Fashion Activism: How Emerging Creatives Drive Social Change Through Style
What if fashion stopped dressing bodies and (re)started dressing ideas? Discover students turning creativity into courageous, activist statements
What remains of fashion when silence is removed? What if, instead of merely dressing bodies, fashion returned to dressing ideas? In an era marked by profound environmental, social, and cultural fractures, fashion can no longer afford to be just fashion. It is a matter of stance, responsibility, and courage.
The new generation of creatives—fashion designers, stylists, and future industry leaders—understand this well. They reject aesthetic neutrality to embrace complexity. They seek not applause but meaningful friction, using fabric, words, and imagination as tools for activism and transformation.
Istituto Marangoni Milano and Fondazione Sozzani: Driving Fashion Activism Forward
Born from a collaboration between Fondazione Sozzani and Istituto Marangoni Milano within the I’M Conscious project, now in its second edition, “Fashion Activism” is more than just an exhibition; it is a signpost pointing to the future of impactful fashion.
Snapshot from "Fashion Activism" exhibition held within the I'M Conscious initiative
The selected finalists from the Fashion Design, Fashion Styling, and Fashion Business courses have created works that speak not only of aesthetics but also of systems, struggles, and often-ignored voices. Each project acts as a manifesto that addresses memory as identity, inclusion as an urgent necessity, and sustainability as a fundamental act. Among the recognised participants, Margherita Budroni, Edoardo Sandrin, and Sara Temel were highlighted by Sara Sozzani Maino for the strength of their visions.
Why Speaking Out Matters: Activist Designers Shaping Fashion Today
For decades, mainstream storytelling has prioritised superficial narratives. Political correctness has often been reduced to mere packaging, activism, or a t-shirt to sell.
However, beyond the glittering exterior, the fashion industry is experiencing new forms of dissent. Designers like Thebe Magugu, Priya Ahluwalia, and Bethany Williams are redefining the industry’s language—not for fashion’s sake, but out of necessity.
Participants had the opportunity to share their projects and visions with Sara Sozzani Maino, Creative Director of Fondazione Sozzani
Fashion’s New Activists: Fighting Fast Fashion and Demanding Transparency
Collectives that reject the fast fashion model are gaining traction. Voices advocating for transparency, traceability, and genuine inclusion are growing louder. Schools and educational institutions, with Istituto Marangoni leading the way, are starting to prioritise responsibility as a core principle rather than an afterthought.
The exhibition emerged as part of the collaboration between Fondazione Sozzani and Istituto Marangoni Milano
From Creative Expression to Conscious Fashion Activism
In this context, initiatives like “Fashion Activism” are important not just for their aesthetics but for the impactful statement they make: transforming creativity into a conscious and activist approach.
This stance emphasises that fashion is not merely decorative but a space for engagement, care, and meaningful interaction.
"Fashion Activism" aimed to highlight the importance of creativity as a transformative force in contemporary society, expanding the idea of fashion as just aesthetics
Fashion Can Change—If the Industry Chooses Responsibility
Perhaps it’s not true that fashion changes nothing. It may just depend on the choice of which side to take—and the courage to vocalise it.
This is precisely why projects that foster critical thinking are developed and pushed towards new horizons, year after year—such as I’M Conscious by Istituto Marangoni Milano, in collaboration with Sara Sozzani Maino and Fondazione Sozzani. This initiative explores the concept of responsible fashion in all its facets, serving as the essential key to shaping the sustainable future we all aspire to live in.
Agnese Pasquinelli
Alumna, Milano