News

IED is the only Italian school partner of Valentino Vintage project

Date

13 June 2023

From Los Angeles to Tokyo, from Paris to London, the international project of Maison Valentino in collaboration with 1 Granary puts a light on archive fashion as an inspiration for future creativity.

Behind the scenes, beyond the curtain

Five iconic vintage dresses, designed under the creative direction of Pierpaolo Piccioli - IED Roma Alumnus - were displayed in the spaces of IED Moda Milano, in via Pompeo Leoni 3, in April 2022. They were part of a special donation done by the Maison to IED, with the aim of bringing students closer to the aesthetic universe and craftsmanship of Valentino and exploring the potential of archive fashion as a tool for future creativity.

This initiative was called Valentino Vintage project, a unique second-hand project of the Maison (started in 2021) to generate and regenerate creativity, reawakening timeless beauty and building a community of fashion enthusiasts. This year, the project was enriched by the partnership with 1 Granary, a London-based publishing education platform and international incubator, thus opening up to the global creative community. Through this partnership, Valentino Vintage welcomed international students and young talents into the project, promoting engagement initiatives and providing the resources to empower and bring to life their creative talent. In this framework, IED was the only Italian partner.

A group of 60 students from Fashion Design and Fashion Marketing & Communication courses in IED Milano worked together to re-create and implement, with different techniques, their vision of the five garments. "We liked the idea that they could approach the brand and the donated garments with absolute respect for their history but with the opportunity to look at them from another perspective. The original pieces passed through our spaces as if they were special guests", said Olivia Spinelli, Director of Fashion School - IED Milano.

As an introduction to the project, on April 2023, groups of students from IED Milano courses in the fashion area visited Madame Pauline (Foro Buonaparte 74), a vintage fashion boutique chosen as the only Milanese location by Valentino to discover the history and savoir faire of the Maison, as well as come into contact with visionary professionals and creatives.

This was the starting point of a two-month project where students from Fashion Design, Styling and Fashion Communication they explored the DNA from the Maison and translated into their own creative vision.

As a result, on June 8th 2023 they presented the final output: one team of Fashion Design students -from first, second and third years - used illustration as a perfect means to stage a projection of the brand between past and future.

Using materials that do not necessarily come from a textile background, another team, has endeavoured to create unique pieces inspired by the source items.

The other team - from Styling & Communication - used video and photography to narrate in a live moment an expo of what was generated in 1 month of work, by the colleagues of the Fahion Design course, within the space of Pompeo Leoni theatre.

Check out all the illustrations here.
Check out the shooting: editorial and still life here.

Valentino Vintage Network

Seven cities around the world, seven schools and seven shops as well, were selected within the context of Valentino Vintage project. The global Valentino lovers community is invited to bring their preloved Valentino garments to a selected vintage store and exchange the items with the option to buy a new design, allowing clients to discover the beauty of past creations and participate in an alternative shopping experience.

Besides Madame Pauline in Milan the other locations were Plaisir Palace in Paris, Rellik in London; New York Vintage Inc in New York, Recess in Los Angele, The Vintage Dress in Tokyo, Janemarch Maison in Seoul.

Speaking of the schools, the others involved in collaboration with 1 Granary were Institut Français de la Mode in Paris, Central Saint Martins in London, Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, Coconogacco in Tokyo, ESMOD in Seoul, Parsons School of Design in New York.