Fashion collections unfolded under a canopy of stars in Pisa, where student creativity meets legendary Italian heritage, when Polimoda’s Undergraduate in Fashion Design students were invited by the Comune di Pisa for an evening that brought together art, music, dance, and fashion.
Twenty students from over 12 different countries showcased their collections alongside archive pieces from Emilio Pucci, and the Mancuso-Rauchenberger collection. The emerging designers: Isabella Alvarino (USA), Martina Flores Arico (Spain), Matteo Bardi (Italy), Julia Borodziuk (Poland), Lisa Criaco (Belgium), Chiara De Fenza (Italy), Matilde Fabiani (Switzerland), Gimena Fadrique Del Castillo (Spain), Nguyen Minh Ha (Vietnam), Emily Horton (United States), Jirat Jitdee (Thailand), Huan-En Lin (Taiwan), Lusine Mkrtchyan (Armenia), Nicole Morato (Brazil), Chiara Ni (China), Jakob Nittmann (Austria), Gabija Overlingaite (Lithuania), Salamata Rapone (Italy), Isabel Richter (Germany), Emilie Wenckstern (Germany), didn’t just present clothes, they presented a vision of fashion’s future, with looks that were innovative, geometric, and materially adventurous.
What made the evening particularly special was witnessing how these students have absorbed the essence of studying in Tuscany, the heartland of Italian craftsmanship and the engine of the international fashion industry, learning in a place where savoir-faire isn’t just taught, it’s breathed.
The archive pieces, curated by Polimoda Director Massimiliano Giornetti, created a dialogue between past and present. From Pucci’s iconic prints to the eclectic treasures of the Mancuso-Rauchenberger archive consisting of clothing, accessories, jewelry, costumes, and fabrics, each piece told part of Tuscany’s rich fashion story. Giornetti used the region itself as the connecting thread, weaving together a narrative that celebrated this extraordinary fashion landscape.
As these students head into their final year and Polimoda approaches its 40th anniversary in 2026, events like this remind us why fashion education matters. In an industry that is in dire need of renewal and dramatic change, the next generation of creative voices are of the utmost importance.
CREDITS
Undergraduate in Fashion Design students:
- Isabella Alvarino
- Martina Flores Arico
- Matteo Bardi
- Julia Borodziuk
- Lisa Criaco
- Chiara De Fenza
- Matilde Fabiani
- Gimena Fadrique Del Castillo
- Nguyen Minh Ha
- Emily Horton
- Jirat Jitdee
- Huan-En Lin
- Lusine Mkrtchyan
- Nicole Morato
- Chiara Ni
- Jakob Nittmann
- Gabija Overlingaite
- Salamata Rapone
- Isabel Richter
- Emilie Wenckstern
Runway photos:
- Courtesy of Comune di Pisa, photos by Gerardo Teta
Event photos:
- Courtesy of Comune di Pisa
