Who Is On Next? 2022 - Rome Fashion Week

 

In just over a week the July edition of Rome Fashion Week will kick off  from the 11th to the15th July. Whilst the calendar is still under wraps ( work in progress) the finalists of WION 2022 have been announced, the date (12th July) and the amazing location of the show. As you can see in the picture above the event will be held at the Campidoglio - one of the seven hills - at the heart of the historic centre - just at the back of the Forum - and home to the city museums and the city administration.

This is such a great link up between AltaRoma - that organises the fashion week - and the city. First of all the event opens up to the city itself and makes itself visible to the general public. Rome itself is going to benefit from it as it will show its support for such an important industry and show off what a great place it is to host this kind of event. (On a side note the same synergy will happen on July 8th when Valentino will show on the Spanish Steps). Let's now explore the 2022 edition of Who is on Next and its finalists.

Eleven brands have been selected - 9 in clothing and 2 in accessories - and the category Menswear and Genderless confirmed. WION is a competition sponsored by AltaRoma and Vogue Italia with the aim to select, showcase and support emerging brands that operate in Italy - let's not call them 'young designer', please. The competition will offer to all the finalists a place on the Roma Fashion Week 2023 edition and the first two winners - one for category will receive some prize money and visibility on Vogue Italia. But this is not all.  Milan Fashion Week will give the winner a chance to show during its calendar in September 2022. Pitti - in Florence - will award two designers the Pitti Tutoring and Consulting Award that includes a 6 months mentorship program.

These are the finalists of the Who Is On Next? 2022 edition. ÇANAKU, GAMS NOTE, LESSICO FAMILIARE, LUCIA CHAIN, MAISON LAPONTE, MOKOO, MORPHINE, VIEN for the clothing category and 10.2" and KARIM DAOUDI for accessories ( both footwear).

Last but not least every competition has its judges. The WION judging panel ranges from Silvia Venturini Fendi to Alessandro Michele ( Gucci and born and bred in Rome) and many more expert within the Vogue Italia team, withing LVMH, Milano Fashion Week, Pitti, fashion journalists and designers. let's leave it to them and we will judge by oursleves afetr the show on July 12th.

If you're curious to know more about the Rome fashion Week in general you can read its overview here.

AltaRoma June 2018. Sporty and Colourful. EDITHMARCEL and Marianna Cimini.

The list of the past WION finalist designers that presented their SS 19 collection at AltaRoma gets complete with these last two - EDITHMARCEL and Marianna Cimini. Both brands added a light and playful touch to the catwalk after the politically charged collections of the previous two days.

Gianluca Ferracin and Andrea Masato started EDITHMARCEL in 2015 and the brand was a WION finalist in 2016. The label has a youthful nature that is reflected once more in the sporty looks of its latest collection ''►Play''

Sportswear inspired items in lycra and crepe are presented in multiple versions; with the brand logo, the face print or in V cut shapes. The colour blocking of the palette and the white marks on the faces come from the layout of sport's gounds and the mixture of fabrics, both technical and more refined make the looks smart and casual according to the context they are worn.

A joyful mood infuse Marianna Cimini collection intitled Holi, like the Hindu celebration for the arrival of spring, marked with colored powder thrown into the air and onto large white robes worn by people celebrating it.

The colour palette is vibrant and wide; from shades of white to nudes and black though pastel colours and bright colours.  All over flowery prints  and stripes give movement and liveliness to the look. The overall joy is also reflected in the oversized silhouette, the fold and the ruffles that make this Marianna Cimini collection one of the best seen in this edition of AltaRoma.

AltaRoma June 2018. Power to the Fashionable Woman. Moi Multiple, Miahatami, Soocha.

Once again AltaRoma delivers an excellent mix of prêt-a-porter brands that balances well the craftsmanship of the Alta Moda collections and the energy of the labels selected for the Showcase format. The pap names that show their collections in Rome and all different and unique but share the same stamp of approval: having been selected by Vogue Italy in the past few years through the competiton Who Is On Next. This means that AltaRoma keeps showcasing the best up and coming designers in terms of creativity and commercial credibility.

