An entirely new generation of talents that has learned to overcome barriers mastering new tools to communicate their creativity outside of the physical realm. They are fashion film savvy, gender carefree and developing culturally overarching visions of the world. Unafraid of diving deep into symbols of diaspora and misplacement or into explorations of the self and once again interpreting contemporary history to anticipate the future.
Ladies and Gentlemen, we are overtly proud to present the ITS 2021 Winners.
ITS Responsible Creativity Award powered by Allianz
The ITS Responsible Creativity Award powered by Allianz assigned €13,000 and it was split ex-aequo between two outstanding designers. It was assigned in collaboration with Singer & Songwriter Mika who viewed the projects with the ITS 2021 Jury and came up with the following evaluation of the selected winners:
AITOR GOICOECHEA ABURUZA
receiving €6,500
“There’s really something intriguing in Aitor’s work, there’s sensuality, you can almost taste it, smell it. There’s a really textural, colorful side to it, you want to bite into it. You feel like he’s going into other cultures and examining his own identity. At first it feels like a collection of images from an amazingly curated magazine or exhibition, and then suddenly you see that there’s process, and it is an extremely precise process. What’s amazing is that you end up with super-intriguing clothes that are super-wearable at the same time. There is an incredible sense of color that is in balance with his sense of texture. He knows how to build texture and to capture color within the appropriate texture, which is a huge challenge because it makes it emotional.
You feel like he’s telling stories in layers, and I loved the overlayed photographs because he’s telling us “this is what it is” and he is showing it for what it is, but at the same time there’s so much layering behind it. The embroidery work is really impressive too. You want to grab these garments, you want to try and wear them and adapt them to your own body.”
ADAM ELYASSÉ
receiving €6,500
“Adam is someone who is re-evaluating his ethnic heritage, the challenges of a landscape imposed on people of a certain area, removing any limitations of sex or gender and confronting the environment without ever losing his artistic fingerprint, his style and his own journey, which can all be seen throughout the concept. At the end his work is extremely technical with an evident do-ability that is also part of it, with this kind of patchwork of shapes, and I found an amazing balance between exploration, origin, problem solving, personal conflict and resolution. And it is all really intriguing and really strong.
I also think that this idea of clothes exploring the harsh realities of the environment is an extremely relevant discourse, not because of the idea of sustainability or environment, or because we are building these kind of Waterworld or Dune-like landscapes where our earth is going to become increasingly uninhabitable. Not because of that. It’s because there is this general idea, even in contemporary commercial fashion and accessories, that your clothes actually have a purpose in the outdoor world, that they help you deal with the outdoor world, and I love the fact that Adam has gone into how other generations and tribes approach and deal with the realities of their environment and asked himself how do you translate that into contemporary fashion, how does that adapt to somebody who doesn’t live in that environment. The whole collection is an extremely interesting perspective on what clothes are and what they are for.”
ITS Digital Fashion Award
The winner of the first ITS Digital Fashion Award receives a cash prize of €3,000 and was chosen among the applicants of our first ever Digital Fashion contest, opening the door to this new frontier in the industry. It was awarded in collaboration with Artist, Designer and Creative Director Aitor Throup, among the first from our network to explore the digital frontier in fashion design, he viewed the digital fashion projects arrived together with the ITS 2021 Jury and came up with the following evaluation of the selected winner:
HUA HUI aka KEIGA
“We selected Hua Hui as the well deserved winner of this award for the depth & quality of the research, as well as its relevance to the concept and rich narrative. I loved the archetypal references of the villain and hero, expressed from such a different cultural point of view. The narrative itself expressed consciousness towards the problems of capitalism. It was at the same time valuable and valid. The aesthetics, the choices, the perspectives, down to the branding was exciting. This project goes back to the ‘Why’, the ‘How’ and the ‘What’ of each design, and in doing so provides an immersive world fueled by the power of imagination. I would love to see this project developed into a book. And I would buy that book.”
OTB Award
The OTB Award was assigned by OTB’s Chairman Renzo Rosso himself. It delivers €20,000 to the winner who was chosen among all fashion, accessories and jewellery applicants. The winner is:
TAE CHOI
Mr Rosso chose Tae “Because of its clarity, sophisticated yet very simple and balanced aesthetic. It is a menswear project with a modern, up-to-date design. Simple, without useless embellishment and executed with extreme care on shapes, details, and expressing a deep study on volumes, unexpected cuts, accurate color mix. I believe that this project represents an example of a modern and wearable product.”
Swatch Art Peace Hotel Award
The Swatch Art Peace Hotel Award was assigned by CEO Carlo Giordanetti. It delivers €10,000 to the winner who was chosen among all fashion, accessories and jewellery applicants. The winners is:
MOHAMMED EL MARNISSI
Carlo Giordanetti chose Mohammed because his collection “Has the power to unleash imagination, it is generated by a powerful story, defines itself as agender showing openness of mind and uses color and materials to create a positive, happy mix”.
Lotto Sport Award
Three designers were selected by Lotto Sport to develop a sneaker project. Designer Hadar Slassi came in third and received €1,000. Tomer Stolbov came in second and received €2,000. The winner, receiving €3,000 is:
QINGZI GAO
Lotto Sport selected Qingzi for the “Creativity and originality expressed in terms of concepts, modeling, colors and graphics. An ability to express and convey ideas, drawing skills, explanations and the use of digital programs. Design skills, in terms of quality of the models and prototypes presented. Presentation of the project – both in the portfolio and in the performance video. And finally a sportswear attitude.”
ITS Fondazione Ferragamo Award
The ITS Fondazione Ferragamo Award delivered a cash prize of €5,000 to one of this year’s footwear applicants, in addition to the opportunity to carry out an internship in the Company’s Creative Department. The winner, chosen by Salvatore Ferragamo Museum Director Stefania Ricci, is:
HADAR SLASSI
Stefania Ricci chose Hadar “For the ability to combine the most advanced technologies and attention to sustainability with traditional craftsmanship and an ergonomic shape of the shoe, elements which can be found in Salvatore Ferragamo’s creativity.”
Special Mention by Vogue Talents
A special mention by Vogue Talents was awarded by Sara Sozzani Maino – Deputy Editor in Chief Vogue Italia, Head of Vogue Talents & International Brand Ambassador Camera Nazionale dell Moda Italiana – to a finalist chosen among all fashion, accessories and jewellery applicants. The winner’s collection will be also featured on the Vogue Talents website. The winner is:
TIANAN DING
Sara Sozzani Maino chose Tianan for “The vision and boldness of going beyond the concept of a fashion brand. Responsibility, creativity, awareness, craftsmanship and passion were all combined together for an unique artistic project.”
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