By Rebecca Ceccatelli.
What if the place where you attend classes every day became an exhibition space? For its 10th anniversary, Istituto Marangoni Firenze is doing exactly that. With MĪRĀBĬLĬS, the school opens its doors to the public, transforming its classrooms, corridors and shared spaces into a journey through the creative minds that bring it to life. More than a celebration of ten years, the exhibition is an invitation to look at creativity from a different perspective. The event is on November 5, 2026, at 6 PM, at Istituto Marangoni Firenze, Via delle Belle Donne 12r, Florence.
Ten Years, One Word, Endless Possibilities
After making its debut on the runway with the Istituto Marangoni Firenze Fashion Show in July 2026, MĪRĀBĬLĬS takes its story indoors. The exhibition marks a new chapter in the school’s anniversary celebrations, bringing together the different disciplines that shape its identity: Fashion Design, Fashion Business, Fashion Communication & Image, and Art. But what does MĪRĀBĬLĬS actually mean? Rooted in the idea of wonder, the title reflects the possibility of seeing the world differently, discovering new meanings in familiar things, and turning an idea into something tangible. Inspired by philosopher Emanuele Coccia’s reflections on perception and the sensible, the exhibition explores how we experience the world through our senses and how, in return, we can reshape it through creativity. In other words, art and fashion are not just about what we see, but about what we feel, question and create. For students, this idea feels particularly relevant: creativity is not simply about producing something new. It is about learning to observe, experiment and challenge the obvious. And sometimes, all it takes is a different point of view.
Same Building, Different Perspective
Forget the usual classroom routine. For MĪRĀBĬLĬS, the school itself becomes part of the exhibition, with each floor offering a different way to experience its creative universe. Visitors enter through Via delle Belle Donne, where the journey begins by turning familiar student spaces into something unexpected. On the ground floor, the Book Club takes over the library and cafeteria, showcasing projects from the Fashion Communication & Image department. Think editorials, magazines and fashion films in an atmosphere that feels closer to a creative club or an independent bookshop than a traditional exhibition. Here, images are not just there to be looked at: they are meant to be able to perform. Moving upstairs, the Art Gallery transforms classrooms and corridors into a series of individual artistic environments.
Multimedia Arts students explore memory, identity, light, sound and the everyday through video installations, moving images, sculptures and experimental works. From childhood memories in Bo Bernard’s Poupée to the collective rhythms of Florence in Mikhael Grinblat’s Florence-Gesture Collective Respiro, each project offers a different lens through which to interpret the world around us.The journey continues on the second floor with the Atelier, dedicated to Fashion Design and Fashion Business. Here, the focus shifts from the finished product to the creative process behind it: the research, ideas, decisions and experiments that turn a concept into a collection or a business project. Because creativity does not happen overnight, and the final result is only one part of the story.
Also on the second floor, a dedicated Alumni Corner brings the school’s past into conversation with its present. Through personal stories, memories and reflections from former students, the space celebrates the people who have been part of Istituto Marangoni Firenze’s journey over the past ten years. It’s a reminder that a creative education doesn’t end at graduation: it continues through the experiences, connections and paths that each student carries into the world.
More Than an Exhibition: A Creative Community
What makes MĪRĀBĬLĬS different is not only what it displays, but what it brings together. By placing projects from different departments under one roof, the exhibition highlights how creative disciplines can influence, challenge and inspire one another. Fashion meets visual storytelling, artistic research connects with experimentation, and business becomes part of a wider conversation about how creative ideas take shape. The school building plays a central role in this experience. Rather than moving the projects into an external gallery, Istituto Marangoni Firenze chooses to tell its story from the place where these ideas were first developed. Ten years after its beginning, Istituto Marangoni Firenze is not simply looking back. With MĪRĀBĬLĬS, it is opening a window onto what creativity can become when different perspectives share the same space. And perhaps that is the real meaning of wonder: not finding something extraordinary somewhere else, but discovering how much possibility already exists around us.
Beyond MĪRĀBĬLĬS: The People Shaping the Future of Creativity
And as we’ve seen, MĪRĀBĬLĬS offers an opportunity to reflect on what it means to nurture creativity and support the next generation of creatives. To explore these ideas further, we spoke with Lorenzo Tellini, School Director, and Francesca Giulia Tavanti, Director of Education, about the values that have shaped Istituto Marangoni Firenze, the importance of giving young talent the freedom to experiment, and the lessons they hope students will carry with them long after graduation.
