IM Mentorship Programme

What better way to start a successful career in the industry than to be guided by those who have already made it? Istituto Marangoni Milano's mentorship programmes offer students the unique opportunity to work side-by-side with industry leaders, learning first-hand from those who have achieved incredible success. Through exclusive masterclasses, co-branded projects and ongoing support, mentors not only share essential skills, but also provide insights that go beyond the classroom. This hands-on experience prepares talented students to become the next leaders in the creative industry. 

Who is Mentor IB Kamara?

Istituto Marangoni Milano Mentorship Programme represents the very essence of educational excellence. An extraordinary opportunity for students to transform their talent into a successful career, thanks to direct contact with industry leaders. Through exclusive meetings and personalised consultations, participants receive guidance, inspiration and unique visibility in the international fashion and design scene. It is much more than a programme: it is a stepping stone towards the future that every student dreams of achieving.  

IB Kamara is a British multi-hyphenate creative based in London. He currently serves as Creative Director for Off-White and a consulting stylist with numerous brands including Chanel and Kenzo. In 2022 he founded a creative consultancy ‘Raw Materials’ to assist brands with their creative campaigns and communication strategies.

Born in Sierra Leone, Kamara grew up in the Gambia before moving to London aged 16. Kamara’s creative career started as a stylist before encompassing everything from fashion design and music, to film direction and furniture production. His style is a uniquely African body of work that explores the idea of menswear and masculinity. Mentored by the late Barry Kamen, Kamara has worked as costume stylist on Sampha’s short film “Process,” directed by Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar. In 2017, he styled a Stella McCartney campaign for the brand’s #StellaBy collaboration, shot in Nigeria by Nadine Ijewere. He has also styled editorials, campaigns and runway shows for brands including Dior, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Nike and Ferragamo.

In June 2018, Kamara joined i-D as fashion editor at large, before being promoted to senior fashion editor at large in July 2019. In January 2021, he joined British youth culture bible Dazed as editor in chief. Kamara joined the team at Off-White overseeing the creative direction for the brand in April 2022. The label had been without a creative director since the death of founder, and friend, Virgil Abloh in November 2021. 

For the Fashion Design and Fashion Styling students, this was a unique opportunity to work closely with a multifaceted figure within the fashion system. IB Kamara’s cross-disciplinary approach—spanning design, styling, creative direction, and beyond—offered invaluable insight into the versatility and innovation required in today’s fashion industry. His ability to navigate multiple creative domains made him an inspiring mentor for students eager to shape their own unconventional paths in both design and styling.

The Project

In this exclusive project led by IB Kamara—one of the most influential and multidisciplinary figures in the fashion landscape of the time—Fashion Design and Fashion Styling & Creative Direction students at Istituto Marangoni Milano had the rare opportunity to work closely with a professional whose practice spanned styling, creative direction, fashion design, music, and beyond. Collaborating with Kamara meant engaging in a truly cross-disciplinary vision where fashion intersected with identity, culture, and innovation.

For Fashion Design students, the brief titled “The Coming of Age of Upcycling” was far more than a technical assignment; it was a call to become storytellers of change. In an era when upcycling had evolved from a necessity to an aesthetic and cultural choice, young designers were challenged to turn discarded materials into garments imbued with memory, function, and beauty. From concept development to technical sheets and the final creation of a full upcycled outfit, students refined their skills in sustainable design, material experimentation, and visual storytelling.

Meanwhile, Fashion Styling & Creative Direction students tackled a brief that pushed them beyond look creation to the development and direction of a cohesive visual narrative. The project demanded that they thought and acted as full-fledged creative directors, crafting impactful, contemporary imagery rooted in personal expression. Through mood boards, visual research, upcycled styling, and a final editorial photoshoot, students explored the power of their own identity and cultural background, reinterpreted through a forward-thinking lens aligned with the ethos of 2025.

Outcome: Through this mentorship, students cultivated a well-rounded, professional approach, developing key skills for careers in fashion design, sustainable fashion, styling, creative direction, image-making, and visual communication. The direct exchange with a mentor like IB Kamara added significant value to their journey, offering inspiration, structure, and vision to a new generation of creatives who were ready to make their mark.