Thailand’s 1st Italian Design Institute Kicks off Inaugural Year with Student Welcoming Party

PRLog (Press Release) – Oct 10, 2007 – Accademia Italiana, Bangkok’s newest design institute, recently celebrated the start of its first academic year with a welcoming party for its Thai and international students. Located in the H1 plaza in the sophisticated Soi Thonglor district, AI took advantage of the relaxed atmosphere to introduce students from Thailand, UK, USA, Japan and other countries around the globe to its accomplished faculty of designers. The party follows a grand opening ceremony held earlier this year, attended by HRH Princess Ulboratana, celebrating “Design and New Creativity in a Globalized World.”

Dr. Vincenzo Giubba, president of Accademia Italiana, and Academic Director Paothong Thongchuea oversaw the festivities, which included Thai delicacies, live jazz, and informal presentations. Paothong, a well-known expert in traditional Thai textiles, was impressed by the energy and talent of AI’s first group of students, destined to make their mark in the world of design.

“We are truly looking forward to bringing out the best from these students, while fully preparing them to succeed in the highly competitive field of design,” said Director Paothong. Dr. Giubba expressed equal enthusiasm, saying, “These students are as promising as those I’ve seen in our institutes in Florence, Rome, and Skobje.”

Professors in attendance were Oscar-winning set designer Gianni Quaranta; famous fashion choreographer Kevin Oakes; award-winning product designer Francesco Cappuccio; and trend-setting fashion designer Lucio Antonucci. All teaching staff at Accademia Italiana’s Bangkok campus have outstanding professional portfolios, as well as a strong commitment to their work as educators. “We at AI have a genuine desire to nurture the creativity of our students, and help them profit from our professional experience,” says Director Paothong.

With its main headquarters in Florence, just a few steps away from Pitti Palace (the historic area where Versace, Armani, Valentino, Fendi and other famous Italian designers began their careers), Academia Italiana has set high goals for its Bangkok campus. During the next three years it expects to become the most important fashion and design institute in Southeast Asia—producing world-class graduates who will become leaders in their fields.

“Now is the perfect time for Accademia Italiana to begin to establish a presence in Asia,” says Dr. Giubba. “There is tremendous creativity waiting to be unleashed in Thailand and China, and throughout the region. At AI we want to make the dreams of these new Asian designers a reality. We want to inspire them with our deep traditions of design excellence, while our faculty learns more about the dynamic Asian cultures in which graduates will soon be working. It is an exciting time for all of us.”

To learn more about Academia Italiana’s Bangkok campus, please visit: www.aithai.co.th