AQUA LIXUN SU is the winner brand of the XI Edition of Talents Lineapiù
The winner of the XI Edition of Talents Lineapiù is Aqua Lixun Su, a talented designer of Chinese origin who created garments in which innovation and craftsmanship emerge. Born in 2017 with the aim of recognizing and enhancing the emerging talent of young designers distinguished by the innovative use of yarns and excellence in the production of knitwear, Talents Lineapiù represents the initiative to support new promises in the fashion field.
The competition, promoted by the Lineapiù Italia Foundation, rewards a talent each season and is open to those who already work in the fashion sector. The creative Aqua Lixun Su graduated in Textile Design and Fashion Knitwear from Central Saint Martins in London, subsequently forging her career path in the world of fashion design. Launched in 2022, her brand has been published in the most important fashion magazines internationally and her clothes have been worn by prominent personalities from the world of entertainment. Aqua Lixun Su garments are available in various multi-brand stores in China, Japan and the United States.
“I am deeply honored to have been chosen as the winner of the Eleventh Edition of the Lineapiù Talents program,” says Aqua Lixun Su “From the moment I founded my brand, Lineapiù has proven to me as the emblem of high-quality knitwear . I am thrilled to collaborate with this company and to be able to take advantage of its technical expertise to create work characterized by creativity and innovation. This partnership promises to take my knitwear designs to a new level – I look forward to the journey ahead.” Focusing mainly on knitwear, the designer explores the structure of the human body and enhances it through clothing, breaking gender stereotypes and giving priority to comfort. The garments convey elegance and powerful vibrations. Aqua Lixun Su focuses on innovation, emphasizing structure to make clothing more three-dimensional, achieving a harmonious unity between the garment and the wearer. The craftsmanship is meticulous, with many details completed by hand, encapsulating the retro-futuristic essence of a soft armor. "Embrace your individuality, stand up for yourself" is in fact its slogan.
YA YI of YAYI CHEN is the winner brand of the Tenth Edition of Talents Lineapiù
Yayi Chen is a fashion designer, creative director, and film-maker. Growing up in Spain, China and USA, YA YI’s artistic inspirations stem from her trilingual and multicultural upbringing that saw her immersed in multiple clashing yet distinct cultures. Her work is embedded in exploring women with multicultural identities and expanding the cross-disciplinary conversation of fashion, performance, film and fine art.
YA YI seeks to explore women’s awakening in the long history. While weaving the voices and emotions of female collectives with multi-cultural backgrounds, she uses her theatrical design language to explore the complexity of the identity of Asian immigrant women in her unique and poetic fabric craftsmanship.
In her work, the female body is often covered with lace, translucent knitted jacquard, highly decorative fringes and heavy beading, and the veiled body looms within the performer's rhythm. YA YI breaks through the traditional expression of fashion by engaging in cross-disciplinary integration with other art forms including performance, film and book art, connecting the ancient tales with the senses of the new world that creates a resonating space to experience the intersection of fashion design and modern art.
“I’m beyond honored and grateful to be selected as the winner of the Tenth Edition of Talents Lineapiù, we look forward to keep building fantasies through Lineapiu’s original vision in fantasy yarn with a global and sustainable perspective. In my previous collections, I used Lineapiu’s unique ZETA yarn to develop our brand’s symbolic translucent sheer floral jacquard inspired by Chinese Ink Painting patterns which we named the Oriental Lace, as an exploration paying homage to the laboring body of Chinese immigrant women. My brand intends to focus on telling narratives about women communities behind the veil and their blurred identities, for example immigrant workers, I wish my audience could focus on my work, my voice, but not my image as a designer.”
VERGUENZA is the winner of the Ninth Edition of Talents Lineapiù
Verguenza is a luxury clothing company entirely made in Tuscany specializing in limited run collections made from premium fabrics
with a glamour, sexy and fun taste. Founded in 2020 by designer and international manager Sofia Marsili, the brand has been featured in VOGUE, L’Officiel, VanityFair, and more as “it” luxury italian label.
