ISTITUTO ITALIANO DESIGN AT VFW S/S 2023

ISTITUTO ITALIANO DESIGN

Day three of Vancouver Fashion Week S/S 2023 brought the graduates of the ISTITUTO ITALIANO DESIGN to the runway. The thrill of seeing student designers showing is always a big part of VFW. VFW commits to giving student designers a platform to show their work.

Over the past few years, I have developed a relationship with Benedetta Risolo, head of International relations at Istituto Italiano Design. We spoke at VFW, and Benedetta shared that Vancouver Fashion Week has become a part of the curriculum for students graduating from their fashion design program. "Coming to VFW allows our students to travel with their collections, to interact with other fashion designers, media, fashion show staff, hair, make-up, models, and experience a different culture." The following comes from the Istituto Italiano Design's website.

The Fashion Course offered by the Italian Design Institute is a three- year training course that aims to create well-rounded designers.
Our goal is to train the stylists of the future through a rigorous and avant-garde training course that allows our students to enter the world of work immediately.

ISTITUTO ITALIANO DESIGN

The ISTITUTO ITALIANO DESIGN has a mandate to " to train the stylists of the future through a rigorous and avant-garde training course that allows our students to enter the world of work immediately." A friend attending the ISTITUTO ITALIANO DESIGN show remarked " That was so weird, I didn't see any clothes you could wear".

Many viewers have never seen avant-garde or do not understand avant-garde fashion. Avant-garde is an approach to how one does things, a mindset that guides in how you think and create. It's about experimentation and introducing innovative ideas that look beyond societal norms of what is considered accepted. I was fascinated and encouraged by the four students from ISTITUTO ITALIANO DESIGN. Fashion as art is the foundation of a fashion education and helps create the great fashion designers of tomorrow.

ROSSELLA-

ISTITUTO ITALIANO DESIGN

Rossella Sessa is a 22-year-old graduate of Istituto Italian Design. Rossella opened the school's show with her premiere collection, named TRANSITION for her brand ROSSELLA. Rossella describes her brand as innovative and exploring new ideas. "TRANSITION is inspired by those who want to get away from reality they do not feel they belong to. The collection is characterized by enveloping and majestic volumes that take over man or restrict movement. Despite volumes and restrictions, however, to catch a glimpse of the human body and the colors; likewise, their identity, which slowly comes out."

The garments ROSSELLA sent down the runway were successful at forwarding her ideas. The first garment was a male model wearing a shirt formed into a straight jacket. Floor length looks followed with caged shoulders and massive upturned collars. Faces peer from large masses of moving fabric, cocoon-like and enveloping the models wearing them. The predominately white collection is made from natural hemp. This collection has a dignified spirit, showing dramatic silhouettes that are regal and push forward the designer's ideas on identity.

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MARTINA BONINTI-

ISTITUTO ITALIANO DESIGN

The second student to show from the ISTITUTO ITALIANO DESIGN in Perugia is 23-year-old Martina Boninti. Boninti's self-named label is an extension of her as an artist and designer. "I used my name as my brand because with my creations, I want to represent myself one hundred percent, my life experiences, and my point of view on current topics."

A long tradition in fashion exists to put across the designer's point of view on a chosen subject. Moreover, avant-garde and conceptual design is often the best place to explore these ideas, . Boninti's collection entitled Nsidem" was created by analyzing our times. It takes as its inspiration a current topic which is electromagnetic pollution. The collection represents the evolution that has taken place in the world, from the natural environment, created by the nature, to the technological revolution that has invaded us and on which we are all dependent."

The six looks Bonnti sent down the runway used three colors grey, magenta, and a darker grey; raw beige hemp is used as a neutral. The garments are distressed-looking with holes, slashing, and strips of fabric. Knits, sheer fabric, and strapping give texture and dimension to the pieces. A standout look is a dress, half sheer grey and half comprised of a series of strips of fabrics, using the collection's colors skillfully, creating a punk-like look that is creative and highly wearable. This collection expresses through the deteriorated fabrics and deconstructed looks the effects of pollution.

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MICAELA ROSSETTI

ISTITUTO ITALIANO DESIGN

Third in the lineup from the ISTITUTO ITALIANO DESIGN, is Micaela Rossetti, who presents her brand THE MCL. This 22-year-old says her brother's love of fashion encouraged her to explore fashion studies for herself. " I decided to begin fashion studies because this is the world that represents me the most, and through it, I express my ideas and my passion" The brand THE MLC, comes from the designer's first name without vowels. The brand THE MCL is a personal vision of how the designer sees the world.

"The name of my collection is ‘’M.A.G.A.’’ ( Make Americans Great Again). It is a play on words and a provocation against western colonialism and a tribute to the native Americans". With a name that instigates controversy, Rossetti sent six looks down the runway. The pieces constructed from hemp fabric in its natural and raw state form a variety of original silhouettes. Standout looks include a pair of trousers that appear to be suspended from the top and grace the hips with ease. The closing look is like a burka; covering the head and cascading down the body with wads of yarn.. This collection evokes a feeling of dignity with its vestment-like robes and unity through its neutral palette.

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DAVIDE BORGARELLI

ISTITUTO ITALIANO DESIGN

The final student to present his collection is Davide Borgarelli, who premiered his label BORGA. Davide is a 24-year-old designer who is driven to express his creativity. “BORGA, wants everybody to accept themselves and also push our creativity to express who we are, without hiding. I used my nickname as a brand. I want it to represent all I am, my passion, my ideas".

The collection BORGA created is entitled "MASKS OFF MANIFESTO". Davide's preview of his collection says the following. "From the view of a young designer, I wanted to deal with a theme that I live in first person, and that I think is always a current topic. Every day we all wear "masks". Each of us is forced to dress and behave according to a certain context, to certain rules and social conventions. The goal of this capsule collection is to remove these masks to try to get as close as possible to our true person, to finally become truly our self."

The BORGA collection hit the runway with unconventional silhouettes made from natural hemp fabric. Davide created a collection that combined oversized puffer outerwear, juxtaposed with exposed flesh. A strong streetwear vibe permeates this collection. The looks are gender-neutral. Yellow and black slogans appear on pant legs, sleeves, and the chest of one piece reading, " Put on a Smiley Face". This collection is exciting, fashion-forward, and just plain cool.

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ISTITUTO ITALIANO DESIGN- IN CONCLUSION

Fashion design students are the future of the fashion industry. The visiting students from Italy showed their creative, sustainable, and thought-provoking fashion. I visited with these young designers at VFW, and they were wide-eyed and curious, taking everything in. I commit to encouraging young fashion designers and am always excited to see their work. Vancouver Fashion Week is the perfect vehicle for young designers to be exposed to an audience, receive feedback, and explore the work of other designers. With the work of these young designers as an example, the future of fashion is bright.