The new project “Fashion schools for design - driven sustainable innovation” debuts at Fashion Graduate Italia 2022, in collaboration with C.L.A.S.S.

Since 2007, C.L.A.S.S. (Creativity, Lifestyle And Sustainable Energy), the international eco-hub founded by Giusy Bettoni, has supported a next-generation fashion wherein the union of design, innovation, communication and responsibility creates aware and competitive businesses, capable of playing not only an economic but also a social role. C.L.A.S.S. supports the entire chain to trigger CHANGE in the system by activating VALUES that speak clearly and directly to modern consumers.

The project “Fashion Schools for Design - Driven Sustainable Innovation” is presented at the eighth edition of the event organised by Piattaforma Sistema Formativo Moda, staged from 3 to 5 November at BASE Milano.

Embracing the theme of this edition of Fashion Graduate Italia, “Sustainable Innovation”, Piattaforma Moda has invited students from fashion schools, academies and associated institutes to participate in a training course regarding the planning and creation of an outfit in compliance with a responsible fashion approach: starting with the design, including the choice of sustainable materials supplied by some of the hub’s partner companies, and also involving a look at the communication strategy for the project.

To create their looks, the selected students followed two training courses organised by C.L.A.S.S.: “Introduction to next-generation Fashion” and “Introduction to smart ingredients”. These courses covered the values of next-generation fashion (integrating sustainability with design and innovation) and the characteristics of innovative and sustainable materials to produce the outfits.

The development process of the 11 final looks was followed in person by creative director Olivia Spinelli - Coordination and Creative Direction at IED Moda Milano and member of the Artistic Committee of FGI 2022 - and by tutor Camilla Carrara - founder and zero-waste designer of ZEROBARRACENTO -, the project coordinator of C.L.A.S.S.

The students who participated in the project are:

• Aissatou-Jole Diatta, AFOL MODA
  

• Bianca Aloisi, Accademia Euromediterranea HARIM
  

• Claudia Aubert, ISTITUTO MODARTECH
  

• Federica Alessi and Sofia Ricci, NEXT FASHION SCHOOL
  

• Federica Bombieri, ISTITUTO SECOLI
  

• Francesco Imberti, ISTITUTO MARANGONI
  

• Genn Benvenuto, IUAD ACCADEMIA DELLA MODA
  

• Giulia Ciola, NABA, Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti
  

• José Luis Alessandretti and Alessandra Bonini, FERRARI FASHION SCHOOL
  

• Lorenzo Attanasio, ISTITUTO EUROPEO DI DESIGN - IED
  

• Robin Capelli, ISTITUTO DI MODA BURGO
  

The partners of C.L.A.S.S. that contributed by supplying their materials are: Berto, Brunello, Iluna Group, Re.VerSo™ by A. Stelloni Collection by Mapel and Tessitura Grisotto; IED - European Institute of Design and ZEROBARRACENTO also gave support in the implementation of the initiative.

The students’ creations featured in a special display in a dedicated area for the entire duration of the event.

With the project “Fashion Schools for Design - Driven Sustainable Innovation”, C.L.A.S.S. and Fashion Graduate Italia wish to promote an innovative dialogue between fashion and sustainability which focuses on the new generation of designers and the sharing of training initiatives which accompany them towards new value-based approaches.

Matteo Secoli, Chairman of Piattaforma Sistema Formativo Moda Ente del Terzo Settore, commented: “FASHION SCHOOLS FOR DESIGN - DRIVEN SUSTAINABLE INNOVATION is another of the innovations in this edition of Fashion Graduate, set up thanks to our collaboration with C.L.A.S.S. It is a project that yet again sees young students as the protagonists, in this case acting as spokespersons for an essential issue in the fashion industry. Sustainability begins with the ability to make informed choices, rooted in culture and education, which is why the Piattaforma schools feel a sense of responsibility in their role. First of all, as schools, we must educate future designers by providing them with the right values, helping them understand that responsibility occurs from the moment they start to think about the outfits they want to create. Students must absorb these lessons and allow them to emerge in clothing which is sustainable as well as (obviously) attractive and well-made. I am sure that our students are the right people to promote this necessary change in mentality.”

Giusy Bettoni, CEO and founder of C.L.A.S.S., stated that: “The key theme is sharing the knowledge of new values resulting from the integration of responsibility in design, innovation, materials and communication. This means knowing the impact that each of these dimensions can have on people, the environment, wildlife and the oceans. The real innovation is that of raising the standards of performance and quality of life WITHOUT creating environmental impact... and this is the real meaning of responsible innovation.”