It's easy to tell yourself you've done a good job. There's nobody telling you the contrary. You really know you worked well only when you receive positive feedback from the people who participated in what you did. Following are comments on ITS from jury members and finalists from all editions of ITS...
The level of the fashion projects of ITS#EIGHT is definitely grown. There was more creativity and more menswear, and it is clear that in a crisis period creativity emerges.
Renzo Rosso - Diesel Founder & President
ITS#EIGHT Jury
When there is an opportunity to help or grant young photographers I am in favour of it and I think this contest was successful in the quality of the work that was shown.
Sarah Moon - Photographer
ITS#SEVEN Jury
Globally a high level of creativity. A nice mixture of different styles. The fashion part for me was of a higher level than the accessories part.
Nina Nitsche - Maison Martin Margiela
ITS#EIGHT Jury
ITS#SIX has been again an amazing experience for the entire crowd, both the students and the members of the jury. I feel extremely honoured to be part of this dream every year, to be able to give such an opportunity to such different individuals. ITS is about talent, but it's also about humanity, and it teaches is all a lesson on this very complicated world of fashion. Thank you for making us dream year after year. Please never stop.
Elisa Palomino - Vice President of Design Diane Von Furstenberg
ITS#SIX Jury
Honestly...the quality of the projects...this is at least the seventh time I write the same fantastic, magnificent, extraordinary things....I would love to be able to do it again for the eighth, ninth, tenth time...I hope so!
Valentina Maggi - Director of Design Practice at Floriane de St. Pierre
ITS#TWO - ITS#EIGHT Jury
I thoroughly enjoyed attending ITS#SIX, it was a highly organised affair which I believe can substantially assist young talents in starting a career in fashion. It is also a very good platform for showcasing designers from absolutely every part of the world, a fact that makes this competition unique. But the major factor that sets ITS apart is the effort made to follow through and provide assistance to the designers long after the competition is over.
Sophia Kokosalaki - Fashion Designer
ITS#SIX Jury
Excellent. It's been wonderful to get inside the designer's work and thought process. The standard is very high and I've been overwhelmed by some very personal work.
Mandi Lennard - Head of Mandi Lennard Publicity
ITS#EIGHT Jury
The quality of the projects is high, also because here the importance is not the technique but the attitude and the whole project
Michele Lupi - Editor in Chief GQ Italia
ITS#EIGHT Jury
A wide-ranging collection of points of view, and an amazing showcase of talent.
Ari Marcopoulos - Photographer
ITS#EIGHT Jury
ITS stands as a fantastic platform to showcase creative talent and hopefully launch the career of a young designer. Financial support and exposure are so important to a designer, and ITS provides both in abundance. It was an an honour to be part of the Jury for ITS#SEVEN.
Gareth Pugh - Fashion Designer
ITS#SEVEN Jury
When I heard "student" competition, I envisioned a contest filled with youthful enthusiasm, exuberance, but lack of maturity toward both practical fashion and super creativity fashion. I was wrong. Many of the collections are ready-to-wear, practical, mature, and super creative. SIDE NOTE: I am blown away by my experience in ITS' entirety; the ITS#ONE staff are some of the warmest and most welcoming individuals (working as a collective) I have ever met, worked with. Also, the level of professionalism plus passion to their case would win a competition ITSELF. Equally the Diesel people are extraordinary, thank you for having me,
Love
Evan L. Schindler - Editorial & Creative Director of Black Book magazine
ITS#ONE Jury
A great selection of work at a very high standard. ITS is about the next generation of photography.
Lee Swillingham - Art Dir. POP Magazine, Creative Dir. LOVE Magazine
ITS#SEVEN - ITS#EIGHT Jury
Lovely. A really nice experience. Being relaxed and away from everything allowed me to really think. And with such great company. Thank you.
Patti Wilson - Stylist
ITS#SEVEN Jury
I adore ITS. And I think that Barbara is one of the most intelligent and generous professionals I have ever met in all my years as a journalist. I believe that ITS is growing and becoming more real and gaining more initiative. It would be nice if the guests behaved less like “fashion victims”. The time of being “weird” in the name of fashion is over. This doesn’t only concern ITS but is a situation that regards the fashion industry as a whole. We have to rethink it all together. Or have the students who apply to ITS rethink it. With Love, Daniela.
