Sara Morandini wins Real Leather Stay Different 2025 with her Ombrage collection

Sara Morandini, BA Costume & Fashion student at Accademia Costume & Moda, has won the Accessories Design category at the prestigious Real Leather. Stay Different. (RLSD) International Student Design Competition 2025, which received a record-breaking 1,483 entries from over 75 design schools worldwide.

The victory follows the presentation of her Final Graduate Accessories Collection “Ombrage” at the ACM Talents 2025 Graduate Fashion Show in Rome, April 2025. Immediately after graduating, Sara started her internship at Balmain, launching her international professional career.

The unisex collection, inspired by primal natural forces, was developed in ACM’s accessories lab in the new Campus in Rome, under the guidance of Luigi Mulas Debois, Coordinator of the Accessories Area and Master in Accessories Design.

Industry partners that supported the collection include: Russo di Casandrino, Lineapelle, Conceria Gaiera, Crisden and Seboys. Special thanks to Adrien Roberts, International Director of Education, for providing Sara with this unique opportunity.

1. What led you to choose Accademia Costume & Moda, and what did you discover about yourself during the BA Costume & Fashion programme?

It was a feeling, a sense of being in the right place. I still remember the day I attended the open day at the Via della Rondinella campus. It was my first time entering the Academy, and I immediately understood that this would be the definitive choice for my studies. I walked up the stairs with my nose in the air, looking around, curious about everything I saw. It’s hard to explain in words, but it was that little extra something I hadn’t felt anywhere else, probably that “feeling welcomed”, that made me realise my adventure would start from there.

2. Looking back at your journey – from Talents 2025 to Balmain – which ACM experience or skill do you consider most valuable for your professional growth?

Definitely the experience in the workshop. That’s where you understand not only how to make a product from scratch with your own hands, living every technical step, but also what it means to transition from being a student to assuming a more professional role. It’s a rediscovery and a challenge of yourself and your skills. It stimulates growth, dialogue, and creativity, without a doubt. But also rationality, where creative fantasies meet technical needs that must be solved ensuring balance on both sides.

3. What does “designing accessories” mean to you? Is it more technical, emotional, or personal language?

I wouldn’t say “designing accessories”, but rather “creating them”. For me, everything starts with hands-on experimentation. I think I’m a very curious person, and when I want to bring something to life, I like to “get my hands dirty”, as we say. I enjoy experimenting, playing with everything in front of me, trying to create something varied but coherent. It’s definitely a process that requires a personal language, something to communicate, which emotionally involves me and makes me live the process with passion. It’s something that must come from me, but I want to share it externally and see it expressed outside of myself.

4. What advice would you give to someone who dreams of entering ACM and one day working in an international maison like Balmain?

Never give up. I probably started this journey without even knowing how to hold a pencil, feeling behind and inadequate many times. But each time I found a reason to keep going, to improve, and to prove to myself that in one way or another I could succeed. Over time, I learned to see things differently. I learned to be optimistic and always find something positive to push me beyond initial difficulties, doing good not only for myself but also for those around me.

5. Your project “Ombrage” stems from a curiosity towards materials. How important are experimentation and hands-on skills in your design process?

They are essential. When I design something, I like to have the materials I intend to use in front of me, to examine them from different perspectives, and make test after test until I find the most convincing solution. These are the creative stimuli that give birth to something new.
And who says it can’t continue? The beauty of experimentation is that it has a beginning but no end. I like to think that my project might have this characteristic. During the time I had available, I created a Capsule Collection with a clear language and elements, but who knows what else may come if I revisit it in the future.

The international final in Taipei

Sara is among the four international designers selected to compete at Taipei 101 on October 28, 2025, presenting her sustainable collection to a panel including Christopher Koerber, Managing Director of HUGO BOSS Ticino, and celebrity stylist Mike Adler.

“The fashion industry is witnessing a surge in youth-driven sustainable design innovation,” said Christopher Koerber.

The RLSD competition, now in its fifth year, highlights the increasing importance of sustainability, technical innovation, and creativity in fashion education. Other innovative projects include armour-inspired garments exploring psychological vulnerability and modular footwear systems designed for circular economy principles (SubTraction).

Sara Morandini’s Ombrage collection, unisex and inspired by primal natural forces, combines craftsmanship, manual skill, aesthetics, and sustainability, confirming Accademia Costume & Moda as a hub for emerging talents ready for the international stage.