First introduced in the extraordinarily popular books in the 1980s, the Little Misses are bright, happy and full of spirit and verve. A playful spin on Keds’s passion for female empowerment, this whimsical collection of sneakers speaks to the many roles women play in the modern world. The limited collection is now in shops and selling for Bt2,450.

Where is the love?

Throughout the month of love, the lingerie salon of The Mall Group is joining with Wacoal, BSC Lingerie, Elle Lingerie, Guy Laroche and Morgan to present an exclusive collection dubbed “Love Is” featuring Swarovski crystal-embellished underwear designed by Prapakas Angsusingha. The designer sought inspiration from many love stories in classic novels, among them “Phantom of the Opera”, “Matanapata”, “Swan Lake” and “Madame Butterfly”. for an exclusive lingerie collection that conveys love. Love Is collection is available only at Lingerie Salon at The Mall, Emporium, EmQuartier, and Paragon Department Store.

Tribute to Tanaka

The third volume of the Ikko Tanaka Issey Miyake collection featuring motifs from the works of renowned graphic designer Ikko Tanaka is slated to hit stores soon. The first collective made an appearance in 2016 as an expression of Issey Miyake’s respect for Tanaka’s works. For this series, existing examples of the original works were considered, and their colours faithfully replicated in creating vibrant clothing full of energy that intensifies the appeal of Tanaka’s works when worn in a three-dimensional format.

Prosperity for the eyes and lips

Welcoming Chinese New Year, Sisley matches auspicious colours for eyes and lips to suit each of the 12 zodiac signs. Those born on the year of dog sign will find their perfect purple, red, and green colours in the Phyto-Lip Twist, a tinted balm coloured like a lipstick, with an intense matte finish. Applied with a single twist, it leaves the lips supple, soft and shapely thanks to a blend of plant-based active ingredients. Fun and practical, Phyto-Khol Star Waterproof comes in five new shades including Mystic Green and Mystic Purple.

Heart on the chest

Stamped with an instantly recognisable heart logo, Comme des Garcons Play offers fun and eye-catching tees for both adults and children. Featuring an enlarged Play heart logo graphic with pretty bug-eyes, the iconic Play t-shirt is further accented with the signature mini heart logo on the chest by designer Rei Kawakubo.

The tech-enabled Southeast Asia delivery company is offering a promotion for sellers and consumers to deliver their products and gifts to friends and families for Chinese New Year and Valentine’s day this year.

The promotion for Valentine’s Day continues through Friday and offers 30 per cent discount off the usual rates.

By choosing Ninja Premium, one lucky person will get to send a special bouquet of flowers for free. Check out the offer at the Ninja Van Thailand Fanpage on Facebook.

The promotion for Chinese New Year will be offered from Friday (February 16) to February 23. Customers using Ninja Easy get to send their parcels for free by calling (096) 781 6759 to make their booking. For Ninja Premium, a free trial period is available for new shippers.

“While this is a season of love and celebration, it can be pressurising for sellers to cope with higher demand from consumers, especially if they want to deliver gifts to their loved ones or even have them sent directly to their friends and families,” says Virachai Chusakulporn, Ninja Van Thailand’s country head.

“We already have an established network in Southeast Asia covering six high-growth logistics markets. After concluding the Series C funding, we are investing in technology and operational capabilities to help Ninja Van continue to offer hassle-free delivery services to businesses of all sizes, even during peak periods like Valentine’s Day or Chinese New Year.”

Ninja Van application can be downloaded from the App Store and Play Store. Find out more at http://www.ninjavan.co/th-th/

Hosted annually by Rajamangala University of Technology Tawan-ok Chanthaburi Campus, the event continues through Sunday and in addition to a showcase of gorgeous blossoms offers visitors the chance to make wine, herbal drinks, herbal aloe soap and other sundries. Other activities include competitions for the best fern, best bonsai plant and, of course, the best orchid as well as Thai singing and academic skills competitions for children.

Ask for more information from the TAT Rayong office by calling (038) 645 510-1, (038) 651 405 or visit http://www.TatNews.org.

Romance by design

Couples spending a romantic holiday in Milan can step up the love by taking advantage of the special Valentine’s Package being offered by the Armani Hotel Milano. Available through Sunday and priced at 1,295 Euros (Bt50,300), it includes a stay in Armani Deluxe Room with American breakfast, a romantic tasting dinner with wine pairing at the Armani/Ristorante, complimentary room upgrade to the superior room and complimentary late check-out.

