The mission of Istituto Marangoni has always been to enhance young talent, promoting valuable relationships with the fashion-industry to support students and help them make their way into the world of work. From this point of view, the school's relationship with CSM – the Milanese showroom circuit that aims to create a system among Milan’s luxury players – is especially important, as distribution is an essential factor for a brand’s success.

With these premises, Istituto Marangoni has chosen to be CSM's academic partner to promote the YOUNG DESIGNERS project as part of the 2022 edition of Artisanal Evolution. To be held during the next Milan Fashion Week on February 22 to 28, 2022, the event is promoted by Camera Showroom Milano in collaboration with Confartigianato Moda, with the patronage of the Municipality of Milan and the support of Camera Buyer.

As part of this project, the participation of Istituto Marangoni in Artisanal Evolution 2022 aims to give visibility to Alumni by giving them an opportunity to present a capsule collection manufactured by a Confartigianato partner company and brought to market by the CSM network.

The Istituto Marangoni Alumni selected for the YOUNG DESIGNERS project are Valentina Banfi, who graduated in Fashion Design & Accessories in 2020, and Paul Majer, a Fashion Design alumnus since 2021.

Valentina Banfi was born with an innate passion for creative materials, inspired by a family with a fervent imagination and freedom. The Embassy of Freedom brand and the first Luv My collection are an experimental project stemming from the designer's need to create an identity made of self-love, rethinking the concept of basic with a dash of colour.

Paul Majer chose a creative career from a young age by working as a tattoo artist, which led him to approach each project with a personal, unique touch. His English roots are very present in his work as a designer and blend with the influences and skills he learned while studying in Italy. For Paul, "Made in Italy" means excellence in product manufacturing and attention to detail.

Valentina Banfi’s collection will be manufactured by Mape Fashion Srl and presented at the Panorama Moda showroom, while Paul Majer’s collection, manufactured by Romantic Srl, will be available to buyers at the Milanese 1St Floor showroom.

This year's edition aims to mark the beginning of an ongoing collaboration between Istituto Marangoni and Camera Showroom Milano. The purpose is to give the most deserving Alumni the unique opportunity to create their own capsule collections and make them available to the market through CSM's prestigious network.

“The partnership with CSM is a first step towards a system strategy that Istituto Marangoni has embraced with enthusiasm to be able to promote the school’s young talent internationally. The selected designers can now count on the support of qualified Italian manufacturers and showrooms with an international reach, to start a constructive journey to launch of their collections. It is a unique opportunity to team up and revive the "Made in Italy" supply chain with fresh and innovative ideas for the market", said Istituto Marangoni Managing Director Stefania Valenti. 

“I strongly supported and promoted this initiative, as I think it is vital for the future of fashion to have a new generation of designers that collaborates with companies representing the best Italian quality. This combination will give Istituto Marangoni Alumni an opportunity to connect with the manufacturing industry. Thanks to an agreement between Confartigianato Moda and CSM, Istituto Marangoni Alumni will be able to count on Italian artisan companies to create their capsule collections, the result of their talent and creativity. These collections will then be shown and sold to buyers in CSM partner showrooms”, said CSM President Gigliola Maule.