Emerging Talents Milan, the independent agency that has discovered, recruited and supported more than 100 talents from around 50 countries since 2016 – returns on the occasion of the Milan Catwalks FW 2023-24.
New brands, top labels and emerging designers will parade on the wonderful stage of Palazzo Visconti to present their exclusive new FW 2023-24 collections. A unique and extraordinary opportunity to discover international, visionary, brilliant and creative talents working in the Fashion Business.
XENOFON.OLOGY
@xenofon.ology
Yet Untitled
The inspiration for the “Yet Untitled” collection comes from my favorite story, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alice’s journey is about self-discovery, as the protagonists constantly question themselves about who they are. Their creative curiosity and fearless independence are characteristics that inspire and remind me to be under destructive construction of myself and my reality.
Emerging Talents
The years of the pandemic affected me immensely. I started discovering myself again through psychotherapy and using the tarot. The tarot cards became a tool in my hands, a mirror that enabled me to distance myself from what goes around me and reflect and discover my feelings through the archetypes of the tarot. The surrealistic depictions of the Apparition tarot deck inspired and reminded me of the Alice in Wonderland illustrations of Salvador Dali and the contemporary ones of Kristjana S. Williams for the Alice: “Curioser and Curioser” exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. It moved me notably and became the springboard of the collection. I immediately started working with Iro Papakosta, a friend and collaborator, on designing prints. We drew by hand motifs that inspired us. The motifs were roses and flowers from the gardens of the Red Queen and symbols of the Mother archetype, butterflies and moths with their sensitive wings, creatures of the night that fly towards the light. Lastly, I created the motif of the veins and arteries of the human heart as a symbol of myself and my expression. Then we composed all these motifs and created four fabric prints on silk. Silk became the backbone of the collection. Cotton, lotus, wool, acetate, and recycled polyester enriched the fabric selections.
My inspiration for the silhouettes of the collection comes from the Victorian era, especially the different kinds of corsets from 1850 till the early 20th century. The corset creates a strong core that offers safety in my eyes. Then I explored the idea of creating hybrids of classic garments, such as the trench coat or the suit, through the corset lens. The voluminous skirts and sleeves of the era drew me to contemporary creations by designers such as Alexander McQueen, Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Viktor&Rolf, Martin Margiela, and Valentino. I deconstructed the austere silhouettes and created draped parts of circular patterns and explosions of pleats/ emotions. The colors of this collection are shades of blue from the depictions of Alice, brackish green, and the burst of red and pink.
Yet Untitled: it is a reminder that our lives constantly change. As the arcanum thirteen/ the death suggests, we are letting go of the things that no longer serve us. It may not be easy and it is usually messy, but we must consider our endings as carefully as our beginnings as they define us. I hope I created a spot where to stretch to my limits and further, and be as fearless and free as Alice and the world around me.
About Xenofon.ology
I am Xenofon, a young fashion designer and the creator of Xenofon.ology.
My passion, my applied knowledge in an atelier environment and my need to constantly evolve in design and construction led me to create my brand in 2022. My goal is to develop my creative footprint in the fashion industry. I combine my romantic nature with my dadaistic punk attitude to create my expression through the lens of fashion. My work is synonymous with emotional tailoring (specialty in corsetry), combining traditional techniques with new innovative approaches, contemporary art, and social commentary. My interest and experience expand in surface embellishment and treatment, print design, and sustainability.
“Fashion, for me, is a form of artistic expression, closely related to the body and the way it is perceived.”
LAVEAU
@laveauofficial
Confidently Lost. Celebrate finding the way.
We are complex beings in that we may have a delicate exterior, but can show a dangerous side if provoked. Given the chance and suitable environment, we can save lives and bring hope, happiness, luck, and love when needed.
As women, we can transform ourselves from porcelain to ivory to steel throughout our lives. Collection Three is about celebrating the duality of women in our everyday lives. We not only can become strong, but also we can still retain our femininity without playing into stereotypical masculinized female archetypes. Darkness has the power to hurt us, but it also holds the power to heal us when we rest. We are perfect and imperfect in the most complicated but beautiful way possible. We are confidently lost in a world worth discovering.
We say color is king; it is a vibrant companion along the journey of life’s unknowns and ups and downs. So we create bright and surreal prints that are boisterous, out of the ordinary, and inspired by life’s battle scars. Laveau embraces pleats, ruffles, cutouts, and soft fabrics that tastefully showcase the feminine form.
Laveau’s prints are inspired by the symbols from our past. No two pieces are ever the same, just like our uniqueness as individuals. We believe there’s beauty in imperfection, but when it comes to quality, we draw the line. We’re fastidious with our small batch production and live for more sustainably-minded design choices.
When you embrace your uniqueness, you can face the world brightly, boldly, and beautifully.
CLAUDIA BERTOLERO
@claudiabertolero_oficial
THE DESIGNER CLAUDIA BERTOLERO AND HER SOURCE OF INSPIRATION: THE PERUVIAN PASO HORSE
A remarkable woman who is impetuous, creative, and a lover of equestrian sports. She came from an Italian-Peruvian family and grew up in Lima. Between games, unforgettable summers, and travels to beautiful places, she left behind her childhood by setting her sights abroad and continually adopting the philosophy that her parents had inculcated in her: education is something no one can ever take away from you. Her first stop was Miami, where she studied Business Administration & Marketing at the University of Miami and Fashion Merchandising at the Miami International University of Art and Design. However, her professional experience with Prada and Versace pushed her toward the next step.
