The inaugural NIC (New Italian Cool) Award Ceremony marked a significant milestone for Italian-Japanese fashion relations on 8 November at Tokyo's historic Umewaka Noh Theater. The event, organized by the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ICCJ), brought together 200 industry professionals to witness emerging Italian fashion talent.

A distinguished jury, including White Mountaineering's founder Yosuke Aizawa, LVMH Prize winner Tomo Koizumi, WWD JAPAN's editor-in-chief Kaname Murakami, and RESTIR.INC's creative director Maiko Shibata, selected winners across four categories.
AIM Handmade in Italy clinched the NEW Category Award, celebrating their artisanal elegance among brands with at least two years of commercial activity. The UPCOMING Category Award went to Asia Grifalconi, recognized for her science-inspired approach to creativity. Greta Peccia received the SUSTAINABILITY Award for her commitment to environmental consciousness, while Coolt and Rossorame shared the PRESS Award as standout representatives of new-generation Italian fashion.

The winners showcased their collections in an exclusive fashion show, attracting attention from major Japanese distributors including Isetan and Beams. ICCJ will continue supporting the winning brands through their Tokyo showroom, facilitating buyer relationships and collection viewings over the coming months. ICCJ Secretary General Davide Fantoni emphasized the award's dual purpose: strategically promoting new Italian designers to Japanese distribution networks while rekindling Japanese consumer interest in Italian creativity. The successful event was realized through collaborations with Federmoda, the Marangoni Institute, ITOCHU Fashion System (IFS), and the National Technology Cluster "Made in Italy" (MinIT), establishing a new platform for Italian fashion talent in the sophisticated Japanese market.

Source: Italian Chamber of Commerce in Japan