As part of a teaching innovation project, 20 students from the Design Degree at the University of Vigo have spent recent weeks designing visual identity projects for the twentieth edition of Debut, the fashion show where new graduates from the Master's in Fashion Design and Creative Direction present their work. Their proposals were evaluated this Friday by a jury comprising faculty from the Faculty of Design, those responsible for the show's visual identity, and representatives from the Portuguese studio Itemzero. The objective was to select one of the proposals for use in the graphic communication of Debut 2026.
The initiative, selected for the UVigo's pilot teaching innovation projects call, aims to "increase student motivation" by offering them a "real work case" to develop "professional and transversal skills" and promote "learning transfer to the professional context," explains Cristina Varela, coordinator of the Design Innovation Group (Indi).
The projects were presented to Dean Marcos Dopico, the course coordinator; designer Alfredo Olmedo, responsible for Debut's visual identity; and professors Cristina Varela and Patricia Dopico, in charge of graphic design and social media communication. Also participating via videoconference were designers and lecturers from the Itemzero studio, Rubén Dias, Ricardo Dantas, and Fábio Martins, who expressed their "surprise" at the "very good level" of the projects.
The event served as a "critical review and professional feedback session" on the concepts, visual decisions, and communication strategies. Students gained "three complementary perspectives": that of the faculty, the "real client," and a "specialized evaluation" from the heads of a "reference studio in the sector" like Itemzero, known for its graphic and editorial design and "international projection," having worked with companies such as Disney and UEFA.
After incorporating feedback from the external evaluation, students will present their final projects in November. Concurrently, work will begin on applying one of the proposals as the visual identity for Debut 2026, guided by Marcos Dopico and Cristina Varela.
Students had previously participated in a workshop with Debut's art direction to understand the event's context and needs. They developed proposals centered on "Debut's contemporary nature as an event for presentation, experimentation, and communication of fashion design," aiming for a "complete, recognizable, flexible visual identity system capable of functioning coherently across different media, scales, formats, and contexts."
The final project presentation will take place in November, with the in-person participation of the Itemzero representatives, who will also deliver a conference. The Debut 2026 fashion show is scheduled for November 20 at the Pazo da Cultura.