Guests also enjoy one memorable couple treatment at the Armani/Spa Couple Suite including a welcoming herbal infusion, a 50-minute Armani/SPA Concept body massage, one flute of champagne plus access to the spa facilities and the stunning relaxation area.

Make a reservation at reservations.milan@armanihotels.com.

Service with a Smile

Budget airline Thai Smile is offering speicial prices on several of its flights for bookings made before February 24 for travel anytime between March 1 and July 31. Prices start at Bt1,590 for international flights and Bt1,090 for domestic routes, including full service with snacks and beverages.

Bookings can be made by calling the Smile Call Centre at 1181 or through http://www.ThaiSmileAir.com.

Wouldn’t you like to fly …?

The International Balloon Fiesta gets underway today at Singha Park Chiang Rai with 35 hot air balloons from 16 countries taking part in the flights.

The festival, which continues through Sunday, offers couples a chance to register for marriage in the air, along with a “Love is in the Air” concert, outdoor khon performances by the Wangna Artists group, colourful hot-air balloon shows with light and sound and an international food market. Admission is free.

Learn more at SinghaPark.com.

Love by the lake

The Legendary Beau-Rivage Palace Lausanne is drawing guests with the Only for You Luxurious Stay package that offers a three-night stay in a Superior, Deluxe room or Junior Suite overlooking the lush gardens, the lake or out onto the Alps.

The room rates start from 1,455 CHF (Bt49,000) per room for single occupancy and 1,650 CHF per room for double occupancy per room. Guests will be rewarded with a glass of champagne, full buffet breakfast or continental breakfast in their room, free access to the Cinq Mondes spa, the fitness centre and tennis courts as well as a voucher of CHF80 for food.

Check out the best rates at http://www.Brp.ch.

Research involving nearly 60,000 Japanese people showed a link between eating slower or faster, and losing or gaining weight.

“Changes in eating speed can affect changes in obesity, BMI and waist circumference,” a research duo from Japan’s Kyushu University wrote in the journal BMJ Open.

“Interventions aimed at reducing eating speed may be effective in preventing obesity and lowering the associated health risks.”

BMI stands for Body Mass Index, a ratio of weight-to-height used to determine whether a person falls within a healthy range.

The WHO considers someone with a BMI of 25 overweight, and 30 or higher obese.

In line with recommendations by the Japanese Society for the Study of Obesity, however, a BMI of 25 was taken as obese for Japanese populations for the purposes of the study.

The researchers analysed health insurance data from 59,717 individuals diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes — a form of the disease that generally hits in adulthood as a result of being overweight.

The participants had regular check-ups from 2008 to 2013.

Data captured included their age and gender, BMI, waist circumference, blood pressure, eating habits, alcohol consumption, and tobacco use.

From the outset, the slow-eating group of 4,192 had a smaller average waist circumference, a mean BMI of 22.3, and fewer obese individuals — 21.5 percent of the total.

It’s not a race

By comparison, more than 44 percent of the fast-eating group of 22,070 people, was obese, with a mean BMI of 25.

The team also noted changes in eating speed over the six years, with more than half the trial group reporting an adjustment in one direction or the other.

“The main results indicated that decreases in eating speeds can lead to reductions in obesity and BMI,” they found.

Other factors that could help people lose weight, according to the data, included to stop snacking after dinner, and not to eat within two hours of going to bed.

Skipping breakfast did not seem to have any effect.

Limitations of the study included that eating speed and other behaviours were self-reported. There was also no data on how much participants ate, or whether they exercised or not.

Commenting on the research, Simon Cork of Imperial College London said it “confirms what we already believe, that eating slowly is associated with less weight gain than eating quickly.”

This may be due to the fact that the satiety signal takes some time to travel from the stomach to the brain, and may arrive only after the fast eater has already consumed more than enough.

But he said that relying on the participants themselves to score whether they eat slowly, or fast, was “considerably subjective” and may skew the data.

Katarina Kos, an obesity researcher from Exeter Medical School, said similar research has to be conducted in non-diabetic people to rule out a potential role for diabetes medication in weight loss or gain.

Staff at the Paolo Memorial Hospital Chokchai 4 dressed the babies in costumes in the “Happy Valentine’s Day & Happy Chinese New Year” theme to congratulate families welcoming new babies during this period.

Parents were given framed photo souvenirs of their babies in costume, which reportedly encouraging many to choose the facility to give birth during holidays.

