Istituto Marangoni Miami announces metaverse scholarship for fashion students

Leading fashion school Istituto Marangoni Miami (IMM) is set to launch a 50,000 dollar metaverse based scholarship in partnership with South Korean social media app, Zepeto.

The collaboration hopes to inspire the next generation of fashion designers, with the scholarship aimed at students looking to begin a career in fashion. To apply, individuals are asked to create a capsule collection of metaverse fashion designed in the Zepeto app.

Five winners will be selected from current IMM students, while an additional five will be selected from the public. Applicants must be US citizens and/or a student of IMM.

Scholarship recipients will receive training and mentorship from the institution and Zepeto to prepare and promote their collections within the app.

“Through this partnership with Zepeto, we are teaching our students the importance of engaging with the next generation of consumers through the virtual world,” said Hakan Baykam, president and CEO of Istituto Marangoni Miami, in a release.

He continued: “While Zepeto offers a new design platform for our students to unlock their creativity and imagination, it’s also an incredibly powerful tool to measure the success of a collection before sourcing, manufacturing and beyond. We are thrilled to bring this to our students at Marangoni.”

Zepeto, which currently has 200 million international users, allows members to create a 3D avatar that can interact with others within its metaverse. The platform has previously partnered with prestigious fashion brands, with the likes of Ralph Lauren, Gucci and Dior taking advantage of the technology, launching branded virtual collections and immersive spaces for users to enjoy.