A new fashion school in Dubai showcases designs in the physical and virtual worlds
Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) and Member of the Dubai Council, attended a physical and virtual fashion show which took place simultaneously to celebrate the Dubai launch of Italian design school Istituto Marangoni. Real-life models were joined on the runway at Dubai’s Museum of the Future, accompanied by a series of avatars who presented the looks in parallel within the metaverse.
The new Middle Eastern branch of the Italian design school will be located in DIFC and will provide creatives in Dubai and the region with the right tools to launch their design careers. “Istituto Marangoni’s Dubai branch is a valuable addition to the city’s rapidly developing creative and cultural landscape. Its diverse offering will provide creatives in Dubai and the region with the right tools to launch their design careers. Bringing global institutions with decades of experience in the field of design to the region reinforces our commitment to the sector and to being a cultural and creative hub” said Sheikha Latifa.
The innovative fashion show which took place on 13th September 2022 blended the physical and digital catwalk, showcasing the creations of five top students of Istituto Marangoni Fashion Design Courses.
Her Excellency Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth, who made a speech at the event spoke of her joy to welcome the globally renowned school to Dubai. “I see a great partnership in the making where the UAE and other MENA countries will have the advantage of a world-class design school while Istituto Marangoni will benefit from the untapped talent waiting to be harnessed.” She said.
Al Kaabi added: “The UAE is making waves in the creative space and building an ecosystem for future generations to contribute effectively to the creative economy. We are focusing on developing our cultural and creative industries to make them a more significant part of the UAE’s economy. We believe nurturing talent is critical to developing the creative sector, and Istituto Marangoni will play an important role in achieving that. Imparting world-class education and specialised skills to our youth will boost their creative energy and support emerging talent.”
With this launch, Dubai joins the ranks of other world fashion capitals, including Milano, Firenze, Paris, London, Mumbai, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Miami, that host an Istituto Marangoni school. Stefania Valenti, Managing Director of Istituto Marangoni, said: “It’s an honour to celebrate the opening of Istituto Marangoni Dubai at the Museum of the Future with the warm endorsement of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Her Excellency Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, and in this museum where our immersive experience found its perfect space.”
As well as the five students presenting their collections, the show’s grand finale saw luxury fashion designer and Istituto Marangoni’s famous alum Rahul Mishra display his work.
