From the team behind WHITE Milano, brands will be brought to Riyadh and Jeddah in partnership with Al Malki Group, to UAE with pop-up taking place in Abu Dhabi at Ether and to Qatar with 51East

UAE, Dubai, 10th March 2025: Luxury fashion brands from around the world looking to grow their footprint into the Middle East and emerging markets will be given support and guidance thanks to The Circle project, a business development organisation from the team behind WHITE Milano, a tradeshow for international womenswear at the heart of Milan Fashion Week.

Announced during Milan Fashion Week last week, The Circle project has signed an agreement with the conglomerate Al Malki Group to bring international brands to Saudi Arabia with the opening of a pop up at Riyadh's Westerly department store last month, in addition to three stores opening at the Jeddah Yacht Club this year.

And from October to December, a pop-up for selcted brands will be held at Ether, the department store offering a unique and dynamic platform for lifestyle brands at Yas Mall, Abu Dhabi and at Wild Fabrik in Dubai, the prominent store offering ethical fashion. In Qatar, a pop-up at 51East, the luxury department store in Doha, is set to open by the end of 2025.

Founded by Brenda Bellei, CEO of The Circle and CEO of WHITE Milano and Monica Sarti, Project Developer at The Circle and Creative Director of Faliero Sarti, The Circle supports the global expansion and opens up business opportunities for a select group of SME businesses who are current clients of WHITE Milano.

Brenda Bellei said, 'We are seeing huge interest from consumers in the Middle East for luxury fashion pieces from innovative, smaller suppliers. As a result, there are immense opportunities for entrepreneurs who can see beyond their current markets.

'The Circle is more than a concept; it is a philosophy that embraces the continuous flow of creativity, innovation, and renewal. Thanks to our extensive experience working in the luxury fashion sector in the Middle East, we have a strong network and valuable personal contacts, which we are using to support smaller businesses to expand in the region and have a presence at key fasion events such as Red Sea Fashion Week next month.'

Monica Sarti added, 'In addition to our experience and strong network in the Middle East, we are advising clients on the choice of fabrics, textiles and the development of the pieces to ensure the preferences of the consumer in the region are incorporated into the final designs.'

For over 20 years, WHITE Milano has been an important showcase for fashion, capturing market trends and attracting thousands of industry professionals to Milan. Along with the Fashion Weeks, WHITE also contributes to enhancing the prestige of Made in Italy and consolidating Milan as one of the key international fashion capitals of the world.

The Circle currently represents product categories that are typically included in the fashion segment in addition to lifestyle and beauty brands.