Dialogue with art – Aesthetic experience, cognitive reserve, and social interaction

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The closing series event “Preserving the brain” at Fondazione Prada


On Monday 31st, we attended Dialogue with Art – Aesthetic Experience, Cognitive Reserve, and Social Interaction, the final instalment of Preserving the Brain: A Call to Action. This series, exploring the intersection of art and science, offered a compelling examination of the arts—visual, musical, theatrical, and dance-based—not just through a scientific lens but also in the context of inclusivity within contemporary cultural institutions.

Speakers included:

  • Letizia Leocani, Neuroscientist and Associate Professor of Neurology, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University
  • Rita Pezzati, Psychologist, Psychotherapist, and Professor, SUPSI
  • Dante Carbini, Actor, Educator, Trainer and Breathing Specialist
  • Michele Porcu & Mary Zurigo, Z.E.A. – Zone di Esplorazione Artistica research group and teachers at NABA
  • Linda Montecchiani, person with Multiple Sclerosis and President of Avvicin’Arti 

The talk was part of Talks Among Friends, a discussion series by Miart (Milan’s international art fair) in collaboration with five Milanese institutions. Inspired by Robert Rauschenberg’s legacy, the programme championed openness, interdisciplinarity, and collaboration.

Why would a luxury brand engage with degenerative diseases?


A pointed question directed at Prada found its answer in the words of Cornelia Mattiacci, Fondazione Prada’s exhibition curator: brands exist within culture, and culture is shaped by diverse disciplines and perspectives. A brand not only embodies cultural values but bears responsibility for them. However, using fashion as a vehicle for meaningful discourse is an approach we wholeheartedly endorse.

Preserving the Brain: Dialogue with art


The discussion delved into how aesthetic experiences intersect with neuroscience, serving both as a subject of study and a therapeutic tool for neurodegenerative conditions. Key themes included cognitive decline (pathological and age-related), neuroplasticity, and cognitive reserve—the latter underscored as a domain where mental health, cultural engagement, and social interaction prove vital.

“Our brain operates on a ‘use-it-or-lose-it’ principle,” explained Letizia Leocani. To sustain cognitive reserve, four pillars are essential:

  1. Education – Lifelong learning builds neural resilience.
  2. Social connections – Engaging with others strengthens cognitive pathways.
  3. Physical & mental activity – Movement and mental stimulation contribute to overall brain health.
  4. Occupational purpose – Having a goal or sense of direction in life sustains mental agility.

The moment that left its mark: Dante Carbini


A striking insight emerged regarding dementia: those affected often exist in a perpetual state of heightened alertness.

Yet, the most impressive moment came from Dante Carbini, an actor, educator, and breathing expert. Specifically, he demonstrated tension through a simple experiment of theatre pedagogy.

“I’ll pick someone from the audience,” he announced, weaving between seats. The room stiffened; attendees averted their gaze, holding their breath. After returning to the stage, he asked: “Did you notice what happened? The moment I started walking among you, most of you instinctively turned your gaze away, hoping not to be chosen. You held your breath. That is tension.”

He concluded with a powerful remark: “When we feel emotions we do not wish to experience, we hold our breath.”

This was the indelible lesson we carried out with us.

Dialogue with art – Final thoughts


Words like art, beauty, well-being, attunement, and sharing recurred throughout—but it was sharing that resonated most profoundly. Collective experience, synchrony, deepens learning and magnifies the impact of such encounters.

By the way, it brought to mind Thich Nhat Hanh’s wisdom: 

“We cannot just be by ourselves alone. We have to inter-be with every other thing.”

The event Dialogue with Art – Aesthetic Experience, Cognitive Reserve, and Social Interaction closed with an engaging Q&A session, embodying the spirit of a talk among friends—a fitting finale to Fondazione Prada’s Preserving the Brain series.

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Skin-kind: garments gentle on your skin

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Comfortable fashion or just the latest marketing buzzword?


