“We triestini always used to tell ourselves that Trieste was la città in fondo a destra, ‘the city at the end on the right’,” says Barbara Franchin. “Now we’re starting to wake up to the fact that we’re slap-bang in the middle of things.”

Franchin is the president and artistic director of ITS Foundation – International Talent Support, a Trieste-based foundation known principally for its annual ITS Contest, first held in 2002. A global competition for young fashion, accessories and jewellery designers that culminates in a starry gala, the prize has established itself as a major scouting platform for emerging talents: previous finalists include two of the fashion world’s hottest creative directors, Bottega Veneta’s Matthieu Blazy and Demna at Balenciaga.