Hospital staff have previously dressed newborns in Santa Claus and Christmas tree outfits for “Christmas Festival 2017”, as puppies to usher in the Year of Dog during the “New Year 2018 Festival” and as baby chickens to mark the “Year of the Rooster” in January 2017.

Passengers travelling on international flights departing from Bangkok where there is lunch and dinner service (except flights departing to the Middle East and South Asia) will be served Valentine desserts. Royal First Class passengers will enjoy a lychee and raspberry sphere with raspberry sauce with roses whipping cream, while Royal Silk Class passengers will be served raspberry cake.

Passengers travelling on domestic flights departing to and from Bangkok (except for flight TG207 Bangkok-Phuket, TG208 Phuket-Bangkok, TG226 Phuket-Bangkok, and TG617 (Chiang Mai-Bangkok) will get to much on Krispy Kreme Original Glazed Doughnuts.

For more information, please make reservation and ticketing at http://www.ThaiAirways.com.

Love letters are the archetype of true romance, and you can write them in style with cool stationery items available at the store. You can also give your significant other some writing tools that might just be the hint they need.

A special letter starts with special tools. Ystudio, a Taiwanese design brand known for minimalistic and simple design, has officially arrived in Thailand with its first pop-up store in Thailand at Another Story with the  “Weight of Words”, a collection of well-designed, minimalistic, yet extremely powerful items that will last for more than a lifetime.

Relive the glory of yesteryear a la Romeo & Juliet with the Brassing-Desk Fountain Pen, carefully crafted from solid brass, designed to remind us of the weight and substance that our words can carry. Better yet, the pen itself carries its very own story – the colour of brass changes with different users and various environments, giving each pen its unique feature. Or create unique art with the brass series which includes ballpoint pen, sketching pen, and adjustable pencil.

Paris-based jewellery brand Atelier Paulin presents accessories shaped out of precious metal wire to help you express your emotions with a unique and entirely handmade piece. The brand offers beautiful and meaningful presents that portray your emotions through heartfelt words crafted using colourful silk thread, silver or gold glitter and precious metal, such as argentium, gold-filled 14-karat wire, and 18-karat gold wire.

Various items include the magical four-letter word “LOVE” with your loved one’s name, and in turn, the recipient can carry this meaningful item with them on their finger, ears, neck or wrist. Simple but elegant, Atelier Paulin jewellery makes a meaningful present, a one-of-a-kind gift that you and your recipient will cherish forever.

Check out the first Ystudio and Atelier Paulin pop-up stores in Asia at Another Story, 4th floor, Helix Quartier, The EmQuartier through the end of February.

The film unites some of the world’s most influential creative talents spanning the worlds of music, style and sport, among them Dua Lipa, Miles Silvas, Playboi Carti, Lu Han, A$AP Ferg, Nick Young, Kaytranada, Florencia Galarza, Marcelo Vieira and Adrianne Ho.

In a metaphoric loop, each individual picks up from where the last left off, building upon the past to create a revolution through evolution.

“With the 2018 chapter of ‘Original Is Never Finished’, we were inspired first and foremost by the theme of complacency, which is by far the very thing that blocks creativity,” says Alegra O’Hare, VP of Global Communication, adidas Originals.

“We wanted to give a whole new meaning to the idea of being never finished. We were fascinated by our own repeated behaviours, and once we disrupted the routine it gave us the freedom to explore the unexpected. The idea of doing things over and over again, is reflected in the repetition of images throughout the film and this adidas Originals “wheel of life” releases the creativity and energy of a new generation of creators including Florencia Galarza, Adrianne Ho, and A$AP Ferg, who embody the lyrics of the 90’s billboard hit ‘Keep Pushin’, a chant to inspire all creators to do the same.”

Geared up in adicolor, music sensation Dua Lipa leads the pack, being the first to disrupt the norm alongside her crew. Upon reaching the pinnacle of their pursuit, they are met by professional skateboarder Miles Silvas who endlessly combines his old tricks with new ones in an unrelenting pursuit of perfection, all while wearing the Adidas skateboarding City Cup sneaker.

Silvas’ trick flips the scene to a lavish setting where rapper Playboi Carti changes from one outrageous outfit to another standing atop a grand piano in an unhumble act of expression befitting of the Crazy 1 ADV silhouette.

As the piano begins to deconstruct, the scene it becomes stripped down to its essentials as musician and creative Lu Han makes his way through the broken down piano parts while wearing EQT BASK ADV.

