Francesco Ballestrazzi (High Fashion Milliner)
Francesco
Ballestrazzi was born in Carpi (Modena) in 1982. After gaining his high school diploma in the arts he moved to Milan where
he obtained his fine arts degree at the Accademia di Brera, majoring in
painting. Thus began his career as a
designer and illustrator, with his creations being displayed in numerous
exhibitions.
Trained as a contemporary dancer, Francesco also
cultivated his theatrical career by performing in many Italian theatres, from
the Arcimboldi of Milan to the Teatro Greco (Greek Theatre) of Taormina.
Constrained to cut short his career as a dancer, fashion became Francesco’s
outlet to express his creativity.
Slowly but surely entering in the world of
fashion, Francesco began by collaborating with the major brands, initially
commercially for Alexander McQueen, and then creatively for Maison Moschino,
for whom he continues to collaborate with in the creation of window displays
for the stores in Milan, London, New York and Paris.
In 2010 Francesco’s passion for millinery and
uncontained creativity brought him to create his own line of hats, that in only
a few months were published in the most prestigious magazines of the sector,
such as Vogue Italia.
Francesco lives and works in Milan.
www.francescoballestrazzi.com
Roberto Cambi (Ceramic Artist,
Artist, Glassmaker)
Ceramic Artist, Painter and Glassmaker. After
gaining his degree as an Art Professor from the Istituto Ballardini di Faenza,
Roberto attended the painting division at the Accademia di Belle Arti di
Bologna. He held a training workshop at the Department of Ceramic Art at Seoul
National University of Technology in Korea.
Spurred by pop and “Comedy”, Roberto often
designs his works as elements of ambiences or installation pieces. Some of his
most important works include the site
specific “Fantasmi Urbani” during the 2010 “Salone dei Mobile” and “83 fantasmi
in fuga” for the “52° Mostra Ceramica di Castellamonte” in 2012. In
2000 Roberto received the “Award in Excellency” in the Mopko International
Ceramics Competition Korea, and in 2012 the innovation prize for “Un posto al
Tavola” at “Lodi fa Ceramica”. Some his most significant exhibitions include
“Contemporary Ceramic Arts” at the Kepko Plaza Gallery, Seoul (1999), “Progetto
Euarca”, “Kassel (D) (2002), “I and me” at the Afterall Gallery, New York (2004),
“Gerusalemme” at the Museo Diocesano di Bertinoro (2005), “Krill” Gmunden
Keramik Simposio, MIC di Faenza (2008). In 21012 Roberto participated in the 54th
Biennial of Venezia Padiglione Italy, in Turin with the installation “Green
Flowers” and at the exhibition “Uno, due, tre… Stella” at
the Palazzo della Regione, Turin.
www.robertocambi.blogspot.it
Alfred Drago Rens (Art and Graphics)
Alfred Drago was born in Imperia in 1970 to a
Dutch mother and Italian father. In 1988 he moved to Milan where he currently
lives and works.
Alfred’s works are predominantly focused on the
obsessive collecting, cataloguing and processing of images of oneself and ones
family of origin. Diggin up, looking at and reorganising the presumed truth of
being. Since 2004 Alfred has held personal and collective exhibitions such as
“Tre pulci sulla pancia” at the Affinche Gallery (2004), “Il proprio luogo” at
Castello Borromeo of Corneliano Bertario (2006), “Migra-Azione” at the Palazzo
Broletto of Novara, “From the Vault” at the Pack Gallery of Milan (2007),
“ILLO” at the Affiche Gallery of Milan (2008), and has also participated in
several contemporary art fairs such as Miart, ArtVerona and the “Affordable Art
Fair” of Milan and Amsterdam.
His most recent production is characterised by
small, tightly packed, seven tiered ziggurats made from glossy photographic
paper that together play upon visual distortion. Unless one is directly in
front of a work (which could be the simple overlapping of colours or a family
portrait) with flat lighting, the image is not able to be seen in its entirety.
The interaction between the work, vision, memory, suggestion and light is fluid
and variable.
The artist also has in parallel a graphic design
business and has founded the “Rumorebianco” studio with two other partners.
www.rumorebianco.it
SungHee Kim (Fine Jewellery)
Sung-Hee Kim, jewellery designer, artist,
journalist and director of the “STELLA B” studio in Milan, is responsible for
this exhibition. Sung-Hee has appeared as a jewellery designer in many
international publications (from Vogue Gioiello to Dreams). Her origins are
from Korea, but she is Italian by adoption. Sung-Hee moved to Milan after
obtaining her degree in Oriental Arts in Seoul, Korea. In 1998 she gained her
Diploma in Jewellery Design from the Istituto Europeo di Design di Milano with
100 and honours. She has been the finalist and winner of multiple national and
international competitions, such as the Tahitian Pearl Trophy, Gold Virtuosi of
WGC (2000), Diamonds International Awards (2000), 4th place of the ‘La
Dolce Vita di SWAROVSKI’ (1998) competition, Diamonds Modern Women(1995) and
Diamond Today (1993). She has collaborated with many national and international
jewellery houses such as Damiani, A.Jaffe, Core Jewelry and many others. Since
2004 she has worked as artistic director of the Maison Azuelos di Casablanca.
