Accessories remain one of fashion’s most fertile creative territories — a space where designers can experiment with proportion, materials and meaning, and where a single object can become a powerful statement. That spirit of exploration is at the core of the Innovative Accessories Challenge, the new international open call launched by Istituto Marangoni Firenze to encourage young designers to rethink the role of the contemporary accessory.
Open from Jan. 14, the competition invites designers under 30 with a background in fashion design to approach accessories as standalone pieces, blending craftsmanship, digital techniques and material research. The call is open to participants worldwide, regardless of academic affiliation, reinforcing Istituto Marangoni’s commitment to discovering and supporting talent beyond its own student and alumni network.
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The initiative is developed in partnership with Sara Sozzani Maino, creative director of Fondazione Sozzani, who has long championed emerging designers. The challenge is conceived as a platform for free creative expression, encouraging participants to move beyond traditional definitions and explore accessories as a language that intersects making, technology and personal vision.
According to Lorenzo Tellini, school director at Istituto Marangoni Firenze, accessories today sit at the crossroads of function, identity and storytelling, making them a particularly dynamic field for experimentation. Opening the call to designers from diverse educational and cultural backgrounds, he notes, fosters a richer exchange of perspectives and reflects the belief that innovation often emerges from plurality rather than uniformity.
Applicants are required to submit their accessory concept by March 30 in a visual format — including sketches, drawings, mood boards, renderings, material experiments or technical studies. The jury will focus less on technical execution and more on the strength of the concept, originality and clarity of vision.
Projects will be evaluated by an international jury comprising Sozzani Maino, designers Paul Andrew, Giuliano Calza, Edward Buchanan, Nicolò Beretta and Niccolò Pasqualetti, fashion journalist Anna Dello Russo and Sabrina Scarpellini, cofounder of the Massimo Bonini showroom. Judges will look for proposals that reinterpret the accessory through innovative forms, unexpected materials or new cultural and social perspectives.
Sustainability will also weigh heavily in the selection process. Designers are encouraged to address responsible materials, alternative processes, reuse, durability and resource efficiency, positioning sustainability not as an optional theme but as a fundamental design responsibility.
The winning designer will receive a full scholarship to attend the Master in Luxury Accessories Design Management at Istituto Marangoni Firenze, along with the opportunity to prototype the project. The jury may elect to award the scholarship and the prototyping opportunity to two different participants.
Florence was a natural choice as the setting for the challenge. Long associated with excellence in leather goods and accessories manufacturing, the city continues to function as a living hub of craftsmanship, production and creative know-how. Located on Via de’ Tornabuoni, Istituto Marangoni Firenze – The School of Fashion and Art is deeply embedded in this ecosystem, working closely with artisans, companies and luxury brands at the highest level.
The Florence school offers undergraduate and postgraduate programs in Fashion Design, Fashion Business and Fashion Styling, as well as courses in Luxury Accessories and Shoe Design, Multimedia Arts and Art Curating & Business, with Fragrances & Cosmetics among the most recent additions to its portfolio. The campus collaborates with leading luxury players including Louis Vuitton, Ferragamo, Bulgari, Cartier, Fendi, Tod’s and Hugo Boss and cultural institutions such as Palazzo Strozzi, giving students direct exposure to real-world industry projects.
Founded in Milan in 1935, Istituto Marangoni is one of the world’s leading schools in fashion, design and luxury education. With a global network of campuses in Milan, Florence, Paris, London, Dubai, Riyadh, Mumbai, Shanghai, Miami and Shenzhen, the institution enrolls about 5,000 students each year and counts more than 45,000 alumni working across the international fashion and luxury industries. Accredited by Italy’s Ministry of University and Research, the school reports a 91 percent employability rate within one year of graduation.
With the Innovative Accessories Challenge, Istituto Marangoni Firenze positions accessories as a key arena for future-facing design, offering emerging creatives a concrete opportunity to translate experimentation into professional growth.
To see submission guidelines and apply, click HERE.