Fashion’s Greatest Talent Scout Celebrates a Decade of Discovery at Vogue Talents

What do JW Anderson, Bode, Jacquemus, Simone Rocha, Marine Serre, Thebe Magugu, Tomo Koizumi, Bethany Williams, Charles Jeffrey, Ludovic de Saint Sernin, and, oh, Glenn Martens have in common? The answer—apart from the fact that they are excellent fashion designers—is that they were all helped at the very earliest stage of their careers by Vogue Talents. Launched in September 2009 under the editorship of Franca Sozzani, what was a regular supplement published with Italian Vogue has since mushroomed to become an online platform of its own dedicated to unearthing and spotlighting designers with potential. What makes Vogue Talents especially effective is firstly that it is borderless, unlike many other similar initiatives, and secondly that it has been overseen since its inception by Sara Maino, an editor of insatiable curiosity.

On Friday evening Italian Vogue’s editor in chief, Emanuele Farneti, hosted a party and exhibition at the Palazzo Cusani to celebrate the initiative’s 10th birthday. The event featured 70 looks by 70 past talents, curated by Maino, and attracted 800 guests, including Anna Wintour, Brunello Cucinelli, Giuseppe Zanotti, Diego Della Valle, Angela Missoni, and current LVMH Prize winner Magugu. Just before it opened we caught up with Maino to discuss her tremendous 10 years truffling for talent.

How many designers has Vogue Talents identified and highlighted over the past decade, do you think?
I think it’s around 1,000? Probably a little more.

In that time, what have you learned about differentiating between all that raw creativity and creativity that has the potential to go forward and build itself into a self-sustaining and profitable concern?
I think now we are a bit saturated with brands. I shouldn’t say this, maybe, but it’s true. The thing about Vogue Talents is that we have no geographical boundaries. We scout anywhere and everywhere, and I see many designers who are able to give a precise vision and a message. I think now this is very important. Ten years ago when we started it was perhaps only a matter of making clothes: the collection. In the time since everything has changed, both thanks to the rise of social networks and the nature of politics and engagement with wider issues in the world such as the environment, sexism, racism . . . everything that is important for us to address and interrogate. Fashion has become about more than fashion, in a way. Also, what I’ve learned from going to regions across the world—Africa, South America, most recently Georgia—is that while there might be no conventional fashion system in these places, there are very genuine and talented prospects there who really believe in what they do and what they want to say. A great example of this is Thebe, who just won the LVMH Prize and who came through Talents last year.

Do you feel you are in competition with other talent scouting organizations in the fashion system?
Never! I’ve been doing this all along only because I believe in the new generation and giving them a chance. Because if you give them a chance, they will take it, and we all benefit. When I started my career, I was fortunate to have an open door—even though the path has been long, I’m still on it! Eventually I started thinking about talents for whom there is no open door and how we could set about making one.

What was the background for setting it up?
Well, I was an assistant stylist and, you know, you have to do research, research, research. I liked going around to showrooms and trade fairs, which were much better 15 years ago than they are now. I’ve always liked to find out about new people. At Italian Vogue we had this supplement twice a year on trends. Obviously we had to feature advertisers, but after that it was about me going around, exploring, finding things, and taking digital pictures. Back then taking those pictures was something nobody wanted to do, whereas now they all want it. Anyway, after a certain point Ariela Goggi, the deputy editor in chief at that time, asked me, “How do you find all these people?”Then in 2005 Franca [Sozzani] launched Who’s on Next?, and that led to a conversation in 2008 when she said, “What about if we give space to all these people you see and believe in?” Of course I said yes! That is why this exhibition is dedicated to her memory.

How have you chosen the designers and looks to feature in the exhibition?
It was very hard! Some of them are designers who have since gone on to have success because they are working for big brands. Then there are designers who really send a message. So here’s Thebe again; the two young Italians, Act n°1, who showed today and are very interesting; and Helen Kirkum, whose recycled, reformed shoes are so great. From earlier in our history there was Simone Rocha and Jonathan Anderson: We hosted them here in Milan eight years ago. Then there are others who reflect changing times. GCDS is a brand I chose because it is a very interesting phenomenon of our time in that it gained success through social networks. And there’s Attico, which is two girls on the social scene. Everyone has their own story.

At the beginning of our chat, you said, “I probably shouldn’t say this, but we are a bit saturated with brands,” and it’s true. One of the conversations we are having now is how can we update the way we behave as an industry to continue to do what we love but not have a negative environmental impact.
Right now if you start a brand, it has to be responsible, there is no other way. We certainly don’t need any new brands. If you are going to start one, then it has to be conscious. Designers can also send very powerful messages that are socially important. Look at Edward Buchanan at Sansovino 6; his work is extremely important. You know, you were saying to me before, do we feel competitive, and although we’re not . . .

I would be! My attitude would be: We are going to do all we can to be the one that finds the undiscovered freshest truffles of outstanding talents in the forest of possibilities.
Ha! Well, I have to say the thing is, we do get the best truffles before anyone. I’m very proud, because all the designers who go through the LVMH Prize competition pass through here before. That suggests to me that we are doing it right, and that’s why I don’t feel competitive!

Originally Appeared on Vogue