Looking back at Istituto Marangoni London’s Graduate Preview at the Italian Embassy
On Thursday, 12 June, in the hushed elegance of the Italian Embassy in London, a select group of editors and industry insiders gathered not for spectacle, but for substance.
A Morning of Vision & Craft
2025 BA Graduate Fashion Season
It was here that Istituto Marangoni London opened its 2025 BA Graduate Fashion Season not with a runway, but with a thoughtfully curated press preview, offering an intimate look at ten final-year designers whose work speaks not only to where fashion is now, but where it’s headed next.
Set against the backdrop of chandeliers, frescoes, and the quiet diplomacy of Belgravia, the showcase was a reminder of what fashion education can be when it’s intentional: a cross-cultural conversation, a commitment to craft, and above all, a platform for emerging voices to show not shout their point of view.
Welcoming guests with warmth and clarity was His Excellency Inigo Lambertini, Ambassador of Italy to the UK, who opened the morning by affirming the school’s mission:
“Here in London, Istituto Marangoni serves as an outpost of Italian excellence… a bridge between two creative fashion capitals… where Italian culture flourishes, reinterpreted by young voices who carry it into the future.”
It was a sentiment that set the tone.
Ten Designers, Ten Distinct Voices
The selected graduates Aniket Chandela, Anna Sheremetyeva, Charlene Osmond, Gaye Sahutogullari, Henry Crawford, Jinxuan Mao, Micaela Ismodes Sole, Sofia Kovalska, Sofia Rukina, and Thierry Ruetschi each presented a signature look, steeped in storytelling and technical depth. What emerged was a creative vocabulary that felt unbound by trend cycles yet deeply rooted in personal narratives, cultural references, and future-facing construction.
Many of the collections explored dualities strength and softness, tradition and rebellion, function and flourish echoing the ethos behind SYNERGETIC, the cross-campus runway show that debuted on 3 July at Palais de Tokyo in Paris.
There, these ten designers will be joined by their counterparts from Istituto Marangoni Paris, bringing together two cities, two campuses, and a shared belief in craft as a form of communication. In a post-Brexit, post-pandemic creative landscape, the event feels less like a graduate show and more like a cultural statement: that collaboration and cross-pollination are not only possible they’re essential.
The Bridge Between Education and Industry
This event also marked a continuation of Istituto Marangoni London’s deep-rooted commitment to blending academic rigour with industry access. In recent months, the school has hosted conversations with the likes of Sir Paul Smith, Sarah Mower MBE, Susie Lau, and Rahul Mishra, allowing students to engage directly with the individuals shaping the industry they’re entering.
The school’s new ERDEM x Istituto Marangoni London Mentorship Programme, announced this summer, takes that philosophy a step further. Featuring a fully funded scholarship and 12-week placement, the initiative is led by Philippa Nixon, CEO of ERDEM, who now also serves as a mentor within the MA Fashion & Luxury Brand Management programme.
More Than a Showcase, A Shift
Looking back, what stood out most from the press preview wasn’t the garments alone it was the intentionality. The designers weren’t hurried through presentations or confined to hurried catwalk slots. They stood beside their work, discussing it calmly, confidently, often passionately with those who came to listen.
In a moment where fashion education can often feel performative or disconnected from the realities of the industry, Istituto Marangoni London offered a different kind of model: reflective, rigorous, and quietly revolutionary.
This wasn’t just a glimpse of graduate fashion. It was a glimpse of what’s possible when students are given the space to speak through their work and when the industry takes the time to listen.
