DATE: 5th November 2024. PLACE: BASE Milano Event Graduate Italia. TIME: 14.00
W: Maximiliano Dubois I: Daniele Venturelli
There was one overarching sentiment at Istituto Marangoni’s showcase this year: a refusal to choose between the past and the future. As noted in the show notes, the students did not merely present clothes; they revealed "manifestations of unmistakable and authentic creative vision." In a week dedicated to "Eyes Wide Open"—the theme of this year's Fashion Graduate Italia—the Marangoni cohort stood out for their sophisticated handling of volume and identity. The runway became a visual story where personal heritage was not just referenced, but aggressively reconstructed to fit a modern, often tense, global context. Students merged artistic influences with volumes that challenge conventions, most notably in the work of Eleonora Bellea and Chufan Wei. Bellea’s collection, Folie à Deux, channeled the surrealism of Salvador Dalí to distort the human silhouette, turning garments into living canvases that warped perception. It was a masterclass in using volume for psychological impact, challenging the very conventions of where a body ends and a garment begins.
In contrast, Chufan Wei’s The Flowing Land took a more architectural approach, interpreting the tension of urban life through structured clothing that moved with a liquid dynamism. This perfectly exemplified the intertwining of influences where the rigidity of city architecture merged with the fluidity of the human wearer. Ultimately, the Istituto Marangoni presentation was a triumph of substance over spectacle. These students did not just create "content" for social media; they engaged in a rigorous artistic investigation. By merging sculptural volumes with deeply personal cultural narratives, they confirmed that the next generation of designers is not interested in discarding the past. Instead, they are dissecting it, creating a visual story that is as complex, chaotic, and beautiful as the ever-changing society they now enter.
Cesare Garbin presents “GAZZE LADRE (Magpies: Rise and Fall of Shimmer) a collection inspired by the film Il maestro di Vigevano (1963) by Elio Petri. Through innovative silhouettes that blend moccasins and clothing, Garbin explores the dream of prosperity and the fear of failure
Chufan Wei draws inspiration from fluid architecture in his collection “The Flowing Land”, exploring how urban spaces influence life and emotions, with pieces that convey dynamism and energy.
Tomas Parodi with “SHO” explores Argentine identity through a mix of gaucho workwear and 2010s street style, celebrating roots and the personal journey of self-discovery.
Michele Mazza draws inspiration from Yasuhiro Ishimoto’s shots and Larry Clark’s photographs in the “FIGLIO” collection, which reflects the innocence and early growth of a child facing the adult world.