“Skin-kind”—clothing designed to be gentle on the skin—seems the latest buzzword taking over fashion. It promises natural fibres, comfort, and skin health. But in reality, this isn’t new. Worse, it risks reducing decades of thoughtful design to a passing trend.

If “clean beauty” has already commodified wellness, as Business of Fashion notes, then “clean fashion” is next—repackaging age-old principles as revolutionary.

But long before this, some brands were already crafting garments with materials specifically chosen for their skin-friendly qualities—clothes that are a pleasure to wear. Decades before. So why does this suddenly sound groundbreaking? Because fashion thrives on reinvention—even when it’s just reheating old ideas. So, it’s not innovation, just hot water, repackaged.

Comfortable fashion: a thoughtful approach to fashion


Since the pandemic, our priorities have sharpened: fewer brands, more independent designers, and a focus on what truly matters—good design, craftsmanship, ethical labour, and a lighter footprint. And yes, that includes attention to fabrics. Not just any fabric, but the kind that feels right: the kind you forget you’re wearing, that makes you feel at ease in your own skin.

In our selection, you can find the finest cotton, jersey so delicate it lingers like a second skin, and timeless basics whose price reflects their worth—not their hype. 

The descriptions say it plainly:


But words can’t replace experience. You have to feel the difference—because no image captures a fabric’s touch against your skin. And no marketing can mask poor quality.

We get it: cheaper prices can be tempting. But quality isn’t just a cost; it’s a value. Thoughtful design means fabrics chosen with care, quality made to last. Clothes crafted from quality materials aren’t an expense—they’re a choice. Achoice for comfort that endures, for design that respects your body.

And that’s the real issue. Brands—especially Japanese—have spent years perfecting textiles with the wearer’s comfort in mind. Now, “skin-kind” threatens to trivialize that work, turning decades of quiet dedication into just another hashtag.

Final thoughts: Skin-kind—clothes designed for the pleasure of wearing


Skin-kind clothing—garments soft on your skin—clean fashion, or comfortable fashion shouldn’t be a trend. It’s part of the care designers put into their work; part of our research; part of what we need and what we want.

Forget the buzzwords. Thoughtful design has always been about more than labels—it’s about intention, integrity, and what truly lasts.

And that’s nothing new.
The choice, as always, is less—but better.

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Giancarlo Giammetti: The ultimate word on creative directors

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Valentino’s co-founder declares: “Style must be defended like freedom”


At Rome’s Forme festival – a celebration of fashion academies – Giancarlo Giammetti delivered what may stand as his ultimate word on creative directors. Between recollections of Valentino’s golden era and warnings about today’s industry, one declaration rang out like a battle cry: 

“Style must be defended like freedom.”


The Valentino co-founder served as guest speaker for the third talk of Forme – Perspectives on Fashion, Art, and Creativity, held March 21-22 at Massimiliano Fuksas’ striking Nuvola complex. In conversation with Tg1’s fashion director Barbara Modesti before an audience of students, Giammetti wove personal history into a masterclass on fashion’s shifting values.

Beauty as a form of radical resistance


“True beauty transcends aesthetics,” Giammetti asserted. “For Valentino and me, it now represents peace and serenity.” This philosophy drives their PM23 Foundation at Rome’s 23 Piazza Mignanelli, where fashion and art converge deliberately. “We’re simply honouring what always was: to create beauty through art and fashion.”

The lost art of creative freedom


His advice to emerging designers cut through the noise: “Create what you love. Believe in what you do, in your style, and try to assert it – even if times have changed.” The comparison to his and Valentino’s early struggles was inevitable. “Valentino and I were two twenty-year-olds coming together, facing a thousand difficulties. Today, the times impose business logic, and designers are no longer free to create. The system demands economic values. But the true values are those tied to solitude, freedom, and beauty.”

He recalled Valentino’s epiphany in Barcelona: “Spanish women in red at the opera, crimson flowers everywhere – that became his red. Not a Pantone, but blood and passion made visible.”

