The future of fashion is here. And it has evolved radically with the next generation of Gen Z graduates from Istituto Marangoni Shanghai. On November 17th, twelve new talents were showcased as part of ZETA —which composed in two parts, “ZETA 3022” 3D CGI film and “ZETA” SS23 Best Graduate Show, presented by the prestigious global educator.

Established in the Chinese fashion capital nine years ago, Istituto Marangoni Shanghai's mission is to support the China’s young fashion talents through mentorship and industry partnership. Its class of 2022 has been unveiled with an immersive multimedia presentation at “Temple of Light” on the Huangpu riverside, North Bund, in Shanghai. Shown in two parts, 36 looks from 12 collections were presented on a runway while another four collections were unveiled in an immersive 3D CGI film titled, “ZETA 3022”. 

The film was produced under the mentorship of the notable alumni Zhou Jun and Li Yushan, founders of the pioneering independent brand Pronounce, based in Milan and Shanghai. Pronounce' success attests to the globalization of the domestic fashion industry and the role of education within that — especially international flagships such as Istituto Marangoni. Furthermore, on the occasion of 2022 The China-Italy Year of Culture and Tourism, and under the joint-effort with the Italian Cultural Institute in Shanghai, this showcase celebrated the academic excellence and inter-cultural exchange between China and Italy, two countries with long standing connections. 

ZETA, the Italian pronunciation of the letter “Z” which is the last in the English alphabet, symbolizes both the end of a cycle and a new beginning. The show offered an insight into how these promising talents perceive and conceptualize fashion's future: a dynamic blend of mythology and metaverse. The 3D CGI film, “ZETA 3022”, conveyed a storyline focused on the reinvention of animals from Chinese mythology with four capsule collections captured on digital avatars. Viewers were immersed in its four futuristic worlds: “The Origin of the New Age”, “Dystopia”, “Dune”, and “Rebirth”. With imaginations unleashed, Zhou Jie, Liu Yubing, Lan Yutong, and Qi Linghui blazed a trail in the Web3 environment. 

Following the immersive experience, guests were treated to collections from 12 graduating students: Liu Yujia, Sun Ziqing, Tang Yishan, Sun Haoyue, Huang Qi, He Sitong, Shen Xueyan, Wu Xinyu, Zhou Bingyi, He Haoliang, Lin Jing and Geng Minmin. Their collections, with names like “1m2 of Air”, “Imperfect beauty”, “Metamorphose”, and “2Na + 2H2O release” showed the breath of their creativity on the runway. 

“The SS23 Best Graduate Show held a special meaning this year. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the faculty has led the students, helping them to navigate these uncertain times with confidence and turn restrictions into opportunities”, Chief Operating Officer, Yingting Cheng, explained. “Currently, it’s a challenge. How far can we go with innovative teaching methods during a pandemic? Nevertheless, one new possibility has been unlocked in this new “metaverse era” and was on full display during the interdisciplinary, dynamic graduate show. Students have been empowered with the digital tools necessary to fulfil their creative potential. Studying at Istituto Marangoni means evolving. Now, they are officially fashion professionals, in the future, they will become the anchor of the Chinese fashion industry."

Istituto Marangoni
Founded in 1935 in Milan, Italy, Istituto Marangoni is a higher education institution specialized in teaching undergraduate and master's programs in fashion, art and design, and is part of the Galileo Global Education Group, a world class higher education institution. The Group's programs in the fields of art, creativity, management and innovation are among the top in the world. The school is dedicated to training the best talents in the fashion and design industry, and to date has trained more than 40,000 talented professionals, such as Franco Moschino, the founder of Moschino, and currently has 10 campuses worldwide, including Milan, Paris, London, Shanghai and Dubai. Every year, nearly 4,000 students from 106 countries around the world are educated at the different Istituto Marangoni campuses. Istituto Marangoni has established its own campuses in all the major fashion capitals of the world, aligning its teaching with the local fashion industry and offering students a wide range of options and experiences across campuses. Istituto Marangoni also provide a diverse selection of programs, including undergraduate programs (matriculation, one-year compulsory, three-year), master programs (matriculation and one-year master), and short-term programs. 

Istituto Marangoni Shanghai
Istituto Marangoni Shanghai is one of the ten campuses of the Istituto Marangoni in Italy, established in 2012 and 2013 with the joint support of the Italian and Shanghai governments. Following the new market trends in international and Asian fashion, discovering the future of the world, it is a place where Italian fashion, culture, and tradition create innovative links, and where the dynamics of professionalism in the Asian market are explored. The school has set up its premises in Shanghai's notable fashion landmark Xintiandi: located in THE ROOF, designed by Pritzker Prize winner and the world's most creative and world class architect Jean Nouvel. This is the Chinese debut of his work and the first optic architectural work in China, a forest of steel and passionate red, interpreting the rich artistic character of the building itself and giving Marangoni students artistic imagination. The school introduces students to the mainstream fashion trends currently emerging around the world by offering specialized courses in fashion design, fashion business, fashion buying and visual merchandising, luxury brand management and marketing, as well as various short-term programs, while maintaining a balance between fashion creativity and business acumen.