Exhibition by Mastère Spécialisé Students

An Avant-Garde Formed Through Craftsmanship

On June 25, 2026, the Institut Français de la Mode hosted the opening of Faire contre: l'artisanat comme avant-garde. 1994–2010, an exhibition conceived and produced by students of the Mastère Spécialisé, under the direction of Émilie Hammen, Director of the Palais Galliera; Adrian Kammarti, IFM Professor; and Ninon Szejman, textile and embroidery designer.

The exhibition traced the emergence, in the mid-1990s, of a constellation of avant-garde designers — among them Maurizio Altieri (Carpe Diem), Carol Christian Poell, Paul Harnden, Geoffrey B. Small, Sara Lanzi, and Maurizio Amadei (m.a+) — who, following in the wake of Rei Kawakubo (Comme des Garçons), Yohji Yamamoto, and Martin Margiela, chose craftsmanship and experimentation as forms of resistance to the growing financialization of the fashion industry.

The exhibition unfolded in three parts: the scene's distinctive craft practices, its innovative production and distribution networks, and lastly, its particular combination of deliberate elusiveness and calculated visibility. Students worked with original garments and were entrusted with designing the exhibition in its entirety — concept, scenography, wall texts, and mediation.

A pedagogical experience in its own right, allowing future managers to work on the valorization of creation — here, within the context of an exhibition, students were guided by professionals including historians and a scenographer.

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Découvrez le Mastère Spécialisé® Management de la Mode & du Luxe → La formation de référence de l'IFM en management des industries de la création, qui décloisonne gestion et création depuis 1986.