The first three names on the Cinecitta' Cinema Stage have all captured the zeigest of the past few month ( the #metoo movement), giving centre stage to a woman that is both independent, powerful and bang on trend.

Moi Multiple, finalist in 2009, designed by Anna Francesca Ceccon, plays with the power of the immagination and the refuge into the worl of tales. The Immaginifica looks infact presents the heroine of a fairy tale that only exists in her own mind. Unexpected colour combinations and textures are key thanks to paper yarns, synthetic ribbons and raffia. Giant flowers and fluid shapes complete the story

Altaroma Gennaio 2017. Prêt-à-porter alla riscossa.

In un'edizione in cui l'Alta Moda ha giocato 'a nascondino', nascosta nelle ricche sale degli alberghi di lusso, location fuori mano o in orari tardi, sono stati i brand di prêt-à-porter, figli di Who Is On Next, che hanno dominato questa edizione invernale di AltaRoma, con il risultato, straniante per alcuni, di rendere l'atmosferadel quartier generale delle sfilate, il Guido Reni Distric di fronte al museo Maxxi, dinamica, giovanile, moderna, da addetti ai lavori e molto ' street'. Fenomenale la lista dei designer che hanno sfilato, non solo i finalisti ed i vincitori della scorsa stagione di WION ma anche delle edizioni precenti- 2014, 2013 fino ad arrivare al 2010 ed il 2008! - ad ulteriore conferma di come questo progetto di scouting sia valido ed efficace e come Roma sia la citta'  giusta per accogliere brand nuovi ed in ascesa.

Eccovi una sintesi delle collezioni F/W 17/18 andate in passerella.

BROGNANO

Mix di maschile e femminile. Stampe geometriche e floreali. Tessuti couture e tecnici.

AltaRoma Luglio 2016. Who Is On next Donna. Vincitori Globali.

Brognano                                                               Mihatani                                                          Hussein Bazaza

L'edizione di AltaRoma Luglio 2016 inizia con 'il botto' la sfilata dei finalisti di Who Is On Next Donna 2016 e la proclamazione dei vincitori: Nicola Brognano, Miahatami e Pugnetti Parma nella categoria accessori.  Quest'anno il concorso si e' arricchito di benefit per i vincitori, visto che oltre al supporto di AltaRoma e Vogue Italia durante tutto l'anno, Brognano presentera' la sua collezione anche a Milano Moda Donna a settembre, sara' rappresentato dallo showroom Tomottow a Parigi e veduto online sulla piattaforma e-commerce Yoox assieme al finalista Parden's e Pugnetti Parma.

Finalmente anche la categoria accessori viene spinta al di la' della manifestazione romana e tutti i brand finalisti avranno spazio alla fiera Premiere Classe di Parigi, i primi di settembre, e Pugnetti Parma avra' inoltre uno stand alla fiera Premiere Classe Tuilerie durante la Paris Fashion Week.

Un'edizione di WION aperta al mercato globale con opportunita' per i marchi di esporsi ai buyer di tutto il mondo durante le settimane della moda europee. Vincitori globali dunque. Wccovi un breve profilo delle collezioni vincitrici, con l'aggiunta internazionale di Hussein Bazaza, vincitore di Who Is On Next Dubai 2015.

AltaRoma Gennaio 2016. L72 e i Finalisti di WION

Sono tornato da poche ore da AltaRoma e a caldo mando on-line il primo post sui nuovi brand che a luglio scorso hanno partecipato come finalisti a 'Who is On Next',  il concorso di scouting di Vogue Italia e AltaRoma. L'edizione di gennaio vede il vincitore e i finalisti (vecchi e nuovi) salire nuovamente in passerella per presentare un'anteprima della collezione FW16/17. Per questo motivo li ho riuniti tutti assieme ed anche per avere una panoramica di insieme sulle diverse collezioni e inspirazioni.