Lu Han looks up and the scene transitions to hip-hop artist and professed sneakerhead A$AP Ferg who performs ritual unboxings revealing generations of the iconic EQT silhouette, and his newest grail, EQT BASK ADV.

A quick glance by basketball prodigy Nick Young wearing the Crazy BYW silhouette, referencing his infamous meme, leads to producer Kaytranada pressing records in a mechanical repitition. Wearing the NMD_R1 STLT PK, he passes off the final vinyl to footballer and DJ Florencia Galarza.

She passes through a series of rooms, each with its own energy in a nod to the multi-faceted identity of the Arkyn sneaker she wears showing she is the sum of her inspirations and never just one thing.

Picking up the beat of the record in his locker room, footballer Marcelo Vieira performs a victory dance wearing EQT. Continuing the momentum, streetwear icon Adrianne Ho marches ahead through a flickering sequence of self-expressions highlighting the power of any color in adicolor. Moving from fashion’s epicenter to the periphery, a crew of outsiders wearing Prophere run from the gaze of a surveillance camera.

It’s this final moment that finds the collective group of creators climbing in their common and relentless pursuit of evolution. A sudden flash of green takes the viewer back to the beginning of the loop, and just when it appears to be over, the loop is broken again and the next creative iteration begins.

FOR THE past 15 years, the Commerce Ministry’s Designers’ Room and Talent Thai projects have helped more than 600 emerging local designers to enhance their skills and potential. While a noble objective, that philosophy no longer cuts ice as designers today also need to be entrepreneurs if they are to survive in an increasingly competitive market.

So the ministry’s Department of International Trade Promotion has adopted a new approach, founding a new pilot project called Fuze that invites 20 aspiring newcomers to collaborate with three established brands – Painkiller, Erb and Tao Hong Tai – on special collections.

The fruits of the co-branding project are currently on sale at the pop-up store, also called Fuze, on the third floor of Siam Discovery until April 27.

“About 30 per cent of designers participating in the two projects have succeeded in establishing their names both locally and internationally. A designer today is not a service provider, but rather a business man or woman. The shortcut to allowing these young designers to understand the process and be able to translate the value of design into business language is to work with professionals,” says ML Kathathong Thongyai, director of the Thailand Office of Innovation and Value Creation.

ML Kathathong Thongyai

Painkiller, Erb and Tao Hong Tai have all been invited by the department to share their experiences with some 60 young brands participating in this year’s Designers’ Room and Talent Thai, but that’s where its involvement ends. How the professional brands and the emerging labels collaborate is up to them.

Painkiller, the creator of minimal menswear, has joined with 17 young lifestyle brands whose products range from eyewear and sportswear to stationery, jewellery and tableware, while Erb – the leading brand in home fragrances and skin care products – has joined with six brands to help develop such products as a paper diffuser, ink for calligraphy pens and a mobile phone case infused with Erb’s scents.

Jewellery and accessories brand La Orr has worked with celebrated ceramic brand Tao Hong Tai from Ratchaburi on developing eye-catching brooches, partly fashioned from the pha khao ma (loincloth) which is one of Ratchaburi’s distinctive products.

Tao Hong Tai x La Orr

“Consumers today have a variety of choices thanks to e-commerce,” Kathathong says.

“Designers must constantly update to be relevant to the fast-changing market and be able to apply their creations to meet trends like colours, patterns, textures and functionality. I hope this collaborative project will help them diversify both their creations and vision.”

Independent eyewear brand Arty & Fern has launched a collaborative collection of hand-made sunglasses and spectacles with Painkiller based on Painkiller’s latest menswear designs, which highlight patchwork and a colour palette of black, grey and white. Arty & Fern’s artisanal frames are attached with tiny wire-like accessories and partly applied with rubbed colours that mock the patchwork technique of sewing different materials together in one pattern.

Aniknun Eiamong and Chanakan Ukosakul offer custom-made and handcrafted form-fitting eyewear under the brand Arty&Fern.

The brand mingles the nicknames of its two founders, Chanakan “Art” Ukosakul and Aniknun “Fern” Eiamong, who, after taking eyewear manufacturing courses in 2015 at Meilleurs Ouvriers de France Lune- tiers Eyeglass Craftsmanship School in Morez, France, decide to launch the custom-made and handcrafted form-fitting eyewear.

“Our brand and Painkiller share something similar in terms of minimal style and attention to detail. Painkiller has never had its own collection of eyeglasses,” says Art. “Fern and I spent six months attending five courses conducted by master French craftsmen to hone our skills in frame personalisation and the making of artisanal frames with cellulose acetate. We learned anatomy and technical standards applicable to eyeglasses and materials and realised that the key of design is to solve problems faced by individual wearers of specs.”

