TALENT SCOUTING PROJECT
Who is on Next?, the prestigious talent scouting project that aim at supporting MADE IN ITALY has entered its second decade. Following the success of the first ten editions, WION keeps on scouting and promoting young designers to give space and opportunities to the new generation of creatives, with the prerequisite that the entire production has to be MADE IN ITALY, keeping up Italy’s distinctive high level of creativity and professionalism. The eleventh edition of WION is about to kick off. The competition through the years has discovered successful designers such as Tommaso Aquilano and Roberto Rimondi, Gabriele Colangelo, Marco De Vincenzo, Nicholas Kirkwood, Max Kibardin, Arthur Arbesser, Stella Jean, Paula Cademartori, MSGM and many more.
Competition areas are:
Women’s RTW
Accessories (bags, shoewear, hats, jewerly).
PARTICIPANTS
The competition is open to:
1) All Italian talents who:
- produce a small collection independently in Italy and have minimum distribution in place;
- have already produced up to two/three collections but were unable to take their activity to the next level due to lack of funds;
2) All non-Italian talents who:
- are based in Italy;
- already produce their own collection in Italy and have minimum distribution in place;
- have already produced up to two/three collections but were unable to take their activity to the next level due to lack of funds.
HOW TO APPLY
Applicants are required to submit:
- an application form accompanied by the agreement to the acceptance of the Regulations available for downloading at www. altaroma.it;
- brand profile;
- designer profile;
- pictures of their creations, videos in DVD format of their presentations or any other material related to the applicant’s collection;
- moodboard, sketches, images, texts to describe and explain your style and the choices related to the new S/S 2016 collection;
- a video in DVD format (max 3 min) through which the applicant introduces him/herself and presents the collection in the style of a TV interview;
- addresses of stores to whom the applicant has sold or presented his/her creations or a presentation by retailers, journalists, designers or entrepreneurs who have already examined the collection;
The enclosed material accompanying the application shall be submitted both in Italian and English. On paper and electronic format. Submitted material will not be returned.
All the material must be submitted (at one’s own expenses) by and no later than April, 1st 2015 by post or courier to the address: Altaroma - Progetto WHO IS ON NEXT? DONNA Via dell’Umiltà 48, 00187, Rome. (Applications must be postmarked by April, 1st 2015 or will not be taken into consideration)
COMMITTEE AND JURY
A Committee will head over the selection of candidates, while the judging panel, made up of the same members of the Committee plus a number of fashion insiders (Italian and international business owners, distributors and retailers) and of members of the Italian and international press, will name the winners.
By June, 6th 2015 up to twelve finalists will be nominated in a definitive decision by the Committee. The results will be communicated by letter to all finalists and, subsequently, announced by means of a press release and published on the website dedicated to the project
At the request of the Committee, the finalists shall attend a meeting either in Milan or Rome in the required time and at their own expenses.
Among the short-listed finalists, the Commission will nominate up to three winners in a final decision chosen on the basis of their originality and creativity.The Committees reserves the right to declare no winner
PRESENTATION
During a trunk-show taking place in July 2015 edition the Committee will examine the finalists’ collections providing a preliminary technical evaluation.
Then, all the finalists will present their mini-collections S/S 2016 (12 outfits) to press and buyers with a collective runway show/presentation or will take part in an event hosted and curated by the project’s Organizers.
In relation to this specific event only, accommodation, transportation and presentation expenses will be settled by the Organizers within a pre-established budget. Subsequently a maximum number of three winners will be announced.
AWARDS
The winners will be awarded with:
- a feature in Vogue Italia dedicated to them and their creations, shot by an internationally renowned photographer;
- reports and articles on TV, specialized magazines and newspapers thanks to the support of a dedicated Press Office;
- the necessary support to identify the companies that may be interested in producing and distributing the winners’ creations
yoox.com – the leading fashion, design and art multi-brand virtual store, as the Online Retail & Media Partner of WION 2015 will give the winners the chance to create, present and sell a look or item from their new spring/summer 2016 collection in over 100 countries that will be also available to purchase online concurrently with the event to be held in September during Milan Fashion Week.
