ITS Prize reveals finalists

ITS (International Talent Support) 2016 has announced the arrival of a new generation of designers. "It's a generation with a whole new outlook," said Barbara Franchin, describing the finalists of the award's 15th edition. Franchin is the founder and soul of this international competition for young designers held in Trieste, Italy.

ITS received nearly 935 applications from 78 countries. Students from 184 fashion academies in 53 nations took part in the competition's first phase.

"All the applications were of an exceptionally high standard, making the choice particularly tough," commented the organisers. They selected 41 finalists, 10 in each of the accessories, jewellery and art categories, and 11 in the fashion category.

The 'Utopians', as the finalists have been nicknamed by the organisers, will be 37 in total, since four of them will compete in two categories. 'Utopia' was the competition's shared theme chosen by ITS this year.

These 37 promising talents hail from 21 countries. There is a balance between Europe, with 17 finalists - especially from northern and eastern Europe - and Asia, always a strong presence, with 18 finalists.

For this 15th edition, Asia presented ITS with five finalists from Korea, four from Japan, four from China, two from Taiwan, and one each from Malaysia, India and Indonesia. Also notable, besides the European and Asian contingents, is the presence of finalists from New Zealand and Paraguay.

France will be represented by Garance Brandely in the jewellery category.

German designer Anna Bornhold, participating in the fashion category, had already featured in ITS 2014, when she was awarded the Modateca Deanna Ferretti prize. Last years she was also the winner of the Chloé prize at the Hyères (France) International Photography and Fashion Festival.

ITS Prize reveals finalists

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