Interview with Massimiliano Bizzi, founder and CEO of White.
Innovation, creativity, avant-garde are the key words to understand the work of Massimiliano Bizzi, creator and CEO of WHITE.
The Milan show, thanks to the entrepreneur’s intuition, was one of the pioneers of scouting, attracting attention to future fashion promises, inviting young designers to the show, to meet them with the most prestigious buyers worldwide.
Ahead of the times, Bizzi and WHITE presented labels such as Lucio Vanotti, Sunnei, Julian Zigerli, Aalto, Tonsure, Cottweiler, all of which were then selected for important competitions such as LVMH Prize and International Woolmark Prize.
1. From designers and shoemakers to the latest frontiers of trade fair innovation. Thanks to his talent for scouting and knowledge of the markets, he has created one of the most sparkling realities on the international fair scene. Vision or recklessness?
I sincerely believe both and I believe that vision is indispensable, as is knowledge of the market, but that it is essential to be daring in the workplace.
2. How important is it for an emerging designer’s career to be able to count on appointments like White?
White was founded in 2002 as a launching platform with 19 exhibitors and, to date, we welcome over 1000 companies a year, during the four editions, has not lost its appeal and remains a springboard for newborn companies, but helps to consolidate the business of reality more established.
At White, companies find great communication support, online and offline, before and during the event and are visited by the best buyers in the fashion industry, worldwide.
3. Recently opened White Street Market, which also opens the doors of the event to the final public. Do you think it is an obligatory step in a historical moment like this in which the distances are shortened and multiply the companies that sell their products doing without intermediaries?
Certainly for some segments, such as streetwear and sportswear, it would make no sense for brands to keep their distance from their final consumer, for this type of company, I think opening to the public is a must. Some brands have expressly requested us to open the doors of the event to the city, to bring their customers closer: this is how WSM was born, a B2B and B2C event, which in January saw the presence of over 14,000 visitors.
4. What do you think is the role of training institutes like Modartech today?
I believe that the role of training institutes is to support young people as much as possible in their concrete integration into the world of work. The Istituto Modartech gave me a very positive impression of a very dynamic and modern reality.