A moment of encounter between education, creativity and Italian cultural heritage took place at Accademia del Lusso in Milan, with the event “La Dolce Vita Contemporanea.” Conceived as a multidisciplinary space for reflection and experimentation, the event proposed an original journey between fashion, music and culture, drawing inspiration from the visionary world of Federico Fellini and the aesthetic codes of the historic Dolce Vita.
The objective of the initiative was to investigate how Italian identity can be reinterpreted today by the new generations, through creative languages capable of combining memory and innovation, elegance and provocation, dream and reality. In a global context where Made in Italy is often the object of fascination but also of simplification, the event sought to restore complexity and depth to the narrative of contemporary Italian-ness.
An event structured in two moments
The event consisted of two main events:
Talk – Italian sounding and the collective imagination
In collaboration with LABA, the talk offered an opportunity for open reflection on the phenomenon ofItalian sounding, or the international diffusion of aesthetic and cultural references that recall Italy, often in inauthentic ways. The dialogue involved experts from the cultural and creative sectors, offering insights on how to defend, enhance and reinterpret Italian identity in global production and communication contexts.
Fashion Show – Fashion and music in dialogue
The second moment of the event provided space for a performance fashion show, featuring students from Accademia del Lusso, authors of the collections on the runway, accompanied by original musical compositions created by students from St. Louis College of Music. The result was a synaesthetic experience in which fashion and music built a shared narrative, inspired by Fellini’s dreamlike universe and his interpretation of Italian society.
La Dolce Vita as a creative metaphor for Made in Italy.
The cinematic imagery of Federico Fellini, the symbol par excellence of the “Dolce Vita,” was the leitmotif of the entire initiative. Not as a simple homage to the past, but as a key to rethinking today’s Italy and the way Made in Italy continues to be a vehicle for aesthetic, social and cultural values.
The creations presented in the fashion show reinterpreted in a contemporary key concepts dear to Fellini’s cinema: excess, dream, collective identity, desire. The result was a visual tale that involved students, teachers and the public in a shared reflection on the evolution of Italian identity in the international context.
Excellent attendance and strong audience involvement
The event was well attended, with a significant presence of students, professionals and fashion and cultural enthusiasts. The audience responded with interest and attention, confirming the value of initiatives that focus on the dialogue between disciplines and the link between education and territory.
At a time in history when creativity is called upon to confront global challenges, “La Dolce Vita Contemporanea” proved to be an authentic, open and generative space for discussion, capable of stimulating new visions on the future of Made in Italy.
