and influencing the future of the industry.

credit all images
(c) WHITE MIlano, 2024 and Brands

Lucca *Tuscany’s Tasteful Tradition

Fashion Weekend
LUCCA 2024
Tuscany’s Tasteful Tradition

written Chidozie Obasi

Tuscany is a treasure-trove of ancient culture: from art to craftsmanship, it beholds a quiet potency that has developed through centuries of history.

Lucca Fashion Weekend is one such example: the format created a dynamic encounter between art and the city's historic spaces, tracing new and innovative exploratory paths with the aim of enhancing the local territory and artisanal know-how.

Bottega Bernard

LUCCA Fashion Weekend 2024
Bottega Bernard

Craft tradition and new contemporary visions were the lanes that carried the event along, becoming crossroads and meeting points between generations. A two-day program full of appointments saw a calendar of high artistic and cultural value: installations, talks, exhibitions and presentations were hosted in the most prestigious historical locations.

Three pillars added a firm structure to the event, united by innovation and sustainability: firstly, LFW End was container of presentations for young independent brands, ateliers and local and national craft realities, and talks with independent magazines; LFW Exp, was intended for exhibitions and installations spread among the city’s streets, art and urban fabric in privileged conversation; Lastly, LFW Off promoted initiatives and events by the commercial activities, along the main shopping streets will animate the city streets with presentations and extraordinary openings.

Among the things worthy of note in the first section was: Sotterranea, an exhibition project that saw the city's basement hosting independent brands and prestigious craft realities.

Among the independent brands, once could have found: Damiano Marini, Invaerso, Leight Studio, Maison Lamoureux, Maria Patrizia Marra for accessories; Saman Loira and Aza Lea for clothing. Rovi Lucca, with the Herbarium collection, was the protagonist of an elegant and sophisticated installation in the setting of the Botanical Garden; Bottega Bernard with the UNMUTE collection created a conceptual and contemporary catwalk in the basement of the Baluardo San Regolo.

Rovi Lucca

LUCCA Fashion Weekend 2024
L'Eight Studio

Saman Loira

The Loggiato Pretorio was the stage for a three-day masterclass curated by Le vanità Profumerie and Armani Beauty. More weaving with the exhibition at the Palazzo Mansi National Museum of the ancient rustic weaving workshop Maria Niemack, who is credited with recovering and enhancing the ancient technique of rustic weaving. On display were ancient nineteenth and twentieth-century looms and tools recovered from the area along with a sampler of the various types of fabrics, trimmings and balloons made with these tools.

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(c) Lucca 2024 and brands

WHITE Show Milano *Redefining Summer Fashion Standards

Milano Fashion Week
WHITE Show Milano
New Summer Fashion Manifesto

written Sarah Arendts

As June's swelter descended on Milan, the WHITE Show completely reimagined the summer fashion game at this year’s Milan Fashion Week.

Throwing typical resort clichés out the window, the event rolled out a dizzying array of ensembles perfect for everything from city adventures to sunset beach lounging.

WHITE Milano 2024
June Edition

This year’s WHITE Show emerged as a beacon of high summer fashion, transcending the usual sandy clichés of sun hats and swimwear. The collections brought versatility to the forefront, perfect for bustling city streets and tranquil beach escapes alike. This broadened vision of summer wear, reflective of a burgeoning synergy between fashion and the growing tourism sector, underscored the season’s evolving narratives.

Guided by Massimiliano Bizzi, the Founder of WHITE, the event navigated a challenging global market with audacity. Bizzi's boldness in launching this new event at such a critical time paid off, reflecting in his confident declaration,

“Launching a new event at this time is undoubtedly a bold move, but it has rewarded us greatly.”

Massimiliano Bizzi, the Founder of WHITE

A standout feature of WHITE was its role as a nexus for emerging markets. Here, underrepresented brands found a vibrant stage to display their creative prowess, enriching the global fashion dialogue and introducing fresh designs and perspectives that have often been sidelined.

The fair’s carefully curated selections boasted unique materials, meticulous craftsmanship, and rich cultural narratives, weaving a rich tapestry of fashion as much about identity as aesthetics. Highlighting this narrative was the “Aurora” collection by Agua by Agua Bendita, a tribute to Colombian artisanship with its exquisite, heritage-rich designs.

