Istituto Marangoni To Open First China Location In Shanghai
The Centro Marangoni will train aspiring fashion designers and professionals in China (Image: Vogue Italia)
Officially launching today in Shanghai (and coming two months after luxury group Richemont debuted its “retail academy” in the city), Italy’s Istituto Marangoni — one of Europe’s leading fashion and luxury-focused schools — is set to teach China a thing or two about the global fashion business. Located within Shanghai’s Italian Center (formerly the Italy Pavilion at 2010’s Shanghai World Expo), which is currently hosting Ferrari’s first China exhibition, the “Centro Maragoni” will officially open its doors in early July.
Offering training courses ranging in length up to three months, focusing on subjects such as fashion design, retail and visual merchandising, the training center will teach classes in Italian and Chinese using the so-called “Marangoni method,” an amalgamation of theory and practice pioneered by the Istituto Marangoni.
As part of its launch, the Centro Marangoni in Shanghai will feature a fashion exhibition of works created by current and former students, while the Istituto Marangoni in Italy will feature a similar three-month show featuring three alumni — China’s Zhang Chi, Vera Thordardottir of Iceland, and hometown boy Rocco Iannone.
The Centro Marangoni will be located in the former Italian Pavilion
Roberto Riccio, group managing director, told Vogue Italia (Italian) this week, “This year the Istituto Marangoni celebrates 10 years of close and fruitful relations with China, having opened a representative office in Shanghai in 2002, and developing a strong network of contacts.”
Added Riccio, “Opening up here at the Italian Pavilion, launching this new brand to train professionals, is a celebration of the extraordinary relationship that binds us to this country.” As Tim Borgmann, Centro Marangoni Shanghai director, said, “[This opening] confirms what a priority it is for us to educate the East on Italian style, which the Istituto Marangoni has supported in Europe and worldwide for 77 years…We’re very proud to support the process of the development of the fashion industry in China, and offer our expertise, credibility and know-how to this market.”