KNITWEAR CONTEST: The competition Talents Lineapiù, launched by the yarn firm Lineapiù Italia in 2017, goals to support young fashion talents that stand out for his or her use of yarns and the standard of the knitwear. Through the years the competition’s winners have included brands akin to Marco Rambaldi, Vitelli and Chet Lo.

The winner of the ninth edition is Sofia Marsili with Verguenza, her luxury clothing brand that’s entirely made in Tuscany. “Verguenza was born from my desire to mix the talents developed within the industrial area with the aspect of making a group. I desired to create a brand that combined careful research of materials and really prime quality,” she explained.

Knitwear is a fundamental element in Verguenza’s limited-edition collections, which uses high-quality raw materials and sustainable processes.

The young Italian designer decided to found the brand after earning two degrees, in business and marketing and an ongoing one in international business development, and nurturing her experience within the industrial and merchandising fields working for brands akin to Zara, Gucci and Hermès, amongst others. 

“It’s a privilege to find a way to receive this award from a very important company within the production of yarns akin to Lineapiù,” stated Marsili. “This milestone fills me with pride for the trail taken and provides me awareness towards the longer term. Verguenza is a continuously growing luxury company, with strong production know-how and careful marketing of the collections in one of the best multibrand stores within the sector. Moreover, receiving this recognition in Florence further highlights the worth of the excellence of the Florentine production cluster. It highlights the importance of working with sustainable firms in the realm, conscious concerning the traceability of materials and the standard of the finished garment. The best gift is to find a way to access the corporate’s historical archive and consolidate knowledge on the topic, do research and discuss ourselves with industry experts to constantly improve the standard of our product and guarantee our customers the distinctiveness of our brand.”

“Talents Lineapiù is a source of great pride for us, an initiative to support knitwear brands which are making their way in a posh world just like the fashion one: a project that brings together technique, imagination and know-how. A functional program to assist to grow talent and to make their way in an increasingly competitive and difficult market,” explained Alessandro Bastagli, president of Lineapiù Italia. “It’s our way of contributing to the event of their creativity, to support their commitment and their research.”

The award comes with the technical sponsorship for 4 seasons of Lineapiù and Filclass yarns for the creation of the brand’s sample collection and the chance to have access to the Lineapiù archive.