Lorenzo Tellini, school director of the Istituto Marangoni Firenze, tells us the new post-Covid-19 era

The reflections and projects of an international institution in the field of fashion and design

Covid-19, and the resulting social and economic emergency, is leading us into a new era of great changes in everyday life but also of a rediscovery of human values. We met Lorenzo Tellini, school director of the Istituto Marangoni Firenze to learn about his visions and his plans for the next few months.

Lorenzo Tellini

How do you see this new world that is appearing? What are the most important changes you are perceiving?
The most important change that I have perceived and that I hope will be consolidated in the future is precisely a greater attention to the importance of stopping, or at least slowing down, to reflect. a mode intrinsic to the academic method and primary vocation of a school. It is important to put at the centre of the debate a new awareness towards institutions that stimulate thought with quality and international training, such as Istituto Marangoni.
If this is the present, what will the near future look like? Let's think above all of the autumn scenarios...
Among the insiders there is a new thought: fashion will need people with an international vision, combined with a cultural education and sensitivity that find fertile ground on the banks of the Arno. the representatives of the institutions themselves indicate that the future will be full of beauty. Fashion and art, thanks to their DNA, can represent fundamental values for the restart.
In this sense, the Istituto Marangoni headquarters in Florence is certainly privileged, being surrounded by history and beauty.
The pandemic has brought with it a real digital revolution: stationary in our homes, without contacts, the network has moved very quickly and has represented our only possible reality. a step forward that now belongs to us. Has the way we enjoy fashion, art and culture also changed?
Many operators in the art world continue to show skepticism in the face of the use of new technologies, worried that digital can replace authentic experiences. We will no longer be the same as before: innovation will accompany us, but we will not lose the fascination of a real enjoyment of art, fashion and culture. As far as training is concerned, Istituto Marangoni has acted promptly and proactively towards a process of complete digitization of teaching activities in order to guarantee quality and continuity to our students.
A longer-term vision: what are the difficulties but also the opportunities you see for Istituto Marangoni in the coming years?
Istituto Marangoni must stimulate ideas by contributing to the relaunch of the country and the extraordinary pool of know-how, history and innovation that is made in Italy.
Our priority is sensitive and lasting growth. this is why we have decided to be guided by emerging trends in fashion, art and design, so that our educational programmes can always take this into account and push the professional of tomorrow to go further. One of the directions along which change is taking place is the "melting pot" of races and ethnic groups that has radically transformed, and will continue to transform, the consumer target that schools and companies will soon target.
The most interesting projects for the coming months?
The current scenario has led to an unprecedented acceleration of digitization, giving a real boost to new software, from those dedicated to fashion design, to the creation of 3d fittings, or to the entirely virtual experience of an art exhibition. The idea of Istituto Marangoni to focus investments on virtual tools and technologies, also from a sustainable point of view, is already a reality, with the first specific projects and paths that will be revealed soon.