Creativity, not algorithms


Giammetti’s voice turned wry discussing fashion’s digital decay: “We dined with Warhol; Valentino dedicated collections to Basquiat. Art has always been fundamental to him.”  

Now? Designers create for Instagram’s hunger, not women’s lives. “We didn’t need to make a fuss on the runway or send messages. Today, with social media, it seems that designers make clothes more for photos on social media than for women.”

He praised the talent in the room but issued a warning: “Defend your style. Creative directors now bend to corporate wills—Valentino’s era of four-person ateliers is gone.”

Heritage vs. hype: Giancarlo Giammetti on creative directors – The ultimate word


Here came his most pointed critique as he pronounced the ultimate word on creative directors:

 “The relationship between a brand’s heritage and business strategy must be respected by creative directors. It’s not about copying the archive, but neither should it be turned into a mockery.”

The unspoken reference to Alessandro Michele’s Valentino tenure hovered like Roman humidity.

Giancarlo Giammetti: Support to young creatives


When prompted for a favourite anecdote, Giammetti shared: “We were visiting Queen Elizabeth, and Valentino said, ‘Your Majesty, may I introduce my assistant?’ I wanted to die.”
The crowd erupted in laughter—and later, a standing ovation—as he confirmed the Garavani Foundation’s mission: “To support young creatives.”

Final thoughts


At Forme – Perspectives on Fashion, Art, and Creativity, Giancarlo Giammetti offered clear, wholehearted guidance. His reflections encapsulated an unrepeatable chapter in fashion history—a true lesson for the younger generation. Yet, it also served as a powerful reminder for those beyond their youth.

His support for emerging creatives was evident. Yet, what resonated most was his ultimate word on creative directors: respect heritage, don’t merely copy the archive, and never turn it into a circus—wisdom much needed in today’s collapsing fashion industry.

In short, Giammetti distilled sixty years of fashion work into pure doctrine:

  • Style is sovereignty – defend it or lose it.
  • Beauty is responsibility – not Instagram currency.
  • Legacy isn’t Lego – don’t dismantle what you should elevate.

In an industry suffocating under frequent changes and instability, his words charted a course.

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Marc Le Bihan FW25/26: Consistency and repetition in a chaotic world

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Why a steady vision defies the ever-changing fashion industry


In a fashion industry grappling with a crisis of identity, Marc Le Bihan FW25/26 collection—spanning both prêt-à-porter and couture—offers a steady foothold. One of exceptional beauty. His unwavering commitment to consistency and repetition stands as a testament to values that are increasingly rare in today’s frenetic landscape. In a world of flux, Marc Le Bihan’s work is a quiet rebellion, a reminder that timelessness can still exist.

The fashion world is no stranger to upheaval. Creative directors hop from one maison to another, prioritising their own ego over the heritage and DNA of the brands they helm. The result? A homogenised sea of sameness, stripped of individuality and meaning. This relentless churn of leadership only amplifies the instability of an already fragile industry. It begs the question: in an era defined by permacrisis, is this cycle of paranoid instability truly what we need? Or does it merely perpetuate chaos?

We believe the answer comes from Marc Le Bihan.

Marc Le Bihan FW25/26 artisanal fashion: Rarities for the rare


When we received Marc Le Bihan’s lookbooks and line sheets, we were struck—once again—by the beauty and distinctiveness of his vision. Each piece, meticulously crafted, tells a story of continuity. The collection features impalpable fabrics such as pongé silk and tulle—staples that elevate the ethereal quality of his designs. The dolcezza fabric, a luxuriously soft cotton blend, adds a tactile dimension, while jacquard and more structured textures provide contrast and depth.

Image of Marc Le Bihan FW25 couture line: profile pose of a short-haired brunette model wearing a black dress with white lace flowers and a black vest covered with silk; hands with natural mani on the hips.
Marc Le Bihan couture


The colour palette is equally considered, moving from pearl and taupe to steel, black, and vibrant shades of red. As the colour card notes, all products are hand-dyed, meaning slight irregularities and subtle tonal variations may occur. This artisanal touch not only underscores the uniqueness of each garment but also reinforces the philosophy of timelessness and individuality that defines Le Bihan’s exacting tailoring.

