Accademia Costume & Moda has secured all three top positions in the Accessories category at the Global Creative Graduate Showcase 2026, the international competition organised by ARTS THREAD to celebrate emerging talent across the creative disciplines.
Three Accademia Alumni have been recognised: Daniel Becker, who claimed first place with “Optical Illusion”; Benedetta Braghetti, who placed second with “Zenit”; and Axelle Gessner, who secured third place with “Female Gaze”.
The achievement is particularly significant given the international scale of the competition, now in its seventh edition, which brought together 4,371 emerging creatives from 382 educational institutions, with an international judging panel comprising 236 industry professionals.
Three Projects, Three Creative Visions
Daniel Becker, an alumnus of the Master in Accessories Design, secured first place and was named Industry Judging Winner in the Accessories category for his project “Optical Illusion”.
The project explores the relationship between visual perception, form and functionality in accessories design. Inspired by optical illusions and their ability to challenge our understanding of reality, Becker reimagines the bag as an object that transcends its purely functional purpose. Through colour, surfaces and geometry, his research investigates the boundaries between two-dimensional imagery and three-dimensional form, transforming accessories into a medium for visual experimentation.
Benedetta Braghetti, an alumna of the BA in Costume & Fashion, secured second place with “Zenit”, a project previously presented at our ACM Talents 2026 – BA Graduate Fashion Show. Inspired by the world of diving, a sport practised by the designer herself, the accessories collection translates movement, suspension and bodily balance into a design exploration combining aesthetic sensitivity and craftsmanship.
Completing the top three is Axelle Gessner, also an alumna of the Master in Accessories Design, who placed third with “Female Gaze”. The project reimagines accessories design from a female perspective, focusing on women’s everyday experiences and the relationship between the body, functionality and intimacy. Through soft shapes, fluid surfaces and functional details, Gessner explores a new understanding of femininity in which comfort, practicality and individual expression become essential elements of the creative process.
Accademia Costume & Moda: Where Research, Creativity and Industry Meet
Having three Alumni recognised among the top three designers in the same category represents a significant international achievement, highlighting the talent nurtured at Accademia Costume & Moda and the strength of its educational approach. Three distinct creative journeys and design languages, united by a shared commitment to research, experimentation and the development of an individual creative vision.
Through its educational programmes, including the Master in Accessories Design and the BA in Costume & Fashion, Accademia Costume & Moda fosters an educational approach that combines technical expertise, design culture and direct engagement with industry professionals and fashion companies.
This ongoing dialogue between education and industry enables students to develop their creative identities and acquire the skills needed to interpret and contribute to the evolving contemporary fashion landscape.