THE WORLD WOOL FORUM

THE WORLD WOOL FORUM brings together international leaders in the design, fashion, interior and textile fields as well as farmers, thinkers and innovators doing inspiring work. The intention of this 1-day conference is to provide a platform for sharing, exchange and collaboration, forecasting the future of wool fibres while preserving sheep husbandry, animal welfare and craft heritage. The conference is hosted by Isabella Rossellini, Li Edelkoort and Ilaria Venturini Fendi in partnership with Philip Fimmano, the World Hope Forum, and international industry supporters. This inspiring in-person event has limited availability of 50 seats, so book early to avoid disappointment!

OUR SPECIAL VENUE: I CASALI DEL PINO, ROMEIt is often said that if you are lucky, one day you will find your own special place of the soul. Ilaria Venturini Fendi considers herself very lucky, not only because of the name she proudly bears, celebrated all over the world as a synonym of style and quality, but also because she found her special place a few kilometres from home, over the hills of I Casali del Pino. As a designer at her family’s firm she was enjoying a successful and rewarding career. But when she came across I Casali del Pino, forgotten memories of her instinctive relationship with nature were recalled from childhood. It was in 2004 that she radically changed her lifestyle, leaving fashion for organic farming. Immediately after buying the farm, she started with great determination and perseverance its conversion to organic. A careful study of the area’s morphology and climate provided the guidelines for the conservative restoration of various rural buildings, many of which were in ruins. There, seasons change no longer according to fashion collections, but rather to the cycles of nature. Of the farm, she says “To have my own piece of land and spend more time in the countryside has always been my secret dream… Also as a designer, I find this place inspiring and perfectly harmonised with my two souls, one that feeds on creativity and the other longing for a close contact with nature”.

CONFERENCE HOSTS:

Isabella Rossellini is an Italian actress, model and farmer. She is noted for her successful tenure as a Lancôme model and an established career in American and European cinema. In 2013, she co-founded Mama Farm in Belport, NY, to foster the next generation of environmental stewards. In 2019, she graduated from Hunter College with a Master’s Degree in Animal Behaviour.

Li Edelkoort is a trend forecaster, publisher, humanitarian, educator and exhibition curator. In 2015, she established an MFA Textile masters at Parsons and New York Textile Month. In 2020, she co-founded the World Hope Forum to inspire the creative community to rebuild a better society. Since 2022, she is the founder and mentor of Polimoda’s textile master Farm to Fabric to Fashion

NEW SESSION ADDED!

1-DAY PROGRAMME*

Saturday, October 4th

9:30 Welcome & registration

10:00 Introduction by Philip Fimmano

10:05 Keynote by Li Edelkoort

10:45 Oyuna Tserendorj — cashmere

11:15 Kavita Parmar — wool

11:45 Pascale Gatzen — wool

12:15 Keynote by Isabella Rossellini

13:00 Lunch + Meet & touch

14:30 Lindsay Girvan & Ben Cadell — wool

15:00 Reina Ovinge — wool, alpaca & mohair

15:30 Blatnaid Gallagher — wool

16:00 Frances van Hasselt — mohair

16:30 Daniel Harris — wool

17:00 Cynthia Hathaway — wool

17:30 End of programme

* The programme is subject to minor changes

GENERAL ADMISSION TICKETS INCLUDE:

— 1 ticket to the 1-day conference

— Italian boxed lunch

VIP PASSES INCLUDE:

— 1 ticket to the 1-day conference

— Private lunch with the speakers & hosts

PRICES:

€325 — General Admission

€450 — VIP Pass (including private lunch with speakers & hosts)

Due to the small nature of organizing this live event, tickets are non-refundable but can be transferred to a different attendee name in the case you cannot attend.

ACCOMMODATION

Attendees are requested to book their own travel arrangements and accommodation. A small number of hotel rooms are available at the venue; please email [email protected] to be placed on a waiting list. Alternatively, 5-star accommodation is available nearby at the Rome Cavalieri, a Waldorf Astoria Hotel.

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES & PRESS INTERVIEWS:

Please contact [email protected] for more information

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

I Casali del Pino, 30 Via Giacomo Andreassi, Roma, Holy See (Vatican City)