Designer Nansen Capici wins “Best Collection” at Polimoda Graduate Show 2025, judged by Michèle Lamy, Luc Tuymans, Carla Arocha, Tiziana Cardini, Marco Rambaldi, Ahmad Daher and Gena Marvin.
Italian talent Nansen Capici, a recent graduate of Polimoda’s Undergraduate Fashion Design program, has been named “Best Collection 2025” at the Polimoda Graduate Show, held June 16 at Firenze’s Stazione Leopolda to kick off Pitti Uomo 108.
Twenty emerging designers presented uncompromising creative research, showcasing over 100 looks imbued with personal narratives, daring visions and material innovation that challenge fashion conventions—and won praise from critics and an international audience alike.
This year’s jury—artist, producer, performer and Owenscorp co-founder Michèle Lamy; visual artists Luc Tuymans and Carla Arocha; VogueRunway and Vogue.com critic Tiziana Cardini; Marco Rambaldi, co-owner and creative director of his eponymous label; Ahmad Daher, RTW Atelier Manager at Ferragamo; and performance artist Gena Marvin—evaluated each collection on originality, technical execution and design coherence.
Capici’s Silenzio Bianco (White Silence) is a refined exercise in introspection: a journey through a real and metaphorical Arctic, inspired by Norwegian explorer Fridtjof Nansen, whose name the designer bears. In six minimalist, meditative looks, Capici stages a dialogue between family heritage and self-reinvention—an exploration of silence as space for possibility.
Contemporary tailoring, clean silhouettes and technical nods to vintage sportswear strike a balance between discipline and freedom. Traditional menswear fabrics are paired with high-tech fibers and Inuit-inspired experiments, reflecting a deep investigation into function, protection and comfort. A cool, pared-back palette evokes Arctic austerity, punctuated by warm hues that suggest vitality and rebirth.
Nansen Capici’s Silenzio Bianco, ph. Filippo Fior / GoRunway
“For me, Silenzio Bianco is a conversation between who I am and who I want to become,” Capici explains. “I aimed to weave a narrative that’s quiet yet powerful—one that speaks to anyone who listens for the smallest detail”.
The international jury praised Capici’s project for its conceptual and aesthetic consistency, recognizing an authentic, mature voice capable of reshaping contemporary menswear.
In addition to the top prize, four special mentions were awarded:
Creative Vision & Concept goes to Nansen Capici, for the poetic intensity and conceptual depth of Silenzio Bianco.
Technical Excellence: Derin Kemer (Turkey), for the superior craftsmanship in bitch boss, a collection redefining female strength through structured volumes, contrasting materials such as cotton and walnut wood, and sculptural details.
Market Relevance & Innovation: Elena Azeglio (Italy), for Bonding in Violence, which translates the hostile complexities of urban life into garments that merge technical lightness with protective elements—from military parachute references to samurai armor experiments.
Future of Fashion: Grigory Fedenko (Russia/Israel), for Rise and Fall, an exploration of power that evokes references to the oil-industry and declining empires, using hybrid organic-synthetic materials that suggest strength, corruption and transition.
Special mentions collections, ph. Filippo Fior / GoRunway
At the show’s close, the jury addressed all emerging talents:
“Stay true to your essence—let your story guide you. Seek truth in your creative language, hone your technique without sacrificing form. Never compromise your integrity; conformity is hard to undo.”
A call to build the future with coherence, authenticity and courage.
Polimoda Graduate Show 2025 video highlights
