Istituto Marangoni Miami hosted a Studio 54 inspired fashion event attended by over 700 guests, celebrities, fashion industry leaders, and press. A centerpiece of the high-energy fete was the announcement of the With Love Halston student scholarship contest winner. Kicking off the excitement for Art Basel Miami, the celebration is part of a larger fashion movement recognizing an international cadre of new talent, innovation, and inspiration. The paparazzi section buzzed with stars, fashion executives, and designers in celebration of the night’s festivities. Special guests included Halston’s Niece and Founder of With Love Halston : Lesley Frowick; With Love Halston Co-Founder, Steve Gold; Halston Creative Director: Ken Downing; Istituto Marangoni Miami CEO: Hakan Bakyam; Illustrator for Halston and Ralph Lauren: Audrey Schilt; Miami Housewives: Kiki Barth. The event emcee was former Editor-in-Chief of Vogue Mexico, Eva Hughes.
“It takes courage, perseverance, and a little madness to make it in this industry. Halston had this. He was courageous and extreme in his own, minimalistic way,” said IMM’s founder and president Hakan Baykam. “We are excited to be collaborating with With Love Halston. Students need to challenge themselves and participate in contests like this one. It’s a tough industry and they need to be persistent – just like Halston.”
The winner of the With Love Halston student design contest was Ryan Anthony Hamilton who created a Halston inspired jumpsuit with splatter paint design. Second place was Valentina Arenas, and third place was Camila Balleste. The contest gave students, which were narrowed down to eight finalists, hands-on experience and insights into Halston’s talents and style. The competition used five-point criteria including the requirement that Ultrasuede, the fabric synonymous with his work, be used. Participants created inspiration boards, paper sketches, selected fabric swatches, and showed designs with front and back views. “My uncle was a visionary. He would be proud if he were here to witness these talented eight Marangoni Miami finalists,” said Lesley Frowick, Halston’s Niece and founder of the non-profit With Love Halston. Student finalists were Marissa Mercado, Maria Cacciatore, Ryan Anthony Hamilton, Jose Angel Costa, Paola Pueyo, Vanessa Lubeigt, Valentina Arenas, Camila Balleste, Veronica Scutaro and Nicole Leave.
The DJ spun music evocative of disco’s heyday, creating a retro ambiance as guests sipped Prosecco from Valdo. The evening’s events included a fashion show of the students’ Halston inspired designs. A dramatic innovation included 3D Avatars of the models, a technique that is paving the way for an eco-friendlier way of creating samples and fashion design and is at the cutting edge of fashion technology. In real time, illustrator Audrey Schilt, Creative Director of WLH, created drawings that were auctioned and then personalized. There was also a raffle of 38 posters with illustrations by various artists from the FIDA organization led by our partner Patrick Morgan. The already jubilant mood of the room continued to build as Hakan Baykam, Lesley Frowick, and Steve Gold, Managing Director of WLH shared gratitude and substantive messages for those that participated in various elements of the event including: Patrick Morgan MA RCA for the design of the invitation and posters, Scott Vogel CPA for WLH, Rigaud, The Nando and Elsa Peretti Foundation, Tiffany & Co, Toray/Ultrasuede, The Do-Gooders, HALSTON/Excel Brands, FIDA Worldwide, Amy Berkowitz and Mario Braghieri professors and mentors at Istituto Marangoni Miami.
With Love Halston Student Design Contest was Ryan Anthony Hamilton