Fascinated by the fashion industry, Claudia moved to the world capital of fashion: Milan. By attending the Textile Design & Interior Design course at the prestigious Istituto Europeo di Design, walking alongside the opulent via Monte Napoleone, and absorbing the famous culture of the Lombardy Region, it was clear that she was moving in the right direction.
She received an unexpected gift that gave her the necessary inspiration she had been waiting for. The present, a horse, opened her eyes to the world of fashion through the optic of equestrian sports, inspiring her with a sense of style that combined her Italian-Peruvian roots, leisure with work, elegance with creativity, giving life to a product that’s truly one of a kind. After endless hours of arduous work and inspiration, Claudia decided to make her dreams come true at all costs. The result was winning the illustrious prize at the International Competition of Young Fashion Creators in Lima, Peru, and the International Competition for Young Fashion Creators at the Carrousel of the Louvre in Paris. However, her thirst for knowledge did not end there. Being an eternal student of life and a perfectionist, Claudia completed her studies at the school of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture Persienne as a prize for her victory in Paris. Winning it all was not enough, as she longed to further develop her techniques, languages, and culture.
Her work, now in her atelier in Lima, Peru, the numerous prestigious awards, the countless fashion shows, and the various appearances on the front pages of newspapers are just a few examples of how Claudia has grown not only as a renowned fashion designer but also as a human being. Her enthusiasm for fashion and life is evident in her work, as fashion is her life and horses are her passion.
SAMIR KERZABI
@samirkerzabi
HEDERA
Samir Kerzabi reveals the HEDERA collection.
The collection is inspired by the beauty of ivy, gentle strength, longevity and perseverance.
The designer Samir Kerzabi’s vision is turned towards an authentic modernity inspired by his Algerian and North African traditions and roots.
Born in Oran, Algeria, Samir Kerzabi evolves between artistic creativity and an environment impregnated with rich clothing traditions due to the Tlemcenian origins of his family. His first fashion creations were born at an early age. Samir Kerzabi begins his creative project and trains in fashion design without interrupting his university studies. He has participated in many international fashion shows such as Tunisia, Cameroon, France, Belgium, Dubai, South Korea, Lebanon. The creations with warm colors enriched with sophisticated embroidery and structured dresses of Samir Kerzabi mix the sense of architecture and taste for a successful alliance that makes his style immediately recognizable.
AIDA MUSINOVIC
@aidamusinovic.design
Eternally inspired by life, the planet, spirituality, fairy tales and beauty, romance and happy outcomes: this is how this collection was created. The collection of dresses “Above” is not just a dream, it is a collection that represents the mystical and bright side of every woman and her essence, her being sensual, beautiful and unstoppable, ready, daring, gentle and yet strong. You can see the light, shiny and airy collection, and you can’t help but feel its strength. With this collection, the designer conveys the message of positive energy and love that every woman and soul has. The dresses are made with a lot of love and woven with the heart from different materials, and everything is combined in a harmony of colors from soft pink, silver like dewdrops, golden sunny tones, floral shine, golden green and bright pink, black and red colors that remind of the most beautiful dawn after night. Muslin silk, organdy, lace, crystal lace, satin, lamé, lycra, sequins, tulle, pearls,feathers, tassels… In the final aesthetic treatment, the details are sewn by hand.
Aida Musinovic is an independent fashion designer.
She was born in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, in 1976 where she completed her primary education as well as secondary medical school. She got married in 1994 and became the mother of five daughters. She started pursuing her dream and designing independently after the birth of her fifth daughter. In 2017 she received the award for Woman of the Year in the category of fashion in the Ladies’ Community of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as recognition for the development of the BiH design scene. She presented her creation at domestic fashion shows in Sarajevo and Mostar. Her dresses are worn by famous people from BiH, Serbia, and Croatia. She is the president of “UG Protkano Srcem,” founded in 2021 which, along with other members, has as foundation and goal the production of unique materials and dresses, as well as the education and training of new talents.
GIANLUCA ALIBRANDO
@gianlucalibrando
Is it possible a pure, rigorous, structured line together with a fluctuating sinuous line that glides over the body? Is total white possible? The darkness of the total black together with the colour Iris light blue, Cyclamen and scarlet red?
Yes, if Gianluca Alibrando marries them.
The female vision of Gianluca is a symphony of low and high notes, lights and shadows, ‘the shadows are just as important as the light’, Jane Eyre would say. Directed by Gianluca Alibrando, an unbridled violin accent alternates with a rock beat… and this Harmony is his ambitious vision of Beauty.
Art Director: Tariel Bisharyan
Head Fashion Stylist: Lucine Ayanian
Beauty Director and Key Makeup Artist: Valeria Orlando
Makeup Team: VOR Academy
Makeup Sponsor: VOR Makeup
Key Hair Stylist & Sponsor: Antonio Iengo
Hair Team: Royal Academy of MakeUp Torino
Backstage Director: Giuliana Bortolato
Casting Director: Josip Grabovac
Lighting and Set: Family Studio Srl
Shoe Partners: Deichmann
Special thanks to the partners and official sponsors of Emerging Talents Milan: Family Studio Srl, VOR Make-up by Valeria Orlando, White Lady PR, Antonio Iengo Hair Style, Palazzo Visconti, Arteria Exhibits, Lumiere Banqueting, Craft Sharks.
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With love,
FWO