In Korea, 2009, Sung-Hee was nominated to participate in the launch party of
Perrier-Jouet as jewellery artist, along with the greatest artists of every
sector. She has written four books, including her latest publication “Luxury
Jewellery Marketing”.
www.stella-b.com
Kobi Levi (Shoe Designer)
Without
a doubt, Kobi Levi is the most creative designer and producer of the footwear
sector. In 2001 he graduated from the Bezalel Academy
of Art & Design in Jerusalem, specialising in footwear design and development.
He has worked as a freelance designer, collaborating with both Israeli and
international companies. He has recently launched his own line in Tel-Aviv, Israel. Meanwhile he
also designs commercial shoes for Italian. Chinese and Brazilian companies.
Kobi has presented his designs in many exhibitions in: Tel-Aviv, Jerusalem,
Tokyo, Verona, St. Etienne, Berlin etc.
“In the world of Artistic Shoes,
shoes are my canvas. The trigger for creating a new piece sparks when an idea,
concept and/or image comes to mind. The combination of images with shoes
creates a new hybrid and the design/concept literally coming to life. All of my
works are un-wearable sculptures. They are alive both when worn and not. Almost
all of my inspirations from outside the world of shoes and inspire an extreme
transformation. The results are usually particularly humorous.
Another aspect
that is particularly creative is the actual creation of the shoes. All of the
pieces are made with my hands in my studio. The challenge of the technical
development is the key to bringing the design to life in an original manner.”
says Kobi.
www.kobilevidesign.com
Luigi Mariani (Interior Furnishing
and Design)
Like a fairy tale, dreams can come true…
From the creative tradition of the Brianza
region, a land with a rich production history, a challenge is born: found an
artistic studio and create unique objects that are borderline art! Designed
contrary to the mainstream, with a streak of irony and humour!
Upon completing his studies and after many years
of experience matured as production manager of various companies, Luigi Mariani
founded “FUTURPROJECT”. From here Happy Design was born: fantastic pieces in
limited edition, artistic products untainted by current trends, forms and
colours used to exhilarate.
With Futurproject, Luifi has participated in
several international exhibitions: New York (USA), Tokyo and Osaka (Giappone),
Cape Town (South Africa), etc. He has exported products to Holland, Greece,
Germany, Switzerland, Dublin, Valencia and Paris. Recently he has also sent his
work also to the Far East, such as Seoul, Korea.
He has also supplied his fantastic products to RAI,
MEDIASET, Rassegne SpA, Aimpess Mipel, Macef Fiera, Milano international,
Viscom (Mi), Abaxbank (Mi), Bilancioni (Mi), Motorquality. L’aprochimide,
Dival, Tucano, Bacci (Fi), Dolman, Facopel, Creazioni and many others.
www.futurproject.it
Paolo Regis (Fotografia)
Paolo Regis was born in Vercelli in 1979. After
gaining his diploma from I.T.G., he moved to Milan to study Photography and
Visual Communication at the famous CFP Bauer School of Milan. After being the
assistant of famous photographers such as David Sims or Mert and Marcus of Big
Sky London, Paolo began to work as a photographer in Milan, Oslo, Amsterdam,
London, Bangkok and New York. His images have been published in national and
international fashion magazines such as Vogue Italia, Maxim, Anglomania, All
Access Magazine and many others, and has also photographed celebrities such as Sienna
Miller, Grace Jones, Naomi Campbell, Giorgio Armani and Vivienne Westwood.
His perpetual interest in the potential of
photography as a means of artistic expression has inspired him to work in the
fields of fashion, portraits and landscapes, exploring the numerous aspects of
our modern society.
He has continued to develop his photographic
style throughout his travels to many countries such as India, Thailand,
Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, the Emirates, Africa, the United States, Brazil, and
Japan.
Paolo Regis has worked for clients such as Bull
Phillips, BRW & Rosso and other high level fashion clients such as Dsquared,
Anteprima, Diesel, Melting Pot and Guess.
www.paoloregis.com
Stefano
Russo (Art and Design)
Stefano Russo carries out his research with a
multi-faceted approach. He has an eclectic mind, both as artist and
designer, and also working in research
laboratories of the major institutes including the Politecnico, IED and Domus
Accademy. In 1994 he founded “Russo Design” in Milano, a company that designs
glasses, jewellery and watches and also extends to other artistic fields. In
1992 he collaborated with the artist Arman, deconstructing his musical
instruments and transporting them into unique jewellery-sculptures which became
a numbered limited edition series destined for prestigious art galleries. In
1993 he won the “Diamon Award” competition with his ring “Vortice”. Between 1997 and 1999 Stefano collaborated
with Swatch, and in 1999 he worked on the launch of Celine and Loewe glasses.
From 2000 to 2008 he was the creative director of glasses for Prada, Miu Miu,
and Linea Rossa, and during the course of his career has also worked with
Helmut Land and Jil Sander. Since 2003 he has contributed to the line of
accessories and jewellery for the Giorgio Armani Group. In 2006, during the
Salone del Mobile of Milan, he exhibited his project “Visori” for Visionnaire
at the Rotonda della Besana.
Stefano currently divides his time between Milan
and Paris, collaborating with the Louis Vuitton Brand and at the same time is
developing a project between art and science.
www.stefano-russo.com
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