Daniela Fedi - Journalist
ITS#SIX - ITS#SEVEN Jury
ITS is a moving archive. An observatory. A synthesis of the ideas and dreams of tomorrow's creative talents.
Maria Luisa Frisa - Fashion Curator & Journalist
ITS#FIVE - ITS#EIGHT Jury
The quality of all the finalists was extremely high. They all seem to be equally at the same level and I thought my choice would be impossible. However, following my instinct it became clear the more the selection was viewed.
Vicki Beamon - Designer Ericksson Beamon
ITS#EIGHT Jury
This is the first participation to ITS and it is a very good experience. Thank you very much for the invitation, I find that there is a very good, young and dynamic energy. The organisation is perfect!! It is always very interesting to see different people (press, designers, producers...), and in such a beautiful city. The selection of the finalists is so varied and interesting. As for accessories, I think there a so many things to do in this field, it has so much potential.
Isabelle Aout - Style Office Director Maison Martin Margiela
ITS#SIX - ITS#SEVEN Jury
ITS#SIX offers a wonderful opportunity for young talent to introduce their work to a new audience and an equally important opportunity for us professionals (on the jury) to meet the new generation of photographers. I was impressed with the work and how the competitors communicated their ideas both visually as well as verbally. I look forward to following their careers.
Cecilia Dean - Editor of Visionaire
ITS#FOUR - ITS#EIGHT Jury
ITS to me is a cherished memory. I never thought it would be such an experience! There was such love there, amongst the staff and fellow designers. I met so many amazing people there, one of them being Erika Kurihara, who is now my stylist.
Mark Fast - Fashion finalist ITS#SEVEN
ITS means happiness, sunshine, smiles, surprize, belief and motivation, friendship, love, beautiful people and last but not least - and absolutely exclusively - my dear beloved Barbara Franchin and the wonderful and exceptional team of people.
Demna Gvasalia - Fashion finalist ITS#THREE
A team of angels who realise your dreams.
Momoko Hashigami - Fashion finalist ITS#FOUR
ITS#Eight has given me the opportunity show my work out of my country. It has also given me the opportunity to meet young international artists and form relationships with them.
Elisabeth Eiten - Photography finalist ITS#EIGHT
To me, ITS is like a family, that really wants to see you succeed. And Barbara is the fairy godmother!
Tamar Daniel - Fashion finalist ITS#FIVE
One of the most Important Tales of my own Story. ITS gave me the first step and the first big opportunity to practice my dream. I was the First Winner, and like every first time, it was a very special moment not only for me but also for the Mother of this contest and for all the team. I really hope that the mother will never forget the birth of her first child, even if she had others since.
Daniele Controversio - Fashion finalist ITS#ONE
ITS is a way of bringing together some of the best creative talent from all around the world. It provides a great platform in which to expose individual creative flair to some of the most renowned people in the fashion, accessory and photography industries.
Ross Barnes - Fashion finalist ITS#SEVEN
It is a great chance and very rare platform to come together with young and creative people from around the world to show to the rest of the world their passion, desire and visions they have.
Alexander Babic - Photography finalist ITS#EIGHT
For me ITS means creativity, experimentation and a coming together of talent from all over the world, from the best fashion schools in the world, set in a beautiful backdrop of a city (Trieste). ITS a chance to pit yourself against your piers, but also to be inspired and inspire one another. ITS a chance to meet figures in the industry that can help you develop through out your career.
David Longshaw - Fashion Finalist ITS#SIX
ITS is like second family,somebody who always take care of you sending you lots of love and happiness all the time. I love its and its loves me. ITS forever.
Slobodan Mihailovic - Fashion finalist ITS#TWO
ITS is a state of mind that lives in my heart and gives me the strength to go on.
Valentim Quaresma - Accessories finalist, ITS#SEVEN
ITS means a bridge for me to cross from East to West.
Quentin Shih - Photography finalist ITS#EIGHT
I get a warm feeling every time I think of ITS, Barbara and the team are so great, they feel like family. The event is so fluid and well organized, and above all, the talent that is there is astounding.
Justin Smith - Accessories finalist ITS#SIX
Roaming alternate universes of artistic discourse in an arena of visual pleasures.
David Steinhorst - Fashion finalist ITS#SEVEN
ITS is a promise .. a promise of a great generation in the future of Fashion. The very selected ones from all over the world, bring great energy, passion and great thought.
Heaven Tanudiredja - Fashion & Accessories finalist, ITS#FIVE - ITS#SIX