Despite her young age, Sofia Marsili, two degrees in Business and Marketing and one in progress in International Business Development, has already gained various work experiences in the commercial and merchandising sector, including two years at the Zara headquarters in Alicante as Product Manager of bags and shoes for Italy and the countries of the former Yugoslavia, Gucci, Hermes, Sergio Rossi, Leather Crown and Zac Posen. “Verguenza was born from my desire to combine the skills developed in the commercial area with the aspect of creating a collection. I wanted to create a brand that combined careful research of materials and very high quality with a product that could be sold and worn by women, focusing on a few items, but with attention to the smallest details", explains the young entrepreneur.
SONIA CARRASCO by SONIA MARTINEZ is the winner of the Eighth Edition of the Talents Lineapiù
Sonia Martinez, born and raised in Valencia, Spain, studied fashion at the European Institute of Design in Madrid and joined Alexander McQueen's RTW design team and then Céline under the guidance of Phoebe Philo. After these experiences, the designer decided to create her own brand in 2019 following a sustainable philosophy and committing herself to supporting it at every stage of the creative process.
The fabrics he chooses are recycled, biological and organic and the production is entrusted exclusively to companies that respect the brand's values of sustainability and ethics. Pret a Porter brand for unisex and women, Sonia Carrasco is characterized by a minimalist and contemporary style that mixes sophistication and avant-garde. The brand wants to invest in quality rather than quantity and, with a green and ethical approach, set an example for future generations.
An Honourable Mention goes to CHET LO for the Eighth Edition of the Talents Lineapiù
Chet Lo, a stylist originally from New York who lives and works in London, wins the honorable mention of the Talents Lineapiù for his creative proposal.
Here he graduated in 2020 from the knitwear course at Central Saint Martin - University of the Arts London, and became passionate about fabrics and the infinite possibilities and innovations that knitwear could offer. A respected designer, he produces bold and futuristic prêt-à-porter garments, endowed with a nostalgia accentuated by his fascination for old Japanese comics.
VITELLI of MAURO SIMIONATO is the winner of the Seventh Edition of Talents Lineapiù
Born in Venice, Mauro Simionato has made Italianness his strong point and the basis for international influences from which he drew lifeblood for his artistic vision and for his Vitelli brand.
Founded in 2016, it was initially born as a semi-artistic project that offered small capsule collections. Over the years, the production has grown up to the creation of a complete collection and its debut at Milan Fashion Week in September 2021. The brand gives shape to its creations in Spazio Vitelli, a studio-shop in the center of Milan, equipped with an atelier: the Organic Knitting Theater (OKT).
MIAHATAMI of NARGUESS HATAMI is the winner of Sixth Edition of Talents Lineapiù
Born in Tehran in 1981, Narguess Hatami brings with her the heritage of an ancient, precious and incredibly refined Persian culture.
Multiculturalism has been the key factor in her success and has given rise to a style that reflects her aesthetic beliefs and roots.
Varieties of colours, embroideries and images confirm her character and her belief: "to choose and not to be chosen".
RUS of PATRICIA GUTIÉRREZ MONLLOR-MARTÍNEZ is the winner og the Fifth Edition of Talents Lineapiù
Patricia Gutiérrez Monllor- Martínez was born in Pamplona and after studying fashion design in Barcelona and specialising in knitwear in the UK she made her debut in ready-to-wear at Massimo Dutti, Bimba y Lola and then continued as a freelance.
In 2018 she launched RUS, knitwear-focused brand for women committed to a global movement that believes in selecting rather than accumulating. Timeless and functional designs, well established in the contemporaneity and connected to international artistic and architectural expressions are the main sources of inspiration.
ECKHAUS LATTA of MIKE and ZOE LATTA is the winner of the Fourth Edition of Talents Lineapiù
ECKHAUS LATTA is an American fashion label established in 2011 by Mike Eckhaus and Zoe Latta.
The pair met at the Rhode Island School of Design where they studied Sculpture and Textile Design respectively.
They work between studios in Los Angeles and New York City.
They present two collections a year during New York Fashion Week as a stage to explore casting, installation formats, and the role of performance. ECKHAUS LATTA questions an established structure, and the role of collaboration is innate to their practice. Previous partnerships include fashion, jewellery, performance, and audiovisual projects with numerous artists, as well as footwear collaborations with Nike and Camper Together.
