By Giulia Piceni. Photos by Gabriele Busi.
Opening the Academic Year at Istituto Marangoni Firenze
Stepping once again into the world of Istituto Marangoni Firenze felt like reliving a vivid memory, but this time in a new setting. The opening event of the academic year did not take place inside the school building itself, but at Cinema La Compagnia, a venue that holds a special place in the life of every student. For those who attend Istituto Marangoni Firenze, La Compagnia is more than a cinema. It is a hub where projections, talks, and encounters with leading figures from the arts and fashion industries take place. Most importantly, it is the site of the final graduation ceremony, the culminating moment of each student’s academic path. Walking into that theatre as an alumna, I felt a powerful déjà vu.
Only a few months had passed since I had completed my own journey of three years of a bachelor’s in Arts Curating followed by a master’s in Curating Art and Fashion. Yet sitting among the audience, and later standing on stage as a speaker, brought back the sense of anticipation I felt when I first arrived four years earlier. I recognised myself in the faces of the new students, many of them just out of high school, carrying the same mixture of curiosity and nervousness. For all of them, it wasn’t just the beginning for a new education but also the threshold to transformation.
The Stage and the Atmosphere at Istituto Marangoni Firenze
The morning talk and school presentation opened with the words of Director Lorenzo Tellini, who welcomed the students to Florence by reminding them of the city’s extraordinary legacy. He described Florence as the city of the great masters, a place where creativity has always flourished, and he expressed the hope that one day many of them, perhaps all of them, would continue that tradition in their own distinctive way. It was both an inspiring and grounding message, reminding the audience that their education would unfold not in isolation but in dialogue with a centuries-long history of art and innovation.
After Tellini’s speech, a series of videos were projected to accompany the conversations, offering a visual synthesis of the atmosphere of Istituto Marangoni Firenze. They showed the richness of the student experience, the value of building networks, and the unique inspiration that comes from living in a city that is at once intimate in scale and immense in cultural resonance. These images created a backdrop for the interventions that followed, guided by Francesca Giulia Tavanti, Director of Education, who introduced the tutors and engaged them in discussions about their respective fields.
The first to speak was Miguel Garcia Abad, head of the Fashion Design course, who found himself immediately surrounded by questions. Students wanted to know everything about the practical side of their new journey, from sourcing materials to structuring their first collections. Their enthusiasm was so great that Garcia Abad had to gently remind them that the details would come in the following days. The exchange revealed the intensity of their curiosity and set the tone for the rest of the morning.
The School Where Art, Fashion, and Design Collide
The interdisciplinary nature of the school emerged clearly in the next interventions. A projection of the most recent fashion show, held in June, set the stage for the reflections of Valentina Grigoletto, programme leader of the Fashion Management and Fragrance areas. She spoke of the necessity of creativity in management, insisting that even fields often considered strictly technical require imagination and vision. Her remarks were a reminder that fashion management is not an administrative exercise but a creative act in itself.
The floor then passed to Odile Orsi, leader of the Fashion Styling department, who highlighted the importance of contextualisation in the work of designers. She used the annual show as an example of how research and practice come together in a moment that crowns the students’ academic journey. Finally, David Daninos, programme leader of the Art Department, presented the programmes and highlighted the peak moment for the course last year: the interview with Tracey Emin by a selected group of students. His contribution reaffirmed the centrality of art in the identity of Istituto Marangoni Firenze, and the value of building a dialogue between art, fashion, and new media. Taken together, these conversations revealed the character of the school as a place of interdisciplinarity, where design, management, styling, perfumery, and art do not exist in isolation but intersect to form a dynamic educational ecosystem.
When Education at Istituto Marangoni Firenze Becomes Transformation
When my turn came to speak, I felt the weight of both responsibility and gratitude. I described how my connection to the school had not ended with graduation but had evolved into a collaboration. Today I work as Student Editor, curating content for the university online magazine: a platform for dialogue, a way for students to share ideas, overcome shyness, and engage with subjects beyond their usual scope of interest. I underlined how valuable it can be to step outside one’s immediate field, and how writing often becomes a gateway to new encounters and perspectives.
The event closed with an invitation to explore the city. The students set out on a walk through Florence, discovering the environment that will shape their lives over the coming years. The day ended with an aperitivo in front of the school, a convivial moment that transformed introductions into conversations and acquaintances into friendships. Standing among them, I witnessed the beginnings of connections that will undoubtedly grow into defining experiences.
It was impossible not to be moved by the atmosphere, by the certainty that these young people were embarking on a journey that will not only educate them but transform them. Leaving Florence that evening, I carried with me the sense of having witnessed a cycle renew itself. For the students, this was the first page of a new story. For me, it was the privilege of seeing the spirit of Istituto Marangoni Firenze continue to flourish, reminding me once more of the enduring power of new beginnings.
