It was the era of low-rise silhouettes, skinny jeans, mini bags, oversized belts, metallic finishes, sparkling details, and a more playful and expressive femininity. Figures such as Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, Lindsay Lohan, and the era’s biggest pop stars helped shape an aesthetic and cultural imaginary that continues to influence new generations today. It was 2006, the year Istituto Marangoni Paris opened its doors. An important milestone that the Gala 2026, held just two days after New York’s Met Gala, celebrated with a vibrant and creative spirit, transforming the campus for one night into an immersive experience that culminated in an energetic DJ set that kept the party all night long.

Joy and Nowstalgy

The chosen theme perfectly brought together memory, pop culture, and fashion: Y2K 2006, an immersive journey into one of the most iconic eras of the past few decades. Twenty years ago, the fashion world was going through a period of profound transformation: luxury was colliding with pop culture, celebrities were becoming global phenomena, and style was beginning to be shaped by a new digital dimension. It is therefore no surprise that Y2K aesthetics, the nowstalgy, have returned in recent years to the center of collections and cultural conversations, once again demonstrating fashion’s ability to reinterpret the past through a contemporary lens.

One of the most evocative moments of the evening was precisely this direct dialogue with the memory of that era, through the screening of the most iconic fashion shows of 2006 displayed on the screens in the Orangerie and in the basement of the Lubeck area. It offered a true immersion into the visual culture of twenty years ago, creating a bridge between past and present.

Make-up, DIY Workshops & a Vintage Market

Yet the evening was anything but nostalgic. Guests had the opportunity to take part in a bracelet-making workshop, explore a charming vintage market in search of fashion treasures, enjoy makeovers by the make-up artists present throughout the event, and relax in the dedicated buffet area.

And to ensure these moments would live on, the photobooth set up in the Orangerie sparked students’ creativity, turning each picture into a joyful and participatory memory destined to become part of the school’s collective history.

Dance it!

And then… everyone hit the dance floor. Beneath the strobe lights, with XXL lashes moving to the rhythm of the music and glasses clinking in the background. These are the Cyber Gen Z students of Istituto Marangoni Paris: a generation of creatives looking toward innovation while remaining perfectly capable of engaging with the legacy of the past.

They stepped into the spotlight just like their “colleagues” did twenty years ago. And it seems they have every intention of staying there for a long time to come.

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