Saudi fashion steals the spotlight at Milan Fashion Week

Saudi fashion steals the spotlight at Milan Fashion Week with collaboration between WHITE Milano and Saudi 100 Brands 

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,  September 2023: Saudi fashion took center stage in its second year of participation at Milan Fashion Week in collaboration with WHITE Milano through a series of special showcases, showrooms and activations. 

To kick-off the week, the WHITE Milano and Saudi 100 Brands program collaboration presented its exclusive gala event against the mesmerizing backdrop of the historic Palazzo Serbelloni in Milan during Milan Fashion Week.

The highly anticipated event attracted a distinguished lineup of VIPs, fashion industry executives, media, and fashion buyers from across the world. 

Led by a new wave of Saudi design talents, each of the collections, ranging from couture, ready-to-wear fashion, handbags, jewelry, fragrances, and footwear, was brought to life by a unique scenography and choreography, featuring dancers from the renowned La Scala Theatre.

At the heart of the fashion extravaganza stood the Saudi 100 Brands program, an initiative championed by the Saudi Fashion Commission. This visionary program empowers fashion designers from the Kingdom to share their work on a global stage, providing them with essential tools and resources to achieve international acclaim.

This year, WHITE Milano and the Saudi Fashion Commission took their collaboration to new heights with the Saudi 100 Brands showcase at the prestigious Padiglione Visconti, nestled in the heart of the Tortona Fashion District in Milan. The 1,000 square-meter space provided a versatile canvas for dedicated pop-ups representing each fashion house.

In addition to the Padiglione Visconti showcase, a pop-up display graced the renowned luxury retailer, 10 Corso Como Milan, offering fashion enthusiasts the opportunity to experience Saudi creativity firsthand.

Commenting on the successful Gala Event, Brenda Bellei, Chief Executive Officer of WHITE, said:

"Embracing our growing partnership with the Saudi Fashion Commission, we aimed to create an experience that resonates beyond the runway, inspiring a new meeting point between culture and fashion. The Gala Event dedicated to the Saudi 100 Brands program represents another milestone in the journey of Saudi fashion, and we are thrilled with the incredible turnout and overwhelming support it has garnered from the international fashion community."

Burak Cakmak, CEO of the Saudi Fashion Commission, said:

“After our very first showcase in Milan and positive collaboration with WHITE just one year ago, this year’s participation in Milan Fashion Week was bigger and better than ever, with a full house of fashion executives and buyers from all over the world coming to see for themselves what Saudi fashion has to offer. It’s been incredible to witness the positive reactions from the global fashion community.”

Saudi Arabia’s fashion industry holds the largest projected growth rates of any other large, high-income market, according to the “State of Fashion in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (2023)” report. From 2021 to 2025, retail fashion sales in Saudi are expected to surge 48% to $32 billion, representing an annual growth rate of 13%. This growth is expected to be fueled by the Kingdom’s economic expansion and growing population with apparel, accessories, footwear and luxury goods poised for significant gains. The value of luxury fashion purchases in the GCC hit $9.6 billion in 2021, with Saudi Arabia posting a 19% growth. 

WHITE Milano, a semi-annual event during Milan Fashion Week, has consistently showcased around 1,000 collections and welcomed over 20,000 visitors for each edition since 2002. This year's edition unfolded across several iconic locations, including Padiglione Visconti (Via Tortona 58), Superstudio Più (Via Tortona 27), BASE Ex Ansaldo (Via Tortona 54), and Mudec (Via Tortona 56).
For more information, please visit https://www.whiteshow.com/en/ and https://fashion.moc.gov.sa/en.