From the eight Designers to Watch to the collaboration with Arsutoria School and the Conceptual Experimentation project: at BASE Milano, Istituto Secoli showcases the value of fashion craftsmanship through creativity, technical expertise, and innovation.
Istituto Secoli returns to FASHION GRADUATE ITALIA, the event promoted by Piattaforma Sistema Formativo Moda ETS. The Institute’s presence at BASE Milano is organized into three key moments: the fashion show of the eight Designers to Watch, the exhibition of the Conceptual Experimentation project, and the Digital Lecture on Patternmaking and Project Culture.
Designers to Watch: eight talents, eight visions of fashion
Since 2018, the Designer to Watch project has highlighted the talents of Istituto Secoli, guiding selected top students through the development of their capsule collections and their participation in major events dedicated to emerging fashion.
The journey begins with thesis projects and encompasses concept, research, sketching, materials, and technical sheets, provided through tutoring and support for collection development.
At FASHION GRADUATE ITALIA 2026, eight designers bring as many interpretations of the present to the runway, giving shape to personal research paths that explore memory, identity, relationships, matter, and tradition.
* Anna Mignolli – Anamnesi Familiare
* Andrea Bartoletti – Oikèo
* Edoardo Fabbri – Ciò che resta
* Valeria Rongaroli – Con(tatto)
* Cinzia Carecchio – Psyche-Deloo
* Lorenzo Erbetta – Qualcos’altro
* Patricia Gorbatovschi – Simulacra
* Maria Scaglione – La Tornanza
Eight diverse projects, united by the ability to transform an idea into a concrete product, bridging creative research, design, and technical proficiency.
Istituto Secoli and Arsutoria School: New Synergies between Apparel and Footwear
FASHION GRADUATE ITALIA 2026 also represents an opportunity to present the initial results of the collaboration between Istituto Secoli and Arsutoria School, a project that creates a dialogue between skills and creativity in the design of a complete collection.
For the first time, two Designers to Watch from Istituto Secoli worked alongside two Shoe Designers from Arsutoria School to conceive and create footwear capable of completing and enhancing their respective capsule collections.
For Simulacra, the women’s collection by Patricia Gorbatovschi, Rayana Kalra developed Soft Distortions, a hybrid shoe between a ballet flat and a loafer, characterized by an asymmetrical shape and the softness of pleated leather. The project reflects the theme of the collection, exploring the relationship between reality, memory, and perception.
For Oikèo, the men’s collection by Andrea Bartoletti, Lucia Ingle designed a contemporary derby that opens in an unexpected way, recalling the gesture of undressing. A flower completes the footwear, entering into dialogue with the long trousers of the outfit.
The collaboration is part of a broader journey that led to the creation of a new educational hub in Milan’s Certosa District: a space designed to foster the meeting of technical training, laboratories, companies, and innovation, strengthening the culture of fashion craftsmanship.
Conceptual Experimentation: Applied Research and Product Innovation
Within the Istituto Secoli booth, the Conceptual Experimentation project demonstrates the value of applied research and the collaboration between education and industry.
Born from the synergy between Istituto Secoli, Stratasys, D-house Laboratorio Urbano, and Luxury Jersey, the project presents five outfits that explore the relationship between jersey, garment construction, and three-dimensional applications.
Experimentation with materials and technologies becomes an integral part of the design process, showing how the exchange between different skills can generate new solutions and expand the languages of contemporary fashion.
Patternmaking and Project Culture
Completing the Institute’s participation is the Digital Lecture on Patternmaking and Project Culture, dedicated to one of the hallmarks of Secoli training: the link between creative conception, garment construction, and technical knowledge.
An approach that views patternmaking not merely as an execution phase, but as a fundamental tool for translating the designer’s vision into a coherent, functional, and achievable product.
Through the fashion show, collaborations, and experimentation, Istituto Secoli renews its commitment to training professionals capable of combining design sensitivity, technical mastery, and an openness to innovation.
Discover the collections, the Designers to Watch, and the projects of Istituto Secoli!
Photo Credits: Daniele Venturelli, Daniele Schiavello, and Gianluca Carraro.