Season after season, he builds his collections like a wardrobe—one timeless garment at a time. This approach is not just gratifying; it’s revolutionary. In a world obsessed with the next big trend, Marc Le Bihan’s radical design is a pledge: when you invest in his creations, they will never fall out of fashion.

Marc Le Bihan ready-to-wear


We encourage you to revisit our interview with Marc Le Bihan, as his words remain as relevant today as they were when first spoken:

“My idea is to keep a garment for ten years in the wardrobe, then take it out and still want to wear it because it’s timeless. Mine is a work in progress. If a shirt is good, it’s good forever.”

Final thoughts


While many brands chase the ephemeral allure of trends, Marc Le Bihan offers something far more profound: comfort in consistency. His designs are not just garments of exceptional beauty; they are anchors in a turbulent sea. He is a beacon of stability, a rare figure in an industry that has, for the most part, lost its way.

Yet, Le Bihan’s consistency is an exception, not the rule. In a world of excess and instability, his work stands as a rarity—a testament to the enduring power of a steady vision. As Nietzsche once said, “Everything rare for the rare.” To wear Marc Le Bihan is to embody this ethos. It is to declare that you are not common, that you value the enduring over the fleeting.

In a chaotic world, Marc Le Bihan FW25/26 is more than fashion—it’s a philosophy for modern humans. And in an industry crying out for direction, it’s a philosophy worth celebrating.

📲 Claim your piece of Marc Le Bihan’s rare elegance—contact us via WhatsApp or email.

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Meagratia FW25/26: A Piece of nostalgia at Rakuten Fashion Week

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From Tokyo: Unisex fashion for modern humans


Meagratia has unveiled its FW25/26 collection film, A piece of nostalgia, during Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo. As one of the standout brands in the Tokyo fashion scene, Meagratia continues to captivate with its unisex designs—timeless, innovative, and crafted for modern humans.

About Meagratia: Fashion from Japan


Founded in 2012 by Takafumi Sekine, Meagratia is a unisex brand built on the concept of “the fusion of history and present sense.” The brand’s designs reflect a worldview where the ephemeral beauty of a flower’s life is layered onto the evolving culture, environment, and human form shaped by time. Romantic, poetic, and subtly punk rock-inspired, Meagratia’s aesthetic is never loud but always delicate. A harmonious blend of past and present.

For the Autumn/Winter 2025 season, Meagratia unveiled its latest collection at Rakuten Fashion Week TOKYO on 17 March 2025. The event, accessible online, invited a global audience to experience the brand’s unique vision—where historical depth meets contemporary design.

A Piece of Nostalgia – Meagratia FW25/26: Watch the show

This season, designer Takafumi Sekine draws from the contacts and intersections that shaped his youth. Those moments when he first discovered fashion and found his inspiration. So, the collection reflects his current perspective, blending punk aesthetics and school-inspired influences that evoke memories of his student days.

Rooted in the vibrant energy of 1990s Harajuku, a place Sekine frequented in search of new experiences and creative inspiration, this collection is less about revisiting the past and more about expressing Sekine’s present identity as the designer behind Meagratia. It’s a bold statement of the “now,” where nostalgia meets modernity.

Meagratia FW25/26 – Final thoughts


In conclusion, Meagratia’s FW25/26 collection, A piece of Nostalgin, unveiled at Rakuten Fashion Week, reaffirms the brand’s unique approach to fashion. It masterfully blends a strong sense of the “now” with the warmth of nostalgia, creating a collection that feels both timely and timeless.

Indeed, we are captivated by its modern sensibility, where punk influences are expressed with delicate subtlety. And its commitment to unisex fashion, speaking to an audience that values design, craftsmanship, and vintage inspiration beyond gender boundaries. This is fashion rooted in a pure love for style.

Stay tuned—Meagratia’s FW25/26 collection will be available at suite123 Milano.

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