Fashion unites Italy and South Africa. Florence and Milan will dialogue with Pretoria and Johannesburg thanks to the “Fashion Bridges – I Ponti della Moda” initiative. The project aims at initiating a sustainable, inclusive, strategic and long-term cooperation between the Italian and South African fashion industries. Protagonists of the agreement are: the Embassy of Italy in Pretoria, in partnership with Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, the Florence Center for Italian Fashion and SAFW (South African Fashion Week). The initiative enjoys the partnership of the ICE Agency, Polimoda and Lineapelle, with the support of the Nelson Mandela Forum Firenze.
Fashion Bridges
The project has three key points. The first is identified with the slogan “Cradle of fashion”. It aims at encouraging the emergence of talents through academic cooperation between the fashion schools of the two nations. In this sense, three South African designers selected by SAFW and Polimoda, and three talented neo-graduates identified by Polimoda will participate in an online training programme. They will then have the opportunity to present their creations through a group show that will be showcased during Milan Fashion Week (September) and South African Fashion Week (Johannesburg, October). Lineapelle will provide the materials that the designers can use for their creations.
Lions and research
The second point is “Young lions”. Two young designers (one per country) will be able to explore business opportunities. The third one is “Mining for fashion materials and tools”. This includes round tables and B2B meetings between Italian and South African fashion and textile companies. At the end of October, a match-making event is scheduled to bring together producers and buyers of fashion materials, fabrics, leathers, and textile machinery. The evolution of the Fashion Bridges project will be collected and shared on a virtual visual diary.
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