Vogue Italy December 2002


"Imaging thousands of mirrors and lights, almost a constellation of stars twinkling as symbols of fashion and creativity; galaxies floating among classical architecture and adventuresome designs, minimalist monochromatics and festive rainbows. These are the window displays of the shops which, like windows into the future, are an irresistible invitation, a magnetic seduction.".. "A dream animated by every stage of creation by stylists, the real protagonists on display. They are all there on display: from the most famous to the least noteworthy, but all the same talented fashion designers who invent with freshness the new ways to experience clothing.." "...It's necessary to have trained eyes and a touch of the sooth-sayer to figure out what will be the next cult objects and the most fashion forward trends.
These are the sure-fire ingredients of success: intuition, endless research, perseverance and astuteness. But also creativity, a priceless and invaluable good that grows freely and spontaneously in the minds of the young fashion-talented.
A fundamental role in this continuing evolution of style is played by the fashion school, in which new generations of new stylists meet. Here the omnivorous talent-hunters seek out the next Tom Ford, Hedi Slimane, Hussein Chalayan....Nylstar, the group leader in the production of microfibers, has come up with the idea of "Progetto A.M.N.I." (acronymous for Harmony, Fashion, Naturalness, Innovation) for knitwear, an initiative meant for young creators of fashion. The challenge has been made: some of the best minds of fashion design have put each other to the test in a match of creativity and research, design models that will be created with the exclusive high-performance and hi-tech yarns of Meryl, Elitè and Skinlife (trademarks of the Nylstar group). At the competition, the students of some important fashion schools have participated, at the avant-garde in the textile sector, F.I.T. (Fashion Institute of Technology) of New York, Polimoda in Florence and the Nottingham Trent University of Hottingham. A jury made up of experts of the yarn and fashion sector (from Nylstar and Vogue Italia) selected the best models, which were rewarded for creativity and skilfulness in planning. The eighteen fashion sketches selected have been reinterpreted by the "art work" of François Berthoud as new protagonists in the realm of fashion stardom. The initiative celebrates yet again the inventiveness of the new generations applied to fashion and the technological evolution in the field of textiles. Second phase: the A.M.N.I. sees to the production of the knitting of the selected prototypes. Nylstar will provide the the winners with the necessary yarn for realizing the designated garments. The designs will therefore become reality and will be exhibited during the Pitti Filati ("Pitti Yarns") exhibit, scheduled in Florence from 5-7 of February, 2003.

The following students participated:

Chiara Biagini
Chiara Carnicelli
Karina Wollinsky
Eleonora Severino
Laura Orsini
Marianna Maccarone
Simone Garofolo
Chiara Monteleone
Anat Elyashiv
Gabriela Soto
Claudia Casati
Silvia Castellazzi
Marilù Denitto