Isko I-Skool, the fashion talent contest conceived by global denim specialist Isko and its own design division Creative Room, celebrated its winners within a special evening party held on Friday, 15 June 2016, in Treviso near Venice, at Villa Corner della Regina, historical Palladian palace. The event was enlivened by a fashion show presenting the finalists’ creations followed by the award ceremony.
More than 50,000 students from all over the world had enrolled in this year’s third edition of the contest involving schools from all over the world for the first time. Talents were prized according to two mains specialty areas: the Denim Isko I-Skool Design Award, dedicated to designers, and the Isko I-Skool Denim Marketing Award, dedicated to marketing professionals.
The Denim Design Award involved schools from all over the world: UAL (Chelsea, UK), ESMOD (Munich, Germany), IUAV (Venice, Italy), Artesis Plantijn University College (Antwerp, Belgium), POLIMODA (Florence, Italy), AMD (Düsseldorf, Germany), FIDM (Los Angeles, USA), NABA – Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti (Milan, Italy), AALTO (Helsinki, Finland), Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology (Beijing, China), Academy of Arts & Design of Tsinghua University (Beijing, China), BUNKA Fashion college (Tokio, Japan) and UTS (Sydney, Australia).
Students participating the Denim Design Award were asked to create denim outfits in one of the three style moods: Renovated Denim Icons, Athleisure and Jool, this last one employing a new Isko denim also employing wool fibers. The participants’ creations were evaluated by the Denim Design Award jury, whose president was François Girbaud, founder and owner Marithé + François Girbaud.
The Denim Marketing Award, tutored by the Italian communication agency Menabò Group, involved the international schools AMD (Düsseldorf, Germany), AMFI (Amsterdam, Netherlands), Milan Fashion Institute (Milan, Italy), Polimoda (Florence, Italy) and Sapienza (Rome, Italy). This other award’s jury was presided by Chantal Malingrey, director of Denim Première Vision.
“Far from cameras, near to the industry: this has been the spirit of Isko I-Skool since its first edition,” commented Marco Lucietti, global marketing director, Sanko/Isko division. “Education is the core of our project: the aim is helping these young talents to grow, letting them experience the importance not only of creativity, but also of culture and industrialization. This edition of our fashion contest has been the most global ever. We are proud of our students, grateful to all partners and simply ready to start again.”
"It is always encouraging to see the work of new and emerging talent, and in this contest in particular it has been great to see the concepts and designs of students from some of the best design schools in the world. Good branding communicates the essence of a brand story and therefore it has been really insightful to learn these stories through the students’ work", claims Amy White, VP marketing, communications and sustainability, Avery Dennison RBIS.
And the winners are...
- Overall winner of the Denim Design Award: Ester Rigato, IUAV
- Winner of the Renovated Denim Icons Award: Anna Biotti (IUAV), awarded by Replay
- Winner of the Athleisure Award: Joona Rautiainen, (Aalto), awarded by Mavi
- Winner of the Jool Award: Ester Rigato (IUAV University), awarded by Haikure
- Winner of the Avery Dennison RBIS Award: Farah Sherif Wali (Polimoda)
- Winner of the Swarovski Award: Ester Rigato (IUAV)
- Winner of the Vogue Talents Special Mention: Elena Trukhina (ESMOD, Munich)
- Winner of the Best U.S.A. Designer Award: Danielle Thaxton (FIDM), awarded by Ralph Lauren
- Winner of Special Prize: Yuka Yamada (BUNKA Fashion College)
- Winner of the Jool mood for the Denim Marketing Award: team led by Francesco Diomedi, Milano Fashion Institute
- Winner of the Athleisure mood for the Denim Marketing Award: team led by Travis A. Rice, AMFI
Gold partners of the initiative were Avery Dennison RBIS, Mavi and Archroma. They worked side by side with students throughout the phases of the project, along with the partners Ralph Lauren, Swarovski, Replay, Haikure, Tonello laundry, C&S garment maker and Iskoteca, Isko’s R&D division.
