Sustainable design, craftsmanship, heritage brands and innovative international labels at White Milano

Finding solutions to the crisis, focusing on internationalisation and providing opportunities for all companies in the sector, including small ones, were key themes at the latest edition of White Milano. At the opening of the event last Thursday, the president of the Italian Trade Agency (ICE), Matteo Zoppas, explained the agency's efforts. The organisation is dedicated to the foreign promotion and internationalisation of Italian companies, focusing on encouraging buyers to attend the Milanese event, which concluded on Saturday in the Tortona district. ICE also facilitated the international expansion of large, small and medium-sized companies.

This edition of White Milano once again confirmed its status as a platform that gives visibility to new, avant-garde brands and craftsmanship. It also highlights projects founded on sustainability and heritage labels like Gattinoni. The brand, which celebrates its 80th anniversary this year, chose the event founded by Massimiliano Bizzi to relaunch its ready-to-wear line.

Over 300 brands were present

“The February edition is all about innovation, confirming the trade show's ability to evolve and respond with vision to the needs of international buyers, who have doubled in number thanks to the support of ICE. In this context, the format proves to be solid and forward-looking, fully expressing its dedication to the dialogue between research, design and quality,” said Bizzi.

For example, the Lucille Thievre brand combines design, research and quality. The Parisian brand, founded in 2021, has distinguished itself with its work with jersey, creating drapes that follow the body's lines rather than constricting them, revealing a silhouette defined by naturalness. As designer Lucille Thievre explained to FashionUnited, “jersey is not only an ideal fabric for enhancing the female figure, but it is also characterised by a comfort and fit that makes it suitable for wear across different seasons.”

The designer studied at the Institut Français de la Mode (IFM) in Paris, honing her understanding of technique and silhouette. Her early professional experience includes stints at Hermès and then Givenchy, where she perfected her craft before founding her own house in 2021.

Her work has received recognition through several awards: in 2019 at the Hyères International Festival of Fashion and Photography and in 2024 as the winner of the Grand Prix de la Création de la Ville de Paris. The designer's intuitive approach, which is focused on materials and rooted in generational savoir-faire, forms the core element of her eponymous fashion house.

The Boucharouite project, which creates colourful and very chic slippers, is completely focused on sustainability. The project stems from a series of collaborations between designer Calla Haynes and various artisans, aiming for three sustainable design goals: reducing waste by recycling textile remnants; supporting craftsmanship; and creating beautiful, timeless objects that carry on tradition to ensure its survival.

Calla Haynes is driven by a passion for finding solutions to help the fashion and textile industry become a more circular economy. She achieves this by educating consumers about production practices, consumption and the importance of supporting independent artisans.

The sustainable Babouche slipper line embodies conscious design and celebrates Moroccan craftsmanship. Each pair is handmade and unique, created by upcycling vintage Berber carpets. An expression of chromatic flair and attention to detail, the footwear is available in a multitude of colours and textures.

From Morocco to Lombardy: Ella Lago di Como is an Italian brand that presented its new autumn/winter 26/2027 collection at White. The project originates on the shores of Lake Como and features Cariaggi cashmere, selected from the finest qualities available on the international market. It is processed in Italy and enhanced with pairings of fine whole leathers and fur inserts, chosen for their structure, softness and visual appeal.

The colour palette recalls the depths of Lake Como in the colder seasons: deep blues; mineral greys; stone shades; forest greens; and metallic reflections that evoke light on the water.

Another distinctive element of the collection is the silk from Lake Como, an expression of a textile tradition unique in the world.

Alongside knitwear and outerwear in cashmere and leather, there are one-of-a-kind hand-painted jeans. Each painted design is unrepeatable, transforming the denim into an exclusive artistic medium. “We focus on personalisation, so clients can choose and order their preferred motif,” Laura Zancanella, the brand's founder, CEO and creative director, told FashionUnited.

From cashmere to the furs of Olivia V. The fur label focuses on youthful, wearable cuts and colours. The pieces, designed for city life, see fur paired with technical materials and evolved streetwear shapes.

The colour palette blends natural tones with urban accents: milky ice, chalk beige and volcano grey create a neutral and elegant base, perfect for reversible pieces and layering. Bolder accents like synthetic moss and satin copper introduce a technical and contemporary feel. Deep shades of glossy ink, aubergine and cocoa add intensity.

Susan Fang, another international brand chosen by the White Milano team for the Secret Rooms, uses experimental fabrics. Founded in 2017 by the eponymous designer, the brand's stylistic signature is its ethereal aesthetic and the fusion of craftsmanship and technology. A Central Saint Martins graduate, Fang creates collections characterised by experimental fabrics, sculptural techniques and emotional narratives.

The Secret Rooms also featured the brand Mii, which combines Indian craftsmanship with French elegance. It celebrates the handmade, vibrant colours and transforms ancient craft techniques like embroidery, weaving and block printing, using natural materials such as cotton, silk, wool and cashmere.

Among the other brands present at the Tortona district event was Ballantyne, which returned to White with the Kate bag, this time in a small size.

Appearing at White for the first time was La Stramberia, the Tuscan brand founded by Simona Maggi in 2007. Originating in Pietrasanta, the brand presented the autumn/winter 26/27 collection of its distinctive hats.

Among the new items were bonnets that envelop the head in a delicate cloud of merino wool and angora, made even more precious by a chinstrap of Bohemian crystals. “They can be worn under more structured hats, like a Fedora or a felt Homburg, for better protection from the cold, or they can be worn on their own,” explained Maggi.