Launched in Italy in January, almost 80 students from three different schools engaged in the “Real Leather. Stay different” competition, co-organised by the Italian Tanners Association (UNIC) and the Leather and Hide Council of America (LHCA). There are eight finalists for the clothing category, who are currently undertaking a Master degree in Womenswear Fashion Design and Menswear Fashion Design at the Istituto Marangoni Milano Fashion. For the footwear category, five finalists have been selected, who are studying a Leather Technology undergraduate course at Polimoda di Firenze. Another ten students have also been selected for the leather goods category, who are currently enrolled on the First Level Academic Diploma in Costume and Fashion at the Accademia Costume & Moda.
In this second stage of the competition, the finalists will receive the leathers necessary for the development of their creative projects, which will then be judged by a jury of high-profile experts. A public online voting system is to be set up and an awards ceremony for the winners of each category is scheduled to take place in February 2021 during the Lineapelle trade show in Milan, where all the prototypes are to be displayed.
