A Double Fashion Show by Istituto Marangoni Paris and London: The Magic of "Synergetic" at Palais de Tokyo

Karmen Parker
1 day ago
5 min read

Credit: Henry Crawford Istituto Marangoni London 'Designer of The Year'

For the first time, students from Istituto Marangoni Paris and London showcased their collections together. On July 3 at 6:30PM, ten young talents from Paris and ten from London presented their creations side by side at the spectacular Palais de Tokyo, an iconic venue that has hosted major figures in international fashion for years.

As Valérie Berdah-Levy, Director of Istituto Marangoni Paris, pointed out: "This year, the 2025 Fashion Show took on a whole new meaning. For the very first time, our Paris and London campuses came together in the world’s fashion capital. More than ever, this connection made perfect sense, with London Fashion Week’s June edition crossing the Channel to settle in Paris. A fresh wave of British creativity swept through the city. It was the perfect opportunity for our talents from both cities to merge their visions, styles, and energy. Innovation, boldness, and collaboration are more than just values here — they came to life on this stage, in true Istituto Marangoni spirit.”

Fabio Rubino, Director of Istituto Marangoni London, emphasized the importance of giving students access to an international stage — a powerful driver of creative energy and expression: "This fashion show marked a moment of extraordinary synergy between our London and Paris campuses. Giving our students the opportunity to express their creative vision in a shared, international context is at the very heart of Istituto Marangoni’s educational mission. We were truly proud to see their work showcased side by side in an event that celebrated excellence, innovation, and the power of our network collaboration."

Paris and London: two distinctive styles, a common vision

Each with their distinctive style, Paris and London shared a common vision, shaped within Istituto Marangoni, which this year celebrated its 90th anniversary. A vision based on excellence, craftsmanship as an art form, creativity resolutely turned towards the avant-garde, and the ability to transform material into narrative. The collections bore witness to this vision: hand-sculpted forms, refined tailoring, and thoughtfully artisanal, often recycled, textiles.

Many renowned couturiers trained in London made Paris their second home: Vivienne Westwood and Paul Smith, iconic figures familiar on Parisian runways. John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, and Kim Jones established historic collaborations with the most prestigious French houses. More recently, Victoria Beckham, Stella McCartney, and Grace Wales Bonner continued this cross-Channel creative tradition. A recent example of this ongoing dialogue: this season, Paris hosted several English designers of men's fashion, as London Fashion Week exceptionally took place not on the banks of the Thames, but in a showroom in the heart of the Ville Lumière.

Collections inspired by a rich diversity of influences

This vibrant, forward-looking energy defined the Synergetic fashion show. The 20 designers from Paris and London wove narratives inspired by contemporary themes — from mythology and cinema to global politics and personal transformation. The scenography of the Palais de Tokyo runway enhanced the experience: large white sails floating in the wind evoked movement, change, and the idea of a multisensory journey toward imagined horizons — a fitting stage for the vision of this bold new generation.

The students benefited from the valued support of select sponsors, who contributed premium materials:

For Paris: Rino Mastrotto (leather), Manteco (fabrics)
For London: Last Yarn (fabrics)

A fragrance exclusively created for the show

Echoing the spirit of collaboration, a bespoke fragrance was created by Symrise Fine Fragrance perfumers exclusively for Synergetic. Composed at eight hands by perfumers of different genders, cultures, and olfactory traditions — hailing from Dubai, New Zealand, and France — the scent offered an olfactory reflection of the collections: eclectic, inclusive, and united by a shared creative vision.

At its heart were two roses: the English rose (fresh and bright) and the French rose (sweet and powdery), representing the distinct yet harmonised identities of the two cities. A gender-blurring ambery woody base brought a twist of modernity, with soft musky notes adding a final touch. More than a fragrance, Synergetic became a sensory expression of cross-border artistry.

Symrise is a partner of Istituto Marangoni Paris in its Bachelor and Master’s programmes in Fragrances and Cosmetics Management and Brand Management and Licensing.

The 20 Designers

To reinforce the collaborative spirit of the show, the runway presentation alternated Paris and London designers. The 20 featured graduates were:

Anna Sheremetyeva
Hwanseok Cho
Gaye Sahutogullari
Hana El-Sharabasy
Sofia Rukina
Alexia Cofino
Micaela Ismodes Sole
Valeria Rais
Sofiia Kovalska
Lorena Casas
Thierry Nicolas Rüetschi
Monique Mou
Aniket Chandela
Maria Vittoria Foradori
Charlene Osmond
Gaurvi Monga
Jinxuan Mao
Maris Thompson
Henry Archibald Crawford
Alex Puigdollers Martin

Download Press Kit HERE

About Istituto Marangoni

Istituto Marangoni was founded in 1935 as Istituto Artistico dell'Abbigliamento Marangoni in Milan and has over 85 years of experience in shaping fashion, art, and design experts. The institute has educated students from 5 continents over four generations and launched the careers of over 45,000 luxury professionals, including Domenico Dolce, Alessandro Sartori, Paula Cademartori, Gilda Ambrosio, Julie de Libran, and Nicola Brognano. According to a recent Doxa survey, Istituto Marangoni has an impressive employability rate of 91%, demonstrating the high quality of its educational programmes and the career readiness of its graduates.

Istituto Marangoni welcomes around 5,000 students annually from 108 different countries across its schools in Milan, Florence, Paris, London, Mumbai, Shanghai, Dubai, Riyadh, Miami*, and Shenzhen*. The institution has been ranked among the top 100 universities in the world in its disciplines, according to the QS World University Ranking 2025.

* licensed schools

About Palais de Tokyo

Inaugurated in 1937 during the International Exposition of Arts and Techniques, Palais de Tokyo is now one of the most dynamic centers for contemporary art in Paris. The building has undergone numerous transformations before becoming, in 2002, the artistic and cultural experimentation space we know today. Over the years, it has established itself as a major reference in the fashion field as well. Blending Art Deco heritage with an experimental spirit, the venue attracts creators and fashion houses, making it the stage for often bold fashion shows and presentations. Brands like Rick Owens and Off-White have chosen it for its avant-garde power, perfectly resonating with conceptual and avant-garde fashion.

Download Press Kit HERE