June fashion week represented a first step towards the innovation of a new “widespread event” format that connects and enhances different realities and the main players to involve, in a new way, professionals and the city of Milan, nerve center at an international level. The formula comes back with the edition of WHITE 23-26 September, which will take place in the locations of via Tortona and will bring together fashion system main players aiming to a strong restart of Milan and its Fashion Week.
Massimiliano Bizzi founder of WHITE and Fabio Pietrella, National Fashion President of Confartigianato Imprese, have been promoters of a system made of strong partnerships and alliances sharing the goal of promoting Milan Fashion Week at an international level. First line sees WHITE as a showcase represented by the Trade Show, a reference point for SMEs, the Camera Nazionale della Moda for the management of the official calendar of fashion shows and major fashion brands events, CSM-CAMERA SHOWROOM MILANO and CBI-THE BEST SHOPS as sales operators of this industry. Joining forces for a restart is the message launched through MILANO LOVES ITALY, a format promoted by WHITE and CSM and sponsored by the Municipality of Milan to make Milan the fashion capital worldwide.
WSM-WHITE has in fact created the first “widespread” format about responsible fashion with great success – actively involving all these different actors operating in Milan, with the patronage of the Municipality of Milan and the economic support of the ITA-Agency through the funds of MAECI for fairs. The main hub was represented by SUSTAINABLE EVOLUTION – a project in collaboration with the National Chamber of Italian Fashion – which presented 10 Italian and international designers on show at Fondazione Sozzani Tazzoli Milan.
Despite the difficulties of the historical moment, it registered the attendance of over 1,200 operators in just 3 days, including press, buyers, opinion leaders and final consumer interested in sustainable fashion.
Huge engagement increase on WSM-WHITE site and social networks (interactions on Instagram have grown + 288% and on the site + 33%) thanks to the contemporary topics addressed during workshops and talks. In addition, nine Milanese multi-brand stores presented installations and windows dedicated to companies and brands with sustainable dna. The following boutiques were part of the WSM X MILANO LOVES ITALY project: BIFFI BOUTIQUES, DAAD DANTONE, MODES, TENOHA, CIVICO NOVE, PELLUX, NUMERO TRENTA, NORTH SHORE MILANO, LADIOSA ATELIER.
Rosy Biffi, owner of the Biffi Boutiques Group commented: “We are really happy to have the chance of renewing the collaboration with White Milano and Massimiliano Bizzi by dedicating one of our windows to this project. We believe in the importance of supporting emerging talents and these kind of initiatives, which are essential not only for the fashion world, but for our beautiful and lively city too.”
The project saw the collaboration and support of CBI – THE BEST SHOPS too, which organized tours to introduce a new generation of creatives to buyers. Another project was presented in the city during Men’s Fashion Week: ARTISANAL EVOLUTION an event organized by CSM-Camera Showroom Milano, in partnership with Confartigianato Imprese and WHITE to promote small and medium-sized Italian companies, excellence of the Made in Italy.
A virtuous path that saw the following showrooms combined with the brands as protagonists of Artisanal Evolution:
– Breramode + Maison Laponte
– Casile&Casile + Kangra
– Continuo + Habillé
– Damiano Baiocchi + S.W.O.R.D
– Daniele Ghiselli + Ava Adore
– Elisa Gaito + Alessandro Enriquez
– Fattore K + East Harbour Surplus
– Panorama Moda + Le Tricot Perugia
– Progetto Milano+ Plus
– Spazio Coltri + Noova
– Spazio 38 + Canaku
– Studio Tato Sossai + Malaga4
– Studio Zeta + Sartoria 74
– Style Council & Associates + Bracò
– The Place Showroom + Saulina Milano
– Zappieri + D.Exterior
Massimiliano Bizzi, who together with CSM promotes MILANO LOVES ITALY, declares: “Today more than ever, aggregation goes with being able to read the sign of the times and change. It’s time to stop using digital tools for resiliency, I invite all entrepreneurs to rather think about the real restart on show, focusing on the dates of September, which I believe will bring much higher results than expected”.