Istituto Marangoni Paris is pleased to announce its latest collaboration with the ‘With Love Halston’  foundation, a nonprofit organization founded by Lesley Frowick, Halston’s niece, Steve Gold, Managing Director, Scott Vogel, CFO, Audrey Schilt, CCO and Patrick Morgan, to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the legendary Battle of Versailles Fashion Show, held at the Palace of Versailles, Paris in November 1973.

On November 28, 1973, the world's celebrities and international jet-setters gathered at the Palace of Versailles for a fashion show, to help raise money for the restoration of the palace. The event was an over-the-top runway extravaganza, a face-off between American fashion designers– Oscar de la Renta, Bill Blass, Anne Klein, Halston, and Stephen Burrows – and French fashion designers– Yves Saint Laurent, Hubert de Givenchy, Pierre Cardin, Emanuel Ungaro, and Marc Bohan of Christian Dior, which included performances by Liza Minnelli, Josephine Baker, and Rudolph Nureyev. In a word, an event that is remembered as a milestone for the world of fashion.

Istituto Marangoni was chosen by “With Love Halston Foundation” because of its internationally recognised reputation as on leading players offering higher education in the fields of fashion, design and art. Indeed, The School has, for more than eight decades, witnessed the flourishing of Italian fashion and the birth of the ready-to -wear segment, accompanying their development and training the young talents who would later forge their success. While remaining faithful to its distinctive identity and educational method, with the international expansion of Italian fashion, Istituto Marangoni has extended its network, opening new schools in Firenze, Paris , London, Miami,Dubai, Mumbai, Shanghai, Shenzhen; managing to reconcile entrepreneurial dynamism with academic culture in a constantly expanding community of students and professionals.

Project by Maru Payen 

Istituto Marangoni and the Halston Foundation launched the The ‘Halston Battle of Versailles Design Challenge’ competition offering fashion design students the opportunity to design clothing inspired by the collection presented by Halston at the historic event.

The fashion school’s latest collaboration allows the Fashion Design students to get hands-on experience with a luxury brand and aims to educate rising designers on the genius of Halston, who was known for his minimalist, clean designs, often made of cashmere or Ultrasuede, creating a relaxed urban lifestyle look for American women.

Following a six-point criteria, and having worked under the guidance of project leader and tutor Francesca Vigna , Gianni Nembrini, Fashion Design Programme Leader and Massimo Casagrande, Masters Programme Leader, the Fashion Design students had to create inspiration boards, as well as fashion illustration sketches based on their interpretation and vision of Halston’s’ Battle of Versailles collection.

Eight finalists have been selected by Audrey Schilt, early illustrator for Halston and designer for Ralph Lauren, alongside Patrick Morgan, founder of FIDA.

Project by Kateryna Chyzh

The finalists, who will receive support from Ken Downing, Creative Director of Halston/Xcel Brands, will now work on developing a finalized outfit, while the students of the Master in Fashion Styling, Creative Direction & Digital Content, mentored by Massimo Casagrande, Masters Programme Leader, will work on creating editorials, film and digital media campaigns using the outfits created by the eight selected students. This imagery and digital narrative will be showcased alongside the designs and will be presented during Paris Fashion Week in October 2023.

A group of contest judges composed of senior fashion luminaries will reveal three finalists during the event held during Paris Fashion Week and will receive special scholarships, from the Elsa & Nando Peretti Foundation, a prize from Tiffany & Co., and the opportunity to have their fashion illustrations published in FIDA: The Fashion Arts & Illustration Magazine.