Keep going: fashion rewards the courage to carry on and move forward

‘Looking ahead, navigating change, anticipating new forms of expression, falling and getting back up. The theme of this year’s Chi è Chi Fashion Community Awards is particularly exciting for an award established in 2001, which today can boast of being Italia’s longest-running award dedicated to the worlds of fashion, communication and lifestyle”: Cristiana Schieppati opened the 26th edition of this award – of which she is the creator and driving force – with these words on stage at the Teatro Manzoni in Milan. An initiative that brings together companies, creatives and communicators from the fashion industry and has always placed people at its heart. Starting with the jury, comprising the editors-in-chief of leading fashion publications, including the editor-in-chief of HTSI and 24Hours at *Il Sole 24 Ore*, alongside Giampiero Baudo, Michele Ciavarella, Luca Dini, Emanuele Farneti, Silvia Grilli, Simone Marchetti, Paola Pollo, Francesca Ragazzi, Manuela Ravasio, Stefano Roncato and Maria Elena Viola. 

Cristiana Schieppati, l’ideatrice del premio.

It fell to them to identify, showcase and recognise the various interpretations of the 2026 theme: Keep Going. The following took to the stage: Remo Ruffini, Executive Chairman of Moncler (Vision Through Time Award), Silvio Campara, CEO of Golden Goose (Beyond Trends Award), Angela Missoni and the Missoni family (Italian DNA Award), Galib Gassanoff, founder and creative director of Institution (International Creative Vision Award), Sabato De Sarno, fashion designer and creative director (Creative Evolution Award), Stefano Rosso, President of the Aura Blockchain Consortium (Continuous Innovation Award), Sabina Belli, Chair of Kering Italia (Cultural Leadership Award), Silvia Venturini Fendi (Lifetime Achievement Award), Alfonso Dolce, CEO of Dolce&Gabbana (Culture of Craftsmanship Award), Deborah Compagnoni and Daniel Grassl (Beyond the Limits Award – Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympics), Lorenzo and Alessandro Boglione, CEOs of the BasicNet Group (Narrative Heritage Award), Jennifer Tommasi Bardelle, Chairwoman and Creative Director of Jacob Cohën (Strength of Continuity Award). A special award, ‘Fashion & The City’, which recognises organisations and projects capable of strengthening the relationship between fashion and the city, went to Carla Sozzani and Sara Sozzani Maino for the Sozzani Foundation. Finally, the Barbara Vitti Award, dedicated to the world of press offices and fashion communication, went to Barbara Bertelli and Barbara Pigola (BertelliPigola) and to Mariacristina Modonesi and Lucia Cafarelli (Tod’s).