In the digital spaces of Metaverse, one name resonates with devastating resonance: Michelle Zanilo. The Italian visionary reinvented the future of fashion, ushering in an era of innovative aesthetics and immersive experiences. Zanello’s pioneering journey began as an entertainment executive to pioneer the Metaverse fashion scene. With the world’s first hybrid runway spotlight at Metaverse Fashion Week, it’s time to explore how Zanello reshaped the runway, connecting cutting-edge technology with high fashion.
Born in the picturesque town of Latissana, Udine, Zanilo started his career as a social media manager and event manager for various Italian venues in 2015. He quickly picked up on the intricacies of entertainment and carved out a place for himself in industry. His quest for continuous development led him to found the Midnight Milano Society in 2020, a leading agency offering a complete package to public image and the interests of clients as diverse as musicians and celebrities.
That same year, Zanello seized an opportunity that would propel him to the forefront of digital development. As an A&R manager for a music brokerage agency in Milan, he coordinated world-renowned dance companies such as Warner Music, Armada and Smash the House, among others. In the context of the escalation of the Metaverse, Zanello’s collaboration with Davide Cuttini and Diego di Tommaso in 2021 proves to be a crucial step. He recognized the huge potential of their reality platform, which led to a “new level of entertainment”.
Zanello took on his role as Events and Relations Manager for the Metaverse, working closely with the marketing team to conceptualize new types of events. He navigated the intricacies of the world’s largest augmented reality company, Metaverse, managing relationships with major Web3 projects such as Decentraland, Sandbox and Spatial. In 2022, his visionary approach resulted in the creation of the first trans-Metaverse music festival in collaboration with Decentraland, featuring famous artists such as Ozzy Osbourne and Dillon Francis.
March 2023 saw a paradigm shift for Zanello as he took on the role of Project Director for Metaverse Fashion Week. His spirit of innovation led him to defy convention and create the world’s first hybrid platform. This groundbreaking event was unveiled at the Digital Cathedral in Milan, with the participation of famous brands such as Pinko, Space Runners x Balmain and Xr Couture. The bold offering included Pet Liger’s designs for the Gucci Vault “The Next 100 Years of Gucci” collection, which earned Zanello a place in the Milan history books, according to Forbes.
But Zanello isn’t just a disruptive visionary behind the scenes. With over 50 major events under his belt, he has shared his ideas and vision as a speaker at popular digital events such as NFT New York City and Limitless Innovation Paris. His musical contributions are also an integral part of his creative portfolio. As a member of the Italian trio FUTURA, he released a series of popular hits, which earned him the title of one of the 100 most influential Italians in the field of music in 2022 (IEMBI 2022).
Michel Zanilo’s vision of an imaginary and imaginative future is clear. He paved the way for an innovative mix of fashion and technology on the Metaverse catwalks, forever revolutionizing the fashion world. Its hybrid platform design redefines the boundaries of the traditional event, setting a new standard for the Metaverse’s digital landscape. In this evolving digital age, pioneering visionary Zanello is poised to continue reshaping our reality, one virtual step at a time.
McClatchy’s newsroom and editorial team were not involved in the creation of this content.
