Vittorio Branchizio named winner of Who is On Next? Uomo 2015

By

Dominique Muret

Published
Jun 17, 2015

Who is On Next? Uomo has rewarded quality and experimentation this year. The 7th edition of the men’s fashion competition for emerging talent organized by Pitti Uomo, AltaRoma and Vogue has named Vittorio Branchizio, who specializes in knitwear, while also giving a special mention to the Chinese label Miaoran, "as the level of competition was very high this year," said the jury.

"Both winners are very young and showed a great degree of mastery. Vittorio Branchizio works with knitwear in an experimental and innovative way. There’s quality in the details that are rarely seen at this level. His work is unique," said jury member Sara Maino, who works at Vogue Italy.

"Miao Ran is more minimalist, but also very interesting in terms of highly thought-out details. The quality of everything was impressive. Both also offer very fair prices that are competitive in terms of the quality of the products," she continued. 

With an Indonesian mother, and an Italian-Greek father, Vittorio Branchizio is from Brescia, an industrial city located 90 km east of Milan, where he grew up and where he works. After studying at the Istituto Moda Industriale, he worked for ten years for D-Exterior, a local women’s knitwear brand. 

"That's where my passion for knitwear comes from - beginning with the thread to create knits, while seeking out innovative techniques," said the young designer, who is able to convert photos taken in the street into a tri-color cotton and silk jacquard, as well as the knits that he has shown on this wonderful day!

In 2014, Vittorio Branchizio jumped into the deep end by launching his own brand, creating the company Bordeline with his partner Fabio Daldosso, who owns a knitting factory in Brescia. 

Ran Miao, meanwhile, has come from even further! He hails from Shanxi, north of Beijing. After attending a local fashion school, he moved to Milan, first gaining a degree in Fashion Design at the city’s Polytecnich University, then specializing in modeling at the Istituto Carlo Secoli, and then getting a masters degree from the Milanese design school Naba, where he now teaches modeling, while also working at Missoni’s design office. 

In 2014, he launched his own unisex ready-to-wear line called Miaoran, which is characterized by minimalist geometric cuts. "I always begin with form, which is the same for men and women - it's just the fabric that changes, or the weight of the fabric. My clothes are homes for the body," said the young designer.