The co-branding collection of eyewear by Arty&Fern and the menswear brand Painkiller

Their custom-made eyewear is measured to suit customers’ facial features and personal style so that every customer goes home with a pair of glasses adapted to his or her face and style.

“One pair of glasses goes through 260 different processes and takes about 10 days to complete. Customers can mix and match the components to express their own style,” adds Fern. “One of our male customers has a face that’s 160mm wide and that makes it impossible for him to find frames in a market where the standard is 135 to 140mm. For years, he’s worn glasses that pinch his head. Women tend to face problems like a low bridge and high cheekbones so we have to design glasses that fit their facial structures.”

Kalayada Lohacharoenvanich collaborates with Painkiller to launch the first collection of men’s sportswear.

After launching a range of women’s sportswear combining athletic functionality with feminine charm, the two-year-old Kalis Activewear brand has now launched its debut collection of men’s hoodies and pants for everyday comfort and natural range of motion after collaborating with Painkiller.

“Our products were previously available online and catered only to women because men do not shop online for sportswear,” says co-founder Kalayada Lohacharoenvanich.

“The collaborative collection is based on Painkiller’s dark tones – grey, dark blue and black – and both hoodies and pants have reflective stripes down the sides for a casual look. We try to offer a balance between technical performance like muscle compression technology and fashionable casual wear.”

Her partner is in charge of OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer), a family-run firm that makes sportswear for many brands. Kalis Activewear’s apparel is designed and produced in Thailand and uses only fabrics that are breathable, soft, lightweight and comfortable for a workout.

The brand’s women’s leggings and running shorts come complete with pockets that allow the wearer to keep her smartphone secure without getting in the way while on the move. The sports bras have an adjustable cross-back design to keep the wearer comfortable and moving freely all day.

Poomsak Teankaprasith, the founder of Painkiller, says the most challenging task in the collaborative project is finding a way to combine the unique characteristics of each brand without losing sight of the roots.

“First I brief them about my style concept, signature colour palettes, and the direction of my brand so that they can apply their products to join with mine and add value. Many of them have no experience in retail and don’t know how to balance good design with commercial business,” he says.

Porana has worked with Painkiller to design a set of two rings inspired by the scarf joint. 

Jewellery brand Porana also works with Painkiller on pairs of rings inspired by the scarf joint in woodwork. This allows the two rings to be interlocked or worn separately. Consumers can design their own pair of sterling silver rings with black diamonds and have them plated with 14K gold, 14k rose gold or dark grey metal. The finish can be gloss or matte.

“My family has run Siamwell Jewelry for 30 years and creates custom-made costume jewellery. I launched my own brand two years ago to offer fine jewellery for everyday use in a minimalist but elegant style, using real gold and diamonds and a high level of craftsmanship,” says founder Ladawan Panyaphacharakul.

Her brand introduces women to stacking small dainty rings together for a unique look. Mixed metals, including white, rose and yellow gold, parallel the mood and tone of the outfits they choose to wear.

Ladawan Panyaphacharakul of jewellery brand Porana has designed a jewellery box that takes both her accessories and Erb’s perfume.

Ladawan is also working with Erb on a small jewellery box finished in synthetic leathers in a choice of black or maroon. Covered with velvet and lined with a floral-printed fabric, the box can store four rings and has two compartments – one to store Erb’s small perfume bottle and the other for miscellaneous accessories like earrings and pendants.

“The 6x12cm lightweight box slides easily into a handbag. It’s suitable for any women who prefers to keep their accessories organised before dressing up for an event,” says Ladawan.

Pica stationery brand by Pichakorn Meedech presents a special box set of calligraphy pen and ink infused with Erb’s aroma oils.

The handcrafted stationery brand Pica by Pichakorn Meedech is also working with Erb on a box set of pen and ink for calligraphy. The pen is meticulously made by hand with a metal holder that helps users control the weight when writing.

The metal holders are also available in brass, copper and stainless steel and come with three bottles of ink infused with Erb’s aromatic oils, namely Summer Maison with a wild fruits scent, Spellbound Rose, and Siamese Jasmine.

Working with Erb whose products mostly cater to women taught Pichakorn to adjust the size of the pen holder to better fit a woman’s hand and how to mix ink with aromatic oil to maintain both the ink property and fragrant scents.