Interview with Lorenzo Tellini, School Director of Istituto Marangoni Firenze
What does opening the school to the city through MĪRĀBĬLIS mean to you, and what role can Istituto Marangoni Firenze play in shaping Florence’s cultural and creative future?
Opening the school to the city through MĪRĀBĬLIS means breaking down the traditional boundaries between education, industry, and culture. Creativity thrives when ideas circulate freely, and Florence has always been a place where art, craftsmanship, innovation, and beauty intersect. Through initiatives like MĪRĀBĬLIS, we want Istituto Marangoni Firenze to be not only a place where students learn, but also a platform where the city’s creative energies meet, inspire one another, and generate new possibilities. As an international institution rooted in Florence, we have a responsibility to connect emerging talent with the city’s extraordinary cultural heritage while encouraging them to interpret it through a contemporary lens. By fostering dialogue between students, professionals, companies, and the wider community, we can contribute to shaping a more dynamic, inclusive, and forward-looking creative ecosystem for Florence.
Over the past ten years, which values have shaped the school’s identity, and how can you continue to nurture young talent and build confidence in the next generation?
Over the past decade, our identity has been shaped by a combination of creativity, innovation, multiculturalism, and close engagement with industry. We have always believed that talent grows strongest when it is challenged by real-world experiences and supported by a diverse and international environment. Looking ahead, nurturing the next generation means helping students develop not only technical excellence, but also confidence, adaptability, and a clear sense of purpose. The creative industries are evolving rapidly, and young people need the courage to embrace change while remaining authentic to their vision. Our role is to provide opportunities, mentorship, and meaningful connections that allow students to discover their potential and believe in their ability to make a positive impact on the world around them.
Looking back at your experience at Istituto Marangoni Firenze, what is the most important lesson you hope to pass on to the creatives of tomorrow?
The most important lesson is that creativity is not simply about talent; it is about curiosity, resilience, and the willingness to continuously learn. The most successful creatives are often those who remain open to new perspectives, embrace collaboration, and see challenges as opportunities for growth. Florence teaches us that innovation and heritage are not opposites but powerful partners. My hope is that future generations will draw inspiration from the richness of the past while having the confidence to imagine something entirely new. If they can combine creative excellence with purpose, responsibility, and an openness to the world, they will be well equipped to shape the future of the creative industries.
Interview with Francesca Giulia Tavanti, Director of Education at Istituto Marangoni Firenze
How can MĪRĀBĬLIS, by transforming the school into an exhibition space, reflect the students’ creative growth and the importance of giving them the freedom to express themselves?
MĪRĀBĬLIS was conceived to establish a meaningful dialogue between the students’ projects and the school building itself, which has been the first witness to their creative journeys. It is within these spaces that ideas were born, developed, and ultimately transformed into tangible outcomes. For this reason, we chose to place the physical architecture of the school at the heart of the curatorial concept. Each floor will offer a distinct experience, carefully designed to reflect the nature of the work on display and the identity of the academic area it represents. In this way, the exhibition not only showcases the students’ final projects but also celebrates the environment that nurtured their growth, experimentation and creative freedom.
How do you teach young creatives to trust their ideas, embrace experimentation and develop their own voice in an ever-changing creative landscape?
The creative process is deeply personal and highly individual. There is no perfect formula, nor a single path to innovation. Each person develops his/her own way of thinking, creating and solving problems. The role of a school is not to impose a method, but to provide methodologies, tools and guidance that help students discover their own approach, their own aesthetic, and their own creative identity. Making, testing, and experimenting are essential parts of that journey. Equally important is learning not to fear mistakes. Failure is not the opposite of creativity; it is one of its most valuable allies. Through trial and error, students gain the confidence to trust their ideas, refine their vision, and ultimately develop an authentic voice that can evolve with an ever-changing creative landscape.
If students could take away just one lesson from their time at Istituto Marangoni Firenze, what would you want it to be, and why?
Choosing just one lesson is extremely difficult, because there are many qualities that I believe are essential for building a fulfilling and successful career. Passion is certainly one of them. In a field driven by creativity, passion is often what makes the real difference. But If I had to identify the lesson I value most, however, it would be curiosity. Curiosity is probably inseparable from passion. I believe that creativity cannot exist without the desire to discover, to observe and to create. It is that spark that lights up your eyes and inspires you to keep exploring, learning, and pushing yourself further every day. More than any specific skill or technique, curiosity is what sustains growth throughout a lifetime, enabling creative professionals to remain open, relevant and continuously inspired.
