In the first edition of the Talent to Talent project of the 2022 ETS platform has activated partnerships with the city of Daegu (Korea) e Osaka (Japan). Students from 7 educational institutions from the two cities brought their creations to the catwalk: the’Keimyung University and the’Kyungpook National University of Daegu and Marronnier College of Fashion Design; Osaka Institute of Fashion; Osaka Seikei University; Ueda College of Fashion; Osaka Mode Gakuen College of Fashion & Design Osaka.
In 2023, the Talent to Talent project has seen the activation of Partnerships with the city of São Paulo (Brazil) e Toronto (Canada) which brought students from the most prestigious fashion and design universities: from Toronto George Brown College e Seneca College and by Sao Paulo IED - European Institute of Design, Faculdade Santa Marcelina e FAAP. Also participating for the second time in 2023 were some universities that were already guests in 2022: the Keimyoung University, the Kyungpook University of Daegu and Marronier College, UEDA College, Osaka Institute of Fashion Osaka.
Partner cities of the’2024 edition of Talent to Talent are. Chicago (U.S.A.), Shanghai (China) and Melbourne (Australia). Each city will tell the story of the excellence of its fashion education system through the projects of the best talents from their top fashion universities. The participating educational institutions are: the Columbia College from Chicago; Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) from Melbourne; Shanghai University of Engineering Science (SUES), Shanghai Art & Design Academy, Design School of East of China Normal University (ECNU), Istituto Marangoni Shanghai from Shanghai.
On the occasion of the 45th anniversary of the friendship city relationship between Shanghai and Milan, the participation of East China Normal University and Shanghai University of Engineering Science in the “Talent to Talent 2024” event serves as a tribute to the deep friendship between the two cities, while looking forward to broader cooperation in the future.
The Shanghai fashion show, themed “Fashion Prism,” employs the multifaceted and refractive qualities of the prism to metaphorically represent the diverse fashion concepts showcased by the two institutions. These encompass the Chinese philosophical concept of “round sky and square earth” (Tian Yuan Di Fang), the mathematical aesthetics of the golden ratio, reflections on contemporary issues such as social distance. The show presents a prismatic expression filled with color and variety by ingenious combinations of various elements, colors, and materials while at the same time deeply intertwining fashion and culture. It also reflects the “Shanghai Spirit” of open-mindedness, inclusiveness, cultural diversity, and pursuit of excellence.
Celebrating Fashion and Design in All Forms
Let's Build Fashion Excellence in Chicago: Showcasing Local Talent at FGI 2024
Chicago is thrilled to build its fashion legacy by showcasing the creative skill that individuals have in Chicago. Chicago Fashion Week is making its premiere this month with a mission to define a ‘new look’ that places the city first in fashion and threading the eye of Chicago's Loop. Chicago Fashion Week will connect “a diverse tapestry of citizens from across the metro region united by a vision of a sustainable, communal, and fashionable future.” Columbia College is sharing this narrative with people in Chicago and Milan by embracing Chicago as a global innovation center and carving out a niche and inclusive space for the fashion industry in the Midwest.
In addition, a second international parade dedicated to other international universities is scheduled during the event. Among them, some are returning after participating in previous years: UEDA College of Fashion, Osaka Institute of Fashion, OSAKA MODE GAKUEN COLLEGE OF FASHION & DESIGN from Osaka; Keimyung University and Kyungpook National University from Daegu and Faculdade Santa Marcelina from St. Paul's. These were also joined by the LISAA Fashion School of Paris and the TAYLOR'S UNIVERSITY of Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia).
São Paulo and Toronto are special cities for Milan: the first is the most historic Twinning (1961), while the second is one of the most recent Twinnings (2003), whose 20th Anniversary we are celebrating this year.
The participation of both - along with Daegu and Osaka - enriches even more this second international edition of Fashion Graduate Italia.
Protagonists were the dynamism and cultural vibrancy of Brazil e Canada, reflected in the sparkling fashion creations that the students of St. Paul's e Toronto Have taken to the catwalk.