The international appeal of the event was palpable, attracting top-tier buyers from luxury strongholds in the Middle East to retail giants in Japan, such as Takashimaya and BayCrew’s, spotlighting WHITE’s critical role in shaping fashion trends across continents.

The event skillfully married fashion with lifestyle. Evenings at the White Resort garden buzzed with performances and gastronomic experiences, crafting an immersive atmosphere that celebrated the aesthetics and ethos of summer. The Lounge space, for instance, showcased the sporty-luxury hybrids of brands like SUMMER GAMES, which resonated with modern, eclectic tastes.

The latest iteration of the WHITE Show raised the bar for summer fashion and exemplified the dynamic evolution of fashion events to meet new consumer demands and market shifts. By interlacing creativity, market insight, and cultural diversity, WHITE has sewn a vibrant new narrative into the global fashion fabric, heralding a promising future for its diverse audience.

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(c) WHITE MIlano June 2024

Salone del Mobile 2024 - Milan in Revolt Where

Milan in Revolt
Salone del Mobile 2024
Edition Breaks All Design Rules

written Monica De Luna

Milan, once again, transformed into the epicenter of global design innovation this April, with Salone del Mobile 2024 unfolding as a radical tableau of future-forward ideas and partnerships that blur the lines between disciplines. The week was about statements—each exhibit a manifesto, each piece a pronouncement of the world to come.

Patrick Carroll for JW Anderson
This year, JW Anderson's collaboration with Patrick Carroll was shrouded in an aura of mystery, hinting at a collection where furniture might just be as wearable as it is livable. A convergence of fluid forms and experimental materials, the collection likely challenged our perceptions of space and function, pushing the boundaries of what we expect from interior environments.

Patrick Carroll for JW Anderson
courtesy JW Anderson

Jonathan Anderson + Patrick Carroll
courtesy of JW Anderson

James Bantone x UGG
Comfort met couture in the plush confines of the James Bantone x UGG exhibit. Known for bending narratives and textiles, Bantone reimagined UGG’s iconic coziness into an art form, presenting installations that invited touch, interaction, and a rethinking of softness in our lives and spaces.

Harry Nuriev x Poltronova
Iconic for his use of vivid, often surreal color palettes, Harry Nuriev’s collaboration with Poltronova was a visual feast, echoing with the spirits of past and future. This partnership brought a collection that felt like a flashback set in fast-forward—retro silhouettes bursting with techno-color dreams.

Salone del Mobile 2024 was about proposing new ways of seeing, feeling, and interacting with our environment.

James Bantone x UGG
James Bantone

Harry Nuriev x Poltronova
Harry Nuriev

‘Design Ancora’ by Gucci transports you through time, with its showcase at the Via Montenapoleone flagship being a masterful reawakening of Milanese design traditions. It’s a space where the heritage of Italian aesthetics is seamlessly woven with the present, inviting you into Gucci’s vision of enduring design.

‘Design Ancora’ by Gucci
courtesy of GUCCI

Gucci's 'Design Ancora' redefines timeless elegance, weaving the threads of historical opulence with the bold strokes of contemporary design.

Hermès’ 'Topographie de la matière' weaves a tale of texture and essence, a profound exploration that speaks to the brand’s deep-rooted dedication to the art of fine materials. Each piece in this collection stands as a silent narrative, offering an understated yet poignant perspective on the luxury of design.

‘Topographie’ Hermès
courtesy Hermés

All collaboration and installation were a portal to future possibilities, where design transcends its traditional roles and becomes a medium for cultural and conceptual discourse.

This year, Milan hosted a revolution in thought and form, making us all partakers in the avant-garde. Thank You!

WHITE Milan 2024 *Revolutionizing Fashion

Milano Fashion Week
WHITE Milan 2024
Revolutionizing Fashion

written Monica de Luna

WHITE Milan stands out as a pinnacle of innovation and a gathering point for global fashion enthusiasts.

