A few months ago, we received an email from the Altaroma organisation announcing its Spring/Summer 2023 edition, demonstrating once again its commitment to local fashion, young talents and physical fashion shows as a way to generate synergies between the different agents in the sector. However, it did so with important novelties compared to its last edition held in February, which we were also lucky to attend. Gone are the Cinecittà Studios, the main enclave of its previous call, to welcome the Ex Caserma Guido Reni space, their new (and much more central) location. Besides coming across designers whose work we had already seen on previous occasions, we met some creatives that caught our attention for the quality of their work and innovation.
To explain the promotional capacity of Altaroma's young promises of fashion, it would be better if we turn to a specific example. Gams Note, one of the brands that we already highlighted in February for its solidity not only as a creative project but also as a business one, its personal stamp and its perfect balance between functionality and design, presented its previous collection at Rome Is My Runway, the platform dedicated to the emerging talents of Roman fashion. Barely half a year later, this young brand is now consecrated as one of the nominees for the Who Is On Next? award, presenting its fantastic pieces in an event that we had the opportunity to attend some weeks ago.
“Who Is On Next? was created in 2005...” commented Simonetta Gianfelici and Sara Sozzani Maino, “starting from an idea of Altaroma and thanks to the curiosity, support, culture and sensitivity of an extraordinary woman: Franca Sozzani.” And this coveted awards ceremony, in which we saw important faces of the industry such as Alessandro Michele, Pierpaolo Piccioli or Silvia Venturini Fendi, president of Altaroma, continues to promote the creative capacity of young designers, including Alessandro Marchetto, at the head of the menswear brand Gams Note, whose work (along with Karim) got the Pitti Tutoring & Consulting Award, which gift them with a pro bono 6-month mentorship program aimed at supporting and promoting fashion designers in their professional and creative path on the fashion market.
This is precisely the distinctive value of Altaroma, its ability to turn small and independent brands into strong projects capable of championing Roman talent nationally and internationally. And also the local and international press, which turn into dissemination tools that make their voices be heard even louder when they are well used and when the work that is presented is original and shines for its quality. Among all the collections presented, we highlight the leading talents of Rome Is My Runway for restoring our confidence in an industry that seems to improve in terms of inclusion, representation and identity.
From the personality of the work devised by the surreal, sustainable and artisanal fashion brand based in Puglia Be Nina to the freestyle embroidery on vintage blazers by Dadamax, capable of reinventing this classic tailoring piece through details and respect for the craftsmanship. Feelomena was also one great surprise of this edition of Altaroma, betting on genderless garments, in dark tones combined with fluorescent colours inspired by the Pitoui headboard, a bird of the rainforest. Or Reamerei, a one hundred per cent handmade in Italy brand which ships worldwide and is undoubtedly one of the projects most connected to the needs and demands of new generations, dissolving gender barriers and giving the importance it deserves to sustainability.
In the official calendar, where we find some of Altaroma's usual names and established designers, the metamorphosis and the dreamlike world proposed by Caterina Moro contrasted with the innovative cuts, textures and metal buckles of Alberto Audenino, who once again bets on the female empowerment. We should also highlight the Fashion Show Talents 2022 by Accademia Costume & Moda, featuring fifteen of its graduates, who had created their collections in collaboration with 30 Made in Italy companies and is sponsored by Milan Fashion Week, Altaroma and Regione Lazio.
Let's get into Who Is On Next? 2022, the gala promoted by Vogue Italia to recognize the work of some of the most promising creatives. We cannot get out of our minds the impressive pieces created by Mokoo, whose collection was awarded a cash prize and future visibility on Vogue Italia, as well as Setchu by Satoshi Kuwata, one of the works that most impressed the jury of experts. From Morphine's creative recycling work to 10.2in leather accessories (a shame videos created for accessory brands didn't do the great pieces justice), or the genderless clothing brand Lessico Familiare, by Alice Curti, Riccardo Scaburri and Alberto Petillo, this edition's third place winner.
Reinforcing the synergy between Altaroma and its partner institutions and consolidating Rome as a hub of new Italian fashion, this edition continues to consolidate the catwalk's ability to propel Italian fashion talent, favoured by the showcase they lead where we could get to know more than ninety different fashion and accessories brands. Generating more and more expectations among industry professionals and specialised critics, the event is undoubtedly moving in the right direction. We will have to wait for the next call to know where it is going, but for now, we will keep track of all the talents that we have discovered these days.
