The 2025 ITS Contest in Trieste, Italy, showcased ten young designers and introduced a collaborative approach to nurturing talent in the fashion industry, emphasizing shared growth over competition.
The 2025 ITS Contest, a prominent design talent scouting initiative, concluded recently in Trieste, Italy, marking a significant evolution after over two decades of its establishment by fashion entrepreneur Barbara Franchin in 2002. The contest has consistently sought to discover and promote emerging designers from around the globe, and this year’s event showcased a new collaborative concept.
During this edition, ten promising young designers were celebrated for their works, which will become part of the collection at ITS Arcademy – Museum of Art in Fashion, the first contemporary fashion museum in Italy. The talents recognized include Cindy Zhaohan Li, Qianhan Liu, Yifan Yu, and Zhuen Cai from China; Macy Grimshaw and Naya El Ahdab from France; Maximilian Raynor and Patrick Taylor from the United Kingdom; Gabrielle Szwarcenberg from Belgium; and Mijoda Dajomi from Germany.
On March 20, 2025, these designers, each awarded the ITS Creative Excellence Award 10x10x10, presented their collections to an international jury composed of notable figures from the fashion, art, and cultural sectors. The jury included British punk icon Dame Zandra Rhodes, celebrity stylist Tom Eerebout, sustainability ambassador Luca Rizzi, and other luminaries like Orsola De Castro from Fashion Revolution and Stefania Ricci from Ferragamo, among others.
Among the distinguished accolades, Maximilian Raynor received the special ITS Jury’s Award Honor, which provides tailored support to a designer based on their unique creative needs. The jury noted, “The Jury rewards the energy and will with which the designer wants to achieve his professional goals, declared with passion. The Jury believes that in Maximilian Raynor’s research there are powerful historical traces and a conscious use of artistic codes that come from theater and music. Raynor’s work is enriched by experimentation with materials and the logic of self-production.”
The ITS Contest has gained a reputation as a launching pad for emerging talent within the competitive fashion industry, which is characterized by swift creative shifts and ongoing innovation. Several past contestants have ascended to lead the stylistic direction at high-profile brands, including Chanel and Gucci.
This year, the contest has adopted a collaborative framework, signaling a departure from a purely competitive model. All participants received recognition and opportunities for shared growth, emphasizing a collective approach to nurturing talent. Barbara Franchin, the contest’s president and founder, stated, “Today, more than ever, fashion needs creative talent, but for many young people the path to take is strewn with almost insurmountable obstacles, especially when they cannot count on adequate resources and networks. Offering all designers the opportunity to grow together is a new answer to the global and ethical challenges of our time. Focusing on collaboration instead of competition was the most responsible choice to enhance the potential of this new generation of designers.”
The journey for this year’s finalists began with a creative residency in Trieste and Villa Manin, where they engaged in a variety of enriching activities facilitated by partners such as the OTB Group and Swatch Group, designed to broaden their cultural and professional experiences as they embark on their fashion careers.
In addition to the designers’ presentations, their works will be permanently featured in the ITS Arcademy, contributing to a collection that seeks to merge the realms of fashion, art, and culture. Further initiatives associated with the contest include exhibitions like “Borderless” and “Fashionlands – Clothes Beyond Borders,” curated by Olivier Saillard and Emanuele Coccia, which promote the conceptual exploration of the significance of clothing in contemporary society. These projects also aim to engage design students, educational institutions, and the public through workshops and courses led by recognized curators.
Source: Noah Wire Services
