From 18 September to 3 October 2025, Istituto Secoli presents the exhibition “Surreal Identities. Lucia Giacani Fashion Photography from 2007 to 2025”, celebrating the talent of Designers to Watch.

I am thrilled to be participating in this project in collaboration with Istituto Secoli; my motivation stems from the desire to capture, through photography, the essence of the clothes created by young designers, who are protagonists of a moment of growth and personal expression.

I have had the opportunity to observe the students’ work with admiration: their dedication, attention to detail and ability to innovate are a source of inspiration for me.

I believe that this exhibition can help to highlight their creativity and tell unique stories.Lucia Giacani

Designer to Watch, active since 2018, is a project that promotes the most talented graduates of Istituto Secoli, who have the opportunity to present their creations on the most prestigious catwalks in the fashion world.

The designers behind the garments
Seven emerging talents have been carefully selected for the exhibition. Their collections, expressions of creativity and innovation, span the worlds of women’s and men’s fashion:

  • Anna Bettoli (Perseverance, expression of potential)
  • Andrea Edna Gobbi (The sound of memories)
  • Ilaria Nolli (Vacuum)
  • Ilaria Pansera (Like indelible marks)
  • Elena Rasia (Outerdot)
  • Claudia Romeo (Fotopsìa)
  • Vittorio Visentin (Caligo).

The idea of involving an artist to showcase the collections of our best students stems from our Academy’s desire to offer authentic experiences of great educational value.

However, our Institute aims to be not only a place of education, but also a promoter of a conscious fashion culture: fashion is art, study, preparation, expertise, but also intuition and creative expression.Matteo Secoli, President of Istituto Secoli

Details of the photographic exhibition

The exhibition unfolds in the Institute’s spaces in a visual dialogue between past, present and future, and has a dual soul:

  • on the one hand, unpublished images taken by Giacani showcasing the most representative garments of Secoli’s talents;
  • on the other, a selection of historical photographs from the photographer’s archive, published over the years by leading international fashion magazines.

Alongside the photographic works, the creations of young designers are also on display: a project that celebrates emerging creativity and pays homage to a leading figure in Italian visual imagery.

Info:

  • Title: Surreal Identities. Lucia Giacani Fashion Photography from 2007 to 2025
  • Dates: 18 September – 3 October 2025
  • Opening hours: 10:00 – 18:00
  • Location: Istituto Secoli, Viale Vittorio Veneto, 18A – Milan
  • Admission: free
  • Photographer: Lucia Giacani, one of the most original voices in contemporary fashion photography
  • Curator: art historian Angela Madesani, lecturer in Contemporary Fashion History and Criticism at Istituto Secoli

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