Trade fairs have long been the corset stays of the fashion industry - structuring, supporting, and sometimes reshaping the body of commerce. White Milano, the influential Italian trade show, recently announced an ambitious growth strategy that mirrors the very evolution of lingerie itself: a move from the private to the public, from niche to global. At a conference in Milan's Palazzo Morando, president Massimiliano Bizzi detailed plans that include a new board, a fresh investment from the Italian Trade Agency (ITA), and the launch of two new sections: Nuvola (accessories) and Box (streetwear, activewear, and denim). This diversification recalls how 20th-century lingerie brands - once confined to boudoirs - expanded into ready-to-wear, blurring boundaries between undergarments and outerwear. The ITA's increased funding will triple international buyer presence, targeting markets as varied as India, the Balkans, and South America, while maintaining strong ties with Europe and Asia. Notably, the June edition introduces "On the Beach," a hybrid format blending showroom, pop-up, and events in Milan's Tortona district - a concept that echoes the seaside origins of the bikini, introduced in 1946 by Louis Réard and Jacques Heim. A curated group of 12 Colombian brands, selected by Medellín's concept store Makeno, will debut, highlighting the global reach of intimate apparel craftsmanship. Meanwhile, Kimhēkim, a Korean designer brand now on the Paris Fashion Week calendar, will show - a nod to how lingerie's influence now permeates high fashion. The appointment of Monica Sarti as vice president, alongside a new steering committee, signals a corporate maturity akin to the structured support systems that transformed lingerie from simple cotton shifts into engineered works of art. White Milano's expansion is not merely a trade show's growth; it is a reflection of how intimate apparel's history - of innovation, global trade, and cultural exchange - continues to shape the broader fashion narrative.
Originally reported by WWD