The brand has also exhibited projects, videos and collections at art institutions worldwide including the 55th Venice Biennale, KraupaTuskany Zeidler Gallery (Berlin), Gavin Brown’s Enterprise (NYC), The New Museum (NYC), The Museum of Art and Design (NYC), Galerie Isabella Bortolozzi (Berlin), MOCA (LA), MoMA PS1 (NYC), The Hammer Museum (LA) and the Whitney Museum of American Art (NYC).
An Honourable Mention goes to BARBARA CASASOLA for the Fourth Edition of Talents Lineapiù
Brazil-born, Florence-based, Barbara Casasola established her namesake label in 2012.
Barbara graduated from Istituto Marangoni (Milan) with summa cum laude distinction. Previously she was first assistant to the womenswear designer for Roberto Cavalli in Florence.
The steady growth of the brand has led to international critical and commercial success. The brand won “Guest Women’s Wear Designer” (2014) at Italy’s Pitti Uomo and awarded “Breakthrough Designer of the Year” (2015) at the WGSN Global Fashion Awards.
FROY of ARMAN AVETIKYAN is the winner of the Third Edition of Talents Lineapiù
Following a rigorous selection process, the final competition stage included designers from all over the world, among which Arman emerged as the winner, having reached the highest number of votes by the Member of the Scientific Committee.
Arman Avetikyan was born in Armenia in 1989. At the age of eight he moved to Russia where he studied architecture and then graduated in Fashion Design at Moscow State University of Design and Technology. After a year of modeling he started working in a knitwear factory.
Thanks to his passion for knitwear, in 2009 he designed his first collection for Froy brand: a line of knitted garments characterized by a peculiar visual identity, a mix between the traditional Russian symbolism and the innovation of contemporary trends. Working exclusively with textile fibers coming from Italy, Froy makes itself known for the original combination of high quality, great comfort and strong recognition.
In 2014 the designer moved to Italy where he continued his studies at the Politecnico of Milan, graduating in knitwear design and devoting himself to developing his brand.
The collaboration with Lineapiù Italia will begin with a research session at the Historical Archive, to select the yarns to create of the samples for the first of the six collections foreseen by the support program.
MARCO RAMBALDI is the winner of the Second Edition of Talents Lineapiù
After winning the Second Editon of Talents Lineapiù, Marco Rambaldi presented his F/W 2019-2020 - the first one in collaboration with Lineapiù Italia, at Arengario in Piazza Duomo in Milan during Fashion Week.
The collection takes its starting point from the work of Marcella Campagnano collected in the book “ROLES” of 1974.
The photographic volume narrates the feminist radicalism of the seventies depicting women who, with tricks and disguises, interpret the various roles that the social imposes on them, moving a direct critique on the limits and the narrowness of a preconstituted and masculine society.
Each outfit represents a different prototype of a woman: the manager, the lover, the activist, the prostitute, the transsexual, the student, the heroine. Representations are deliberately not coherent because the feminine today is increasingly a research territory, much still to be explored.
The formal structure starts from the rules of the male wardrobe through the rediscovery of classic sartorial constructions and passes through the pure feminine joy. Coats and jackets are made with great attention to details, clothes and knitwear are always printed and made with the jacquard technique.
The decoration is, as always, extremely articulated through the recurring collage print, the peacock design, used both on the fabric and on the knitwear, the writings of the female roles and the jacquard that represents a tangle of bodies and faces.
Marco Rambaldi’s collections are self-produced, the knitwear part has been licensed to Effe Creazioni srl.
GABRIELAB of GABRIELA BRAGA RODRIGUEZ is the winner brand of the First Edition of Talents Lineapiù
Born in Brasil 26 years ago, Gabriela Braga Rodrigues graduated in Fashion Design at San Paolo University; later she attended the Creative Knitwear Master at Accademia Costume e Moda in Rome achieving the United Colors Of Benetton sponsorship fot the Master colelction's closure.
In 2014 she founded her brand Gabrielab, distinguished by knitwear production with a strong relationship among high technology, fancy patterns and art-inspiration tints.
With four collections in the assets side, Gabrielab is retailed in China (Alter, Shu Lam, Design for u), Japan (Seibu Shibuya, Viastique, Love Trip, Cry), Italy (Luisa Via Roma) and Brasil (in numerous retailers). Gabriela Braga Rodriguez presented her colelction at the Vancouver Fashion Week, and displays in showroom in Milan, San Paolo, Shangai and Tokyo.