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Some days are simply special, making you thank your lucky stars for the job you have. On 20 December in the Sala Castiglione (a hall bearing a name of note in the world of design), I enjoyed a fully immersive experience in an international fashion and design workshop, with five groups of diverse students in terms of nationality and skills, who represent potential start-ups.

This is one of the key components of the Interactive Sportswear Design course.
The collaborative project between Politecnico di Milano and Slam, which gave young and promising designers the chance to help create a range of technical clothing, has led to new and original projects based on two categories: Performance and Safety (when sailing) and Urban.

The students presented the result of their team work: to define it as a capsule collection is technically correct, but fails to do it true justice. It comprises concepts, naming activities, videos, setting the mood, digital activities, products, communication, technology and innovation.

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All the groups are well organised, the ideas are good (and in some cases, very good). And the methods adopted are excellent. In everyone’s case.
This is thanks to the work of Maurizia Botti, who is also a Slam consultant, who seeks out innovative materials and applied technologies in the world of sportswear: this Politecnico lecturer and coordinator of the project has set up the necessary work processes to structure the project brief in conjunction with Valentina Cavanna, head of technical clothing at Slam. This work is also supported by the style and expertise of Gianfranco Azzini, Slam designer and lecturer in the School of Design at Politecnico, who held a lesson on his experience working in the Genoa company and the technical world in general, focusing on technology in the worlds of sportswear, leisure and city wear.

The result is an injection of energy and a sense of reassurance. This is the new norm, the near future. This is an excellent example of a business/university collaboration. This is the Italian model loved by the world over. And it’s easy to see why.