Los Angeles-based denim brand Agolde is celebrating sustainable education — and the southbound soiree takes place at Istituto Marangoni Miami, a fashion school known for its Italian-influenced take on industry-focused curriculums.
Agolde and Istituto Marangoni Miami scouted fashion stars via its student design contest and product collaboration that offered an opportunity to create original artwork for a graphic T-shirt; the winning design will be sold on Agolde’s website, beginning April 4 through Earth Day, on April 22.
Notably, 100 percent of the retail selling price of the T-shirts will be donated to The Miami Fashion Foundation Student Scholarship Fund, a nonprofit that assists undergraduate and graduate students who are enrolled, or wish to enroll, in art and fashion educational institutions of higher learning, according to Agolde.
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Contest participants submitted original graphic artwork T-shirt designs that expressed Agolde’s commitment to the future of fashion, and that vision is “thoughtful and believes in using methods that reduce their imprint on the global environment and to promote their brand ethos of living sustainably and in harmony with the earth, now and for the benefit of future generations,” Agolde explained.
Agolde’s director of global communications, Alicia Joines, said the brand is “honored to have teamed up with Istituto Marangoni Miami to celebrate the talent of their students, young designers, who represent the future of fashion and reflect our commitment to sustainability.”
After a careful review of the artwork entries, the Agolde design collective and Istituto Marangoni Miami selected Fabiana Polito as the winner. Polito shared that her influence behind her original design, interestingly, was from a childhood toy that she owned.
“I looked for something that people would relate to, and so I chose the Magic Grow Capsules. These capsules contained little toy animals that with water and care, they would grow into bigger animals. I wanted to replicate that in my design,” Polito said. “We have one planet, one home, one earth, the same that our future generations will be living in, so it is our duty to take care of our home, ‘grow the Earth’ where everyone will be living in and inspire the same level of commitment in others as I had as a kid.”
Polito will receive a prize payment and wide recognition for her original artwork, Agolde noted, adding that the T-shirt will be crafted in 100 percent recycled cotton, coupled with an eco-friendly hangtag.
Hakan Baykam, president and chief executive officer of Istituto Marangoni Miami, said, “Making a conscious decision to shop with sustainable and ethical fashion brands like Agolde will make a difference to the planet and the people within it. That’s what we believe and that’s what we teach our fashion students every day. We are honored to partner with Agolde on this forward-looking and very relevant sustainability contest.”
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