Renata Vilhena
Head of international affairs of IFDA
Graduated in fashion design from IED, Istituto Europeo di Design in 2010, specializing in wedding dress design and fabric conservation, Renata chose Milan as her home.
In 2012, she started working in the international market as a wedding dress designer and consultant for commercial brands. Having worked in China and lived in India for a period, facing the daily challenges of the mass-market fashion system, she decided to slow down and think how fashion could positively transform the world.
Renata then invested in a Brazilian start-up, a platform of creative challenges focused on fashion and experiences. The platform facilitated the interaction between brands and designers, emphasizing sustainability in product validation, holding portfolios, and aligning them with market needs. This movement led to spontaneous creation of marketing campaigns, with creators as ambassadors for the challenge/brands. In 2020, the platform Beyou expanded its horizons and evolved into an important SAA in the HR sector, employing 76 individuals to date.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Renata shifted her focus to education, developing a series of courses regarding sustainable fashion and handicraft skills. She shared her knowledge through a program at the Lombardy Region, training also women in difficult positions, to be ready for the market.
Aligned with the values of the Italian Fashion & Design Academy and Stefano Anselmo Academy, both based in Milan, Renata initiated a flourishing collaboration representing both academies worldwide, strengthening the idea that social contrast and environment can change through education and fashion.