This year, Istituto Marangoni is going to celebrate its 80-year long successful history in the training of future Fashion and Design professionals, with a view to valuing the qualitative and aesthetic heritage of Made in Italy. For this important anniversary, the School of Fashion and Design Istituto Marangoni is planning a special programme of international initiatives and events to be held in Florence, Italian hub for fashion, luxury and craftsmanship, and Milano - Fashion Capital ready to host Expo 2015. The cycle of events will kick off in Florence on June 15^th, on the eve of Pitti Immagine Uomo, with a Gala dinner held to present the best men’s collections designed by students. Milano, instead, will host two major events: during Milano Moda Donna (September 17th-22nd) a grand Fashion Show is being organised in partnership with Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, Istituto Marangoni’s special sponsor for Fashion Weeks, as well as lectures and seminars to take place at the Fashion School. Moreover, in October, a special event will present the pre-release of ‘Luxury Coffee Table Book,’ a volume about Fashion which allows visibility to 10 Istituto Marangoni Alumni who have distinguished themselves in the extraordinary 80 years of the School’s history. The book is published by Rizzoli, with texts by Cristina Morozzi, Director of Education of Istituto Marangoni School of Design. One of the major initiatives the School is working on is the “Partner Project,” aimed at opening 10 training centres in emerging fashion capitals across the globe, to welcome new talents and offer the peculiarities of Italy’s excellence products in Fashion and Design across national borders. Finally, still in relation to the support provided to young fashion designers, 80 scholarships will be awarded by Istituto Marangoni to candidates from all over the world, with funds amounting to €1.000.000. “All the students, teachers and staff members of our School of Fashion and Design will be given a special year this year, with initiatives that will make them feel part of a unique and ambitious project, with a long history rooted in Italy’s excellence, yet projected towards the rest of the world, with the aim of innovating and leaving a mark on the future” commented Roberto Riccio, Istituto Marangoni Group Managing Director, “A goal that is a new starting point, ready to write Istituto Marangoni’s next 80 years.”