Milano The School of Design

Three students from the Visual Communication Design Department at Istituto Marangoni Milano Design have distinguished themselves in two of the most prestigious international competitions in the field of visual and advertising communication — the Art Directors Club Italy (ADCI) and the Art Directors Club Europe (ADCE) — securing three places among the finalists.
This remarkable result confirms the quality of the school’s education, the strength of its ideas, and the ability of our students to interpret the contemporary languages of visual design with originality, combining research, experimentation, and social awareness.

A European recognition: ADCE Student Awards 2025

Student Anna Rebekka Hofer is a finalist with her project “Frank”, a personal brand design concept that explores the notion of Truth in communication.

Through a reflection on the role of authenticity in the age of artificial intelligence, Frank acts as an engine for transparency, encouraging the rediscovery of honesty as a fundamental value for open dialogue between brands and their audiences.
Frank also presents itself as the first reverse artificial intelligence, capable of analyzing AI-generated images to reveal their sources and processes, bringing clarity and accountability back to the visual language of our time.
The award ceremony will take place in Barcelona on November 19, 2025, during the ADCE annual festival.

Two finalists at the ADCI Awards 2025

On the national stage, Davide Lazzoni and Isabella Fernandez de Castro have been selected among the finalists of the ADCI Awards 2025, promoted by the Art Directors Club Italiano, the most authoritative recognition for creativity and communication in Italy.
The award ceremony will be held in Milan on November 6, 2025, at the MiCo – Milano Convention Centre.

“Bloom” – Davide Lazzoni

Bloom was born from the awareness that relational challenges require listening, empathy, and continuous education.
The app, designed for individuals with Down syndrome or Fragile X syndrome, helps users reflect on their emotions and translate them into a unique visual language made of flowers.
Through an intuitive interface, the emotions experienced in social interactions blossom into digital flowers, becoming a starting point for dialogue with therapists, caregivers, and friends.
A project that combines design, empathy, and innovation, transforming visual language into a tool for emotional awareness and inclusion.

“Chinatown, Milano” – Isabella Fernandez de Castro

Chinatown, Milano is a multimedia video project that portrays the city through a surreal and deeply personal lens, blending autobiographical storytelling, AI experimentation, animation, and DIY filmmaking.
Developed from the theme “a story from your city,” the project reflects on migrant identity and the conscious choice to belong to a place.
With a fast-paced and immersive aesthetic inspired by video games, Isabella explores the construction of self within the urban space, intertwining elements of Chinese culture — fashion, symbolism, music — with her own lived experience in Milan.
A powerful and contemporary visual narrative that examines the relationship between identity, technology, and personal memory.

A great success for the Visual Communication Design Department

The three projects represent distinct yet complementary approaches to contemporary visual communication: ethics and transparency with Frank, empathy and inclusion with Bloom, and identity and experimentation with Chinatown, Milano.
Anna, Davide, and Isabella embody the ability of Istituto Marangoni Milano Design students to compete at the highest level on the international creative stage, bringing with them an authentic, thoughtful, and deeply contemporary vision.