The prestigious international school of fashion & design showcased graduate collections in an innovative event that blended the Metaverse with the material world.
12 July 2023: Istituto Marangoni London, the renowned fashion and design school, presented their graduate showcase, their first phygital show, on Tuesday, 11th July. This runway show bridged the physical and virtual realms as part of the London school’s 20th Anniversary celebrations. Graduate collections were unveiled at Unit 2, 110 Pennington Street, East London and in the Metaverse during the evening event. Istituto Marangoni London School is a patron of the British Fashion Council and had a glittering debut at London Fashion Week last September.
Ten exceptional students selected by the school each presented six designs engaging the theme of DISRUPT/DISTORT. The ten students chosen were: Angelynne Viorenique Andersen, Anna Savchenko, Giju Kim, Hammotal Blair Hen, Hyun Jik Yoo, Jiaxi Zhuang, Lucrezia Grazioli, Natálie Kabeláčová, Rudraksh Singh, and Ummehani Kanchwala. The school chose an overall winner for the Designer of the Year, awarded to Hyun Jik Yoo.
Istituto Marangoni is the first school to venture into the Metaverse with their virtual world called ‘The Talent District,’ where the creative industries are free to express their universal power. The London Academy of Freelance Makeup and Unite Haircare provided support for the graduates with their runway presentations. Following Istituto Marangoni’s inaugural phygital runway show in Dubai last year, which marked the opening of their new international campus, the recent showcase demonstrated the school’s enduring commitment to design, craftsmanship, and innovation.
The avant-garde school, which originated in Milan, now boasts campuses in Florence, Paris, London, Mumbai, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Miami, and Dubai, and fosters a global network of cultural exchanges, education and collaboration. Istituto Marangoni engages students through experiential learning by means of programmes involving influential stakeholders in the creative industries. The acclaimed menswear designer, Grace Wales Bonner is a current mentor for the London school and joins a distinguished group that has included the likes of Olivier Rousteing of Balmain for the Paris school and eminent British journalist, stylist and creative director, Katie Grand, for London last year. The July runway show was a progressive event, highlighting the significance of firsthand industry experience, mentorship in education, and the future potential of contemporary advancements.
“We believe that the future of fashion and design lies at the intersection of the physical and virtual worlds. Istituto Marangoni London is redefining the possibilities of creative expression with our first phygital show in the capital. By embracing cutting-edge technologies and visionary concepts, we invite you to witness the extraordinary talent of this year’s graduates as they transcend traditional limitations and redefine the possibilities of the industry. The show also marks the London school’s 20th Anniversary – see how the imaginations of our students are realised in an immersive new world of fashion,” says Valérie Berdah-Levy, Director of Istituto Marangoni London.
The ever future-forward Istituto Marangoni London will introduce a groundbreaking MA in Responsible Fashion this October. A critical and important course for students will be available to understand the development of new responsible fashion systems. The pioneering programme will integrate sciences into the arts to promote a sustainable human-nature alliance; ushering in the era of the Symbiocene. Students will be equipped with the tools to think critically, creatively, and collaboratively, and the knowledge to radically reimagine and reinterpret fashion for an age of conscious and considered change. The Dubai school also became the first accredited foreign university in the creative field of fashion and design in the UAE. The UAE’s Ministry of Education Communication for Academic Accreditation granted Istituto Marangoni Dubai a 5-year accreditation for Fashion Design, Interior Design, Visual Design, and Product Design.
To learn more about Istituto Marangoni, please visit www.istitutomarangoni.com/en and Instagram at @IstitutoMarangoni_London.
Photos by Paul Winstone