The Call for Needs-Resolution “Fashion Showroom 3.0 – The Future Metrics of Marketing,” promoted by Startup Garage SUPSI in collaboration with Elena Triarico, Head of Showroom at Moncler, concluded successfully.
The initiative aimed to investigate the new data and parameters driving sales and purchasing processes in the fashion sector, identifying innovative metrics capable of generating value and effectively engaging future generations of buyers and customers.
Entrepreneurial creativity
The winner was Michelle Chicherio, a second-year student in the Bachelor of Arts SUPSI in Visual Communication, whose project “Moncler Prism” was considered the most comprehensive and innovative solution by the jury.
The project is a phygital ecosystem that tells the Moncler brand story through an immersive sensory experience. The Viewing Lounge acts as a showroom featuring a Pre-Touch area where iconic garments invite direct interaction. The environment integrates fragrances, sounds, and climate settings synchronized with the fashion show, enriching the narrative experience. At the same time, an iPad provides access to CRM (Customer Relationship Management) and technical data without disrupting the atmosphere created. In retail settings, the concept becomes an interactive fitting room with a smart mirror, digital management, and a final photo sent directly to the customer.
“I am thrilled to have taken part in the Startup Garage Call for Needs-Resolution,” Michelle stated. “I developed an idea that, throughout the research and development process, allowed new interpretations to emerge. I truly enjoyed imagining the experience as if I were personally living it.”
A significant driving force
Elena Triarico’s contribution proved decisive, as she provided the initial impetus for the Call by stimulating the creativity of students from different SUPSI and USI programs, including the Bachelor of Arts SUPSI in Visual Communication, the Master in Digital Fashion Communication USI, and the Startup Garage skippers enrolled in the Bachelor of Science SUPSI in Computer Science and the Bachelor of Science SUPSI in Engineering and Management.
The multidisciplinary background of the six participants in the Call for Needs-Resolution – alongside Michelle, Beatrice Albonico, Emanuele Basile, Simone Gritti, Elisa Sommaruga, and Marianna Zhang – represented a key element, fostering the development of complementary contributions intended to strengthen the winning idea.
Elena Triarico congratulated Michelle Chicherio, highlighting the project’s potential to redefine not only the showroom experience but also retail itself: a space capable of offering new stimuli and building a more effective dialogue with buyers and customers.
The shared objective is now to transform the proposal into a concrete project through the creation of a joint team led by Michelle, in which the other five participants in the Call will contribute integrable elements to further enhance “Moncler Prism”.
An eclectic jury
The projects were evaluated by a jury composed of experts from both academia and industry:
- Elena Triarico, Head of Showroom, Moncler
- Lorenzo Cantoni, Director of the Master in Digital Fashion Communication USI
- Mauro Citraro, Head of Startup Garage SUPSI
- Camilla De Thomatis, entrepreneur, Swiss Momentum
- Angelo Consoli, SUPSI lecturer-researcher and entrepreneur
Awards between fashion and Silicon Valley
The recognition awarded to Michelle Chicherio includes several high-profile experiences: an exclusive visit to The House of Moncler showroom during the presentation of the Spring/Summer 2027 collections, admission to Startup Garage SUPSI, and a study trip to Silicon Valley scheduled from 10 to 14 August 2026. The tour is organized by Silicon Valley Study Tour in collaboration with Swiss Momentum, a Swiss consulting and innovation company based in Lugano. As explained by Camilla De Thomatis, founder of the company, the Study Tour will provide direct access to leading organizations such as Google, Meta, and Cisco, as well as startups, incubators, and prestigious universities including Stanford and UC Berkeley, offering inspiration for the development of the proposed idea.
Towards the Next Challenges
“This initiative demonstrates how the creativity of students, when placed in multidisciplinary contexts, can generate concrete contributions for companies,” commented Mauro Citraro, Head of Startup Garage SUPSI. “A new Call for Needs-Resolution dedicated to sustainability issues in the field of public health is already being planned”.
Meanwhile, the journey begins for Michelle together with the other students, all working to help innovate the future of fashion marketing through new metrics, new languages, and new visions.
Image (from left to right):
Pietro Camenish, Startup Garage SUPSI
Camilla De Tomathis, Swiss Momentum
Mauro Citraro, Startup Garage SUPSI
Alessandra Dal Ben, professional lecturer, Bachelor of Arts SUPSI in Visual Communication
Nadzeya Sabatini, Academic Coordinator, Master in Digital Fashion Communication USI
Elena Triarico, Showroom Moncler
Cristina Carcano, Startup Garage SUPSI
Michelle Chicherio, Bachelor of Arts SUPSI in Visual Communication
Barbara Abate, People Development & Engagement Director, Moncler
Simone Gritti, Bachelor of Science SUPSI in Engineering and Management
Elisa Sommaruga, Istituto Europeo di Design
Beatrice Albonico, Master in Digital Fashion Communication USI
Emanuele Basile, Bachelor of Science SUPSI in Engineering and Management
Letizia Daniele, People Development & Engagement Specialist
Marianna Zhang, Bachelor of Science SUPSI in Computer Science