EMERGING POLITICS

In a national cultural ecosystem that does little to conceal its suspicion toward young designers, getting to know the names redefining the paradigms of style can not only enrich intellectual exchange—it is also a political choice that can no longer be postponed. In Italy, fashion has always been met with a certain distrust by the masses, who, despite observing an industry that is a fundamental part of their cultural heritage, have never truly absorbed its value into their social fabric. This denial, while it hardly affects established brands that continue on their path regardless, can represent a significant obstacle for younger ones. And yet, it is ironic to think that those same designers—emerging or not—who remain in the shadows of institutions are so deeply devoted to the culture of a country that ignores them.

When speaking about the representation of a territory in fashion, one cannot avoid mentioning Federico Cina. Born in 1994 and originally from Emilia-Romagna, Cina’s work is a grand love letter to his homeland—a synesthetic portrait that draws its lifeblood from poetry. Through suggestions, fragments of lived experience, and distant memories, his Spring/Summer 2026 collection, titled Sottovoce (“in a whisper”), becomes emblematic of his language. The aesthetic is rarefied, yet the mission is clear: to reclaim from tradition what can—and must—still enrich us. From narrative devices to more commercial strategies, Cina reveals a contemplative sensitivity that underscores both his versatility as a designer and his sharpness as a storyteller.

Francesco Murano, too, has never concealed his passion for his roots—here tied to the classical world—and the compositional rigor of his creations embodies a vestimentary myth where formal discipline is the beating heart of his style. Born in the province of Salerno, Murano hails from that same Magna Graecia that nurtured generations of creatives who have long fed voraciously on classical tradition. His imaginaries are not mechanically consumed; rather, they are surgically selected, constructing new perspectives of memory. In Aenigma, his Fall/Winter 2026/2027 collection, this vision unfolds through a style resonating with Art Deco influences, which Murano strips down to their essence. The result is a distilled language that investigates androgyny in the contemporary female wardrobe, articulated through disjointed yet disciplined silhouettes—as if captured in a still frame—not unlike the statues of an ancient pagan cult, guardians of the Magna Graecia that shaped him.

Galib Gassanoff, born in Georgia of Azerbaijani origin, co-founded Act N°1 in 2016 before parting ways in 2023 to pursue a personal project. Institution is an alchemical laboratory, weaving an instinct for cultural reclamation with a social function that seems to have vanished from the fashion system’s agenda. His Collection 05, titled Borchaly, is an act of remembrance, named after the Caucasus region where the designer grew up. The collection rescues from oblivion the stories of emancipated women following the establishment of the first democratic republics in Georgia, after centuries of Persian, Russian, and Ottoman imperial rule. In his search for an elixir of longevity, Gassanoff employs traditional Karachop, Fachralo, and Bordjalou carpets, each requiring between 65,000 and 85,000 hand-tied knots on traditional looms, depending on size. Three special pieces shown on the runway were handcrafted by Azerbaijani weavers in Kvemo Kartli, Georgia.

Domenico Orefice, in his collection Lumen, also draws on a heritage of knowledge tied to his homeland, signing three collaborations: with Demiurgo for the use of reclaimed materials, and with the design studio Douze Degrés for an exploration of object design. The Campanian designer approaches cultural reclamation with pragmatism: his wardrobe is blunt, unapologetic, and returns a sense of belonging grounded in a craftsmanship that works, exists, and endures.

Speaking of endurance, Ilenia Durazzi emphasizes the importance of female role models. As a hybrid, free, and powerful creature, the woman requires a wardrobe constructed through the tension between nature and anatomy, rigid forms and molten metal flows. The brand’s spring offering suggests the ability to embody multiple identities simultaneously while remaining, unmistakably, oneself.

Who would have thought that a hotel room could become a site of poetic inquiry? For Salvo Rizza, of Des Phemmes, these are not merely anonymous spaces but true ecosystems where identity echoes, defines itself, and is ultimately sublimated. His Spring/Summer 2026 aesthetic captures what would normally be fleeting traces left by those passing through such transient places, transforming them into a worldly and commercially relevant wardrobe.

La Piscine, founded in 2024, also offers everything that connoisseurs of refined dressing seek. Its name, a reference to Jacques Deray’s 1969 film, encapsulates a philosophy that places the once-essential care for clothing at the core of the brand.

On the subject of product, David Koma—already a more established designer—clearly understands marketability. In his spring collection, the nature he draws inspiration from undergoes a process of lamination. Trend-driven silhouettes, vibrant colors, and a bold attitude deliver a direct wardrobe that enhances the women who wear it, without unnecessary embellishment. To be clear, research is not absent in Koma’s work. Those silhouettes? Inspired by Mexican cactus dahlias. The lush undertone permeating the collection? Drawn from Brazilian bromeliads. In short, Koma is a creative who knows how to translate ideas that might initially seem ordinary into compelling products.

It appears that within the current generation of Italian creatives flows an eros toward their place of origin that is not merely superficial, but a political statement grounded in depth. In a cultural landscape that rewards immediacy, today’s emerging designers know how to resist—asserting not only substance but, in some cases, a social function that fashion would do well to reclaim. Amid stagnant sales and geopolitical crises, it is evident that the fashion system must reorganize itself, and at times, starting from a blank page can be redemptive.

Because young designers are not merely names to boast about Italy’s beauty, uniqueness, and desirability—they are engines of vitality, carrying promises of renewal. These creatives remind us that the fortune of our country lies in the hands of storytellers and artisans, who transform ideas into aesthetic narratives and raw materials into finished products. We are transformers. We are metamorphic beings. The question now is whether we intend to use this magic for self-serving propaganda, or to reinforce the backbone of a system in deep cultural crisis—so that our country, which has always looked at fashion without ever truly seeing it, may finally begin to absorb it.

EIC_Alessia Fagioli Galeone

Photo_Rosi Di Stefano

Model_Sophia Elin/LUV MGT

Stylist_Alice Piemonti

Stylist Assistant_Antonietta Ragusa_Lucia Gordo

Fashion coordinator_ Nuria Acanfora

Make up_Luciano Chiarello

Make up Assitant_Claudia Melis

Hairstylist_Erisson Musella/Blend Management

Movement Director_La B.Fujiko

Digital_Roberto Grandi

Digital Assistant_Pietro Colombo Leoni

Writer_Alberto Maria Toso