FGI thus reaffirms itself as an important bridge linking Milan to world cultures through the charismatic communicative power of fashion.
São Paulo and Milan have been twin cities for more than 60 years, a long period marked by rich cooperation in the cultural, academic and economic fields. The participation of the city of São Paulo with its Fashion Academies in Fashion Graduate Italia 2023 is a concrete example of the value and strength of this collaboration.
São Paulo, with its vibrant culture and diversity, is a space of opportunity, learning, comparison and is an international benchmark for fashion.
The students/designers of the São Paulo Fashion Academies presented collections that expressed the diverse inspirations of the creative process, representing the many nuances and identities that make up the city. With their designs, the designers revealed the real aesthetics of the people of São Paulo, enhancing their multiculturalism, diversity and space.
In honor of the 20th anniversary of the collaboration agreement between Toronto and Milan, the City of Toronto, in collaboration with George Brown College and Seneca Polytechnic, is proud to present “Toronto to Milan 20,” which showcases the outstanding and distinctive designs created by LEE KA YAN, Zainab Yahaya, Eunice Chow and Bella Qian Cai.
Daegu is a central city that produces the main materials of the Korean fashion textile industry. As a twin city with Milan, we have carried out several exchange projects and are very happy to participate in “Fashion graduate Italy 2023,” an important event for students from the two cities. Participation in the event is an important opportunity for students from Keimyung University and Kyungpook National University, both universities in Daegu, to take their first steps in the world to realize their dream of becoming fashion designers.
The theme of this event, attended by 10 students from Keimyung University and Kyungpook National University in Daegu, is “Remembering Memories for the Future.”.
Gathering memories to prepare for the future was a way to express the future the students were thinking about. In terms of curiosity, vigilance, and hope for what will happen in the future, students tried to retrieve memories of their childhood dreams, express them in their works, and tell scary stories.
The students selected materials, designed and produced works on their own, and attempted an experimental study of sustainability in the fashion industry through industry-university cooperation, introducing design work on the use of textile materials by companies in Daegu and the recycling of discarded products by Korean fashion company MCM.
Since the city of Milan and the city of Osaka established a sister city affiliation in 1981, the two cities have accumulated lively exchanges in a wide range of fields, such as business, culture and fashion. Within the framework of Fashion Graduate Italy 2023, the two cities activated a synergy in the field of fashion, with three Osaka fashion schools, the Marronnier College of Fashion Design, the Osaka Institute of Fashion and the Ueda College of Fashion, participating in the event.
The theme of the Osaka fashion show was “Think Fashion, Think Osaka.” Enjoy the Osaka Way!
As of this edition, Fashion Graduate Italia devoted special attention to international talent through the introduction of a new dedicated project: Talent to Talent. A format aimed at top international universities and academies with the goal of creating a global educational channel that continuously fosters dialogue between talents from every region of the world and creates new channels for mutual exchange and enrichment.
Special guests of the first edition of the project Talent to Talent were the cities of Daegu e Osaka which, through collaboration with the Municipality of Milan, brought to Fashion Graduate Italia the creations of students from their most prestigious fashion and design universities.
The parade dedicated to the city of Daegu features the participation of 13 students of the’Keimyung University and of the’Kyungpook National University, who will present their capsule collections. The concept of the fashion show, Ordinary effects, is inspired by the search for a ’Harmony between Korean tradition and modernity, using recycled materials. Keimyung University students have chosen. tinctures and natural materials to give their work the dignity of the Korean Seonbi - the natural and study environment of their work - while students from Kyungpook National University prepared a recycling work Reusing existing clothing.
Since the city of Milan and the city of Osaka initiated a twinning in 1981, the two cities have accumulated lively exchanges in a wide range of fields, including fashion. Five fashion schools/universities in Osaka, Marronnier College of Fashion Design; Osaka Institute of Fashion; Osaka Seikei University; Ueda College of Fashion; Osaka Mode Gakuen College of Fashion & Design, will participate in the Fashion Graduate Italy 2022.
The theme of the parade is “Know the Unknown ~The Osaka Way“. Enjoy the Osaka Way!
