February 19, 2016
Kiesza campaign image for Fendi's Color Block Sunglasses
Italian eyewear manufacturer Safilo is scouting out new design talent through a mentorship program in partnership with Vogue Italia and L’Uomo Vogue.
“A Forward Vision for Eyewear Heritage” claims to be the first tutoring project of its kind dedicated to the tradition and craftsmanship of eyewear. The three winners will have the chance to experience the inner workings of Safilo, which produces the eyewear for licensees including Dior, Jimmy Choo and Givenchy.
Nurturing know-how
Safilo opened enrollment for the project on Feb. 1, and submissions will be accepted until May 25. Open to all designers passionate about eyewear, the submission process asks for a resume or portfolio, sketches and an optional moodboard.
The best submissions will be sent to Safilo, where they will be judged by a panel that includes Vogue Italia editor-in-chief Franca Sozzani and Safilo CEO Luisa Delgado.
The contest is designed to pass down Safilo’s specific craftsmanship and expertise to the next generation of eyewear makers.
To accomplish this, one of the winners will get to develop a piece that will be manufactured and distributed by Safilo. Another will work to manufacture a prototype for the company.
Safilo Product School
A third will be enrolled in the Safilo Product School, a three-year program in which students take part in internships, seminars and classroom training.
Vogue Italia has teamed with other companies to nurture the next generation of expertise.
French luxury conglomerate Kering is co-hosting the third annual “Empowering Imagination” competition for students with Parsons The New School of Design.
Students from Parsons will vie for an internship at one of Kering’s 22 luxury or lifestyle brands. With many luxury brands finding it difficult to discover top talent to fill roles at their companies, this competition offers Kering a pipeline to find its next employees (see story).
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