Running from February 22 to 25, this edition represented a pivotal moment in the event's journey, demonstrating a bold leap in its commitment to sustainability, inclusivity, and aesthetic innovation.

Brand: MIAORAN Studio

WHITE Milano 2024
Brand: PROTOTYPE AM

The introduction of the WHITE Village, a B2C initiative, was a testament to the fair's commitment to embracing a broader audience, attracting over 18,096 visitors. This initiative, alongside the main event, underscored Milan's pivotal role in the fashion industry, drawing in a global crowd of buyers, editors, and fashion professionals.

With its blend of innovation, inclusivity, and sustainability, WHITE Milan is crafting a new narrative for the fashion industry, one that resonates with the sign of the times.

The show's layout itself was a narrative of change, eschewing traditional design for a dynamic interplay of black, pink, and mirrored details that promised an immersive experience. This transformation was not just physical but also symbolic of the event's broader vision to reflect the current zeitgeist, where fashion serves as a mirror to society's shifts and transformations.

Massimiliano Bizzi, President and Founder of WHITE, emphasized the post-pandemic world's demands on the fashion industry. He highlighted the event's role in setting a benchmark for women's fashion in Milan and outlined the ambitious path ahead, marked by innovation and collaboration. The Expo White project and the (Textile)Times initiative are perfect examples, aiming to bridge Milan with emerging markets and support international designers.

The event showcased an impressive brand mix, with around 300 brands presenting their collections. Notably, the Secret Rooms project offered a unique discovery experience, highlighting the creative prowess of designers like PROTOTYPE:AM and YANGKEHAN. YUME YUME, the special guest, captivated the audience with its "The travel of a single drop" collection, blending originality with whimsical details.

Simona Severini, General Manager of WHITE, eloquently stated that this edition perfectly balanced content with its container.

The event's selection process, favoring daring and emotionally charged collections, showcased WHITE's commitment to pushing boundaries and fostering a dialogue between fashion and its audience.

Brand: LaMilanesa

WHITE Milano 2024 Edition
Brand: GOTI

Brand: Kasei Archive

The event's sustainability focus, highlighted through a collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, showcased a commitment to addressing global textile waste challenges, reinforcing the event's role as a catalyst for change within the industry. WHITE Milan's latest edition has (again) solidified its status as a key player on the global fashion stage and also as a visionary force, ready to navigate the complexities of the modern world.

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(c) WHITE MIlano, 2024

Louis Vuitton x Art Basel

*Pop Up
Louis Vuitton Brings Unique Pop-Up Experience to Art Basel

written Amanda Heath

Louis Vuitton continues to surprise and delight art enthusiasts worldwide with its series of innovative pop-up experiences. Following successful iterations in illustrious cities like Venice, Shanghai, and Dubai, the luxury Maison has now brought its latest creation to the prestigious Art Basel event.

Housed in Hall 1 of the renowned contemporary art fair, Louis Vuitton's pop-up is an exploration of the Maison's groundbreaking Editions catalogue, a collection of over a hundred titles that spans subjects of travel, design, art, and fashion.

Each of these publications, including the City Guide, Travel Books, and Fashion Eye collections, encapsulates Louis Vuitton's commitment to blending luxury with culture.

The pop-up event draws on the expertise of a wide range of contributors, from freelance journalists and seasoned authors to cultural experts. Each has helped to capture the essence of the varied subjects and destinations that make up the rich tapestry of Louis Vuitton's literary works.

In an exciting turn, the pop-up event will also host painter and illustrator, Yann Kebbi, for an exclusive signing of his latest creation for the Maison, the Travel Book Las Vegas. Kebbi will be on site from 4pm to 5pm on the 13th and 14th of June. An exclusive “Artist Edition” of the Travel Book will also be available at the event, offering visitors a chance to own a unique piece of Louis Vuitton history.

Open to visitors for the duration of Art Basel, this Louis Vuitton Editions pop-up event invites clients and visitors to embark on a journey across the Maison’s literary works. It promises a thrilling exploration of diverse destinations and themes, all set to be discovered in the vibrant heart of Art Basel.

Don't miss the chance to immerse yourself in the Maison's world of fashion, art, and travel in this unique pop-up experience.