International Talent Support (ITS) is one of the most recognized platforms worldwide that showcases and promotes the most promising and innovative talents in the fashion industry. 

In May 2020, 630 participants from 60 countries have qualified for the 18th edition of the prestigious fashion "ITS Contest”, which supports young fashion, accessory, art, and jewelry designers from around the world and seeks to select the most talented through a jury made up of fashion experts and accredited journalists in the fashion industry.

Fashion designer Felipe Fiallo, graduated at Istituto Marangoni Firenze in Luxury Accessories Design and Management in 2019, participated in the ITS Contest with a seven eco-futuristic digital technology shoes collection called: “We Go Far”. What is unique about each piece of footwear is the fusion of fashion with biology and digital manufacturing processes. His research on biomaterials and footwear design led him to be declared the winner of the "ITS Fondazione Ferragamo Award".

Felipe declares: “Istituto Marangoni Firenze gave me all the tools to understand how to create a narrative for the fashion world and how to talk to an audience, because when you make a collection you are not just creating products: you are talking to a community. Istituto Marangoni is the place where I found my voice and the best way to express myself. I met the best professionals: teachers that allowed me not just learning, but also making.”

Additionally, during the presentation of the contest, the entire global community voted online for their favorite designer; Felipe Fiallo achieved the best score and was awarded the "ITS People's Choice Award". 

“I always think about doing things to connect people and I deeply believe in the contamination of different fields to create something new. When I design, I don't start from esthetic, I start from a concept or a philosophy.

Thanks to Istituto Marangoni I’ve achieved all the skills to work in the luxury industry, and after that I’ve reached also the knowledge of sustainability. Now I know how to translate the esthetic of nature to fashion, thanks to biology, technology and design.”