International Talent Support 2020

illycaffè promotes sustainable fashion and the young talents of the future

Trieste, 13 October 2020 - illycaffè, the global leader in high-quality sustainable coffee, is once again working with ITS - International Talent Support 2020, the platform that supports young, talented fashion designers worldwide. The event, which will take place on 23 October, will help make Trieste an observatory on international trends and serve as a launching pad for new talent in the fashion industry.
The theme of ITS 2020, “Here We Belong”, seals the deep bond between creativity and sustainability, two of illycaffè’s cornerstones, at a particular historical juncture that requires a great deal of commitment, motivation, and sense of belonging. These shared intentions have given birth to the partnership with illycaffè: ITS is a crucial vector for disseminating art and creativity for a company that has always pursued the ideals of beauty and good taste, and is constantly in search of perfection, or a passion for excellence.

Over 600 projects from 60 countries were selected by a panel of professionals during online sessions. The competition spurred participants to re-think in a creative and sustainable fashion the baristas’ apron, so as to transform an everyday item into a designer object. Attention to sustainability is the common thread that inspired the choices of the participants. This attitude is crucial if we want to take on the future with awareness and respect for our planet. The ten finalists of the “ITS Fashion@Work Award by illy”, were carefully selected by illycaffè’s Artistic Director Carlo Bach.

“At a time, such as this, ITS represents an ideal opportunity to renew our hope in the days ahead through beauty and creativity. Our future depends on young people, and now more than ever, we are glad to support this initiative, which provides concrete support to the new generation and rewards their talent, thus upholding the value of art and culture in all shapes and forms” says illycaffè CEO, Massimiliano Pogliani.

Below are the ten finalists for the “ITS Fashion@Work Award by illy” and their projects:

Tara Al-Wali - British / Parsons The New School for Design
Rosie Baird - Scottish / Edinburgh College of Art
Johanna Parv - Estonian / Central St. Martins College of Art & Design
Kin Yan Lam - Chinese / London College of Fashion
Yuhan Xu - Chinese / Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Antwerp
Cameron Williams - British / Central St. Martins College of Art & Design
Anyango Mpinga - Kenyan / Catholic University of Eastern Africa
Keewon Shin - South Korean / Kookmin University
Rebar Aziz - German / Hochschule Pforzheim
Shiori Mizuochi - Japanese / Bunka Fashion Graduate University & Hiroki Okamoto - Japanese / IAMAS - Institute of Advanced Media Arts and Sciences