A generation of Polimoda People leading the way
A letter from the Director of Polimoda, Danilo Venturi
Dear Vogue Talents readers, I’d like to introduce you to some of the most interesting talents who have come out of Polimoda, not just this year, but over the last 10, 15 years. These talents are all at completely different stages of their careers and life, though they all have something in common; they’re pursuing their dreams, and so, make me hopeful for the future of fashion, not just in Italy, but around the world.
Firstly, you may have heard of Lucie and Luke Meier. Lucie famously led the spring and fall ready-to-wear and couture studios with Serge Ruffieux at Christian Dior, and guided the house in its recent post-Raf Simons and pre-Maria Grazia Chiuri interim period, whilst Luke is the Co-Founder and Creative Director of the brand OAMC. Together, they are now in charge of running Jil Sander, and whilst they’ve only released their Resort 2018 collection to date, we can already see that their complementary skills are about to give birth to a new and unique chapter to the Jil Sander universe.
Secondly, Shania Matthews only just graduated this past June from Fashion Design, though her collection presented during Polimoda’s annual Fashion Show, at Pitti Uomo, was voted by the international jury as Best Collection for 2017. Between her jigsaw-like knitwear, details of broken ceramic pieces and complex garment construction, Shania’s collection “Children should be seen and not heard” reflected on her mother’s childhood and the relevance of this in today’s political climate. “I hope that my collection brings people joy and intrigue; intrigue for all the intricate details and compositions of the garments, and joy through the colours that I use. I have always liked colours, but I think I really started to obsess over colour – even wearing it myself – while living in Italy as everyone tends to wear black. I found this a bit dull so I guess it was my way of protesting.” I also want to mention other two deserving students, Federico Cina and Max Anish Gowriah, who were awarded with Honorable mentions.
Barbara Sanchez-Kane has a unique story. She is a Mexican woman who has become quite a big deal this year after she was invited to present her collection on the official schedule of New York Fashion Week: Men’s. Certainly timing has something to say about all the attention she’s getting at the moment and her work is certainly political, but it’s her talent for structured but deconstructed menswear that will stand the test of time.
Lastly, Francesco Risso was recently announced as the new Creative Director of Marni. With its worldwide following, Marni is a brand some were sceptical he would be able to manage, but managed indeed he has; receiving strong reviews for his first few forays in this high-profile position. Virtually unknown when he walked into the job, Francesco is now brushing shoulders with Hollywood’s élite and running one of the most loved fashion houses in Italy.
I love you all.