Monday morning we spent at a slew of different sight visits. Our first of the day was a visit to the New Academy of Design in Verona. Located just outside the historical city center, the school’s primary focus is giving students master degrees in fashion and interior design. We received a lecture about the school’s principles and what they’re mission is which was extremely interesting considering the young age of the institution. Also included were presentations from students themselves. We heard from three fashion students who presented their works to us. The designs were for a competition dedicated to preserving Karl Lagerfeld’s memory so each of the students’ creations pulled from his works for Chanel. Included were dresses inspired by the classic Chanel jacket, a re-thought version of this classic piece, and a dress that embodies the clean lines Lagerfeld was most known for. It was really amazing to see how many months of work can go in to something as seemingly simple as a dress. Next up for presentations were the interior designs students. Two girls by the names of Elena and Elaina showed us their submissions for a similar design competition. This one was based on rethinking a modern hotel room to embody aspects of a city in which the hotel was located. Both chose German cities, Munich I believe. The rooms were modern and showcased varying textures while also staying within the boundaries provided by the competition requirements. It was incredible work!

Our second visit was to Mero and More. This company is part of the Fashion Consortium of Verona who we visit on Wednesday. Us students had a bit of a difficult time understanding what exactly is done at Mero and More because there was a level of information that was lost in translation, but we think they’re involved in cutting the fabric for clothing like jackets and tops for fast-fashion brands like Zara here in Italy. It was really cool to see the workspace and be able to see the process happening in real time.