“Erb and Pica share a sense of aesthetics. My passion is to offer an analogue charm to this fast-changing world with a minimal product. Erb products also reinterpret traditional pampering and beauty regimens by bringing old-fashioned bliss to modern life,” says Pichakorn.

PERFECT PAIRINGS

The co-branding products are available at the pop-up store Fuze on the third floor of Siam Discovery until April 27. For updates, check out the “Talent Thai & Designers’ Room” page on Facebook.

Get details about Arty & Fern eyeglasses at Facebook.com/pg/artyandferneyewear

Kalis’ sportswear is available at http://www.KalisActiveWear.com.

Porana’s fine jewellery accessories can be seen at http://www.Porana.co.

Pica stationery can be found at http://www.Picastore.in.th.

THE RICHNESS of Thai culture can virtually guarantee designers here a successful career, says Dr Lisa Hockemeyer, a respected German historian of art and design and author of several critically acclaimed books.

“I’m very impressed,” she says of Thai creativity. “We need to introduce the fresh ideas originating here to Europe and create more connections between Europe and Thailand.”

Based in Milan, Italy, where she coordinates Product and Accessory Design programmes at the prestigious Istituto Marangoni, Hockemeyer has been to Bangkok on several occasions to give lectures.

And she’s optimistic about the future of Thai designers.

There is strong potential for creative growth, she believes, because all the right ingredients are here for designs that could earn global acclaim. The approach to achieving that level, though, should be interdisciplinary and free of tunnel vision, she says.

“What I’ve seen here in design is very straight-ahead vision. Designers must look across different design categories. It’s important to broaden their minds. A fashion designer must look into product design and even car design.

“Design is about creating a fresh mood, about nature and innovation, about materials – and not technology,” Hockemeyer says.

“Thai design can take advantage of the deep cultural roots, history and traditions. It’s in a unique position among Asian countries.”

Lisa Hockemeyer/ Photo:Veena Thoopkrajae

On a recent three-day visit, Hockemeyer gave four lectures on art. It had been two years since her last trip and she was impressed by how Bangkok has become such a vibrant and modern “design city”.

A graduate of University College London, she earned her master’s degree from the Royal College of Art and the Victoria and Albert Museum and a PhD from Kingston University, London.

She’s currently “the face” of the venerable Istituto Marangoni, which has branches in Florence, Paris, London, and, as of last month, Miami, Florida.

Asked where she finds her inspiration, she replies that her work involves observing, digesting and reporting.

Students, likewise, must keep their eyes wide open to their surroundings. “Art exhibitions are simply meant for the eyes to understand inspirations. I take my students to fine-art exhibitions, modern-art shows and even opera houses – the more, the better.”

Her motto is “Don’t study in the classroom only.” You have to be looking around as much as possible, Hockemeyer says, and gallery and museum exhibitions give you a chance to learn new things.

As well, she says, to become a good designer, learning the basic skills is crucial. The first year of learning should entail acquiring the skills to draw, sketch and translate any idea onto paper.

“After that, students can start pursuing their inspirations. You draw together your inspirations to create something unique that reflects your own identity – whether a product, apparel or interior design. Never underestimate the importance of expressing your own identity.”

The professor considers it essential to prepare the students for the real world. They need to experience the industry’s realities before entering it.

“What’s really important to me about Marangoni is that we have inspiration all around us. But you have to go outside. You have to have experiences and learn how to see, touch and feel,” she says.

In preparing students for their careers, says Hockemeyer, the environment at the Istituto Marangoni in Milan is wonderful for its gentle prodding. The school stages many competitions for students in second and third year. “It gives them the very first idea of what it likes to do competitive work,” she notes.

Students learn and get ideas from the outside world as much as in the classroom.

“For example, when we take them to Cassina, the furniture retailer where the products are all handmade, they can see a lot of things under one roof. They can understand the importance of design and many things else.”

Hockemeyer says students can also benefit from Marangoni’s study environment. The school holds a lot of talks by designers and other important people in the industry.

In addition, during their final year, students do a master project. “They get to work and do a project with clothing maker Fendi, and one of them won a prize last year. The winner gets a placement with Fendi.”

Once the students graduate, the school helps find them jobs.

“The most difficult sector to get into is jewellery design, because it’s such a close-knit circle. However, three years ago, our students did get jobs in Italy. The easier fields are fashion, product design and accessory design, but they’re evolving very fast. We’re quite strong in placing students in the accessories sector.”