MSKPU Diploma Show 2025 – an evening full of emotions, creativity and extraordinary collections

On September 10, the Diploma Show of this year’s graduates of the International School of Costume and Fashion Design (MSKPU) took place at the State Ethnographic Museum in Warsaw. MSKPU is one of the world’s leading art schools and, for over 20 years, has been a true breeding ground for young talent and an elite institution for fashion and costume designers. The MSKPU Diploma Shows have firmly established themselves as major events on the fashion calendar.

As many as 52 students received their diplomas this year and presented their original collections before the Examination Committee, chaired by MSKPU Director Dr. Magdalena Płonka. The committee also included other lecturers and diploma supervisors: Magdalena Floryszczyk, Marta Sieradzka, Sylwia Lewandowska and Zofia Kula-Jeżowska. The diploma collections were also evaluated by designers Marcin Paprocki and Mariusz Brzozowski, Michał Zaczyński, a journalist, podcaster, fashion industry expert and lecturer, Christina Bifano (IED Barcelona), Theresa Lobo (IADE Creative University) and William Afonso Cantu (Polytechnic University of Leiria).

“We have an outstanding network of lecturers and brands that help future fashion and costume designers enter the industry. This is why our graduates find employment so easily, are appreciated and are well paid. I am delighted that we have built such a loyal community. We genuinely like one another and have fond memories of our time together. Our students know that even 10 years from now, they will still receive newsletters from us and will be able to come back when they launch their own fashion brands. We will promote their brands through our social media channels,” said Dr. Magdalena Płonka.

“The creativity of the students at this school is exceptionally high. This year, they surprised me once again. What distinguished this year’s collections was an almost dystopian vision of the future, reflecting these politically challenging times. In this digital world, students create designs that make us feel something deeper. We become part of the fabric and the form. It is truly exciting, incredibly youthful, vibrant and, in a way, full of hope,” said Christina Bifano, a lecturer at Istituto Europeo di Design and Toulouse Business School in Barcelona.

The diploma collections were recommended by MSKPU to the show’s partners and patrons, media representatives and fashion companies for financial and material awards, as well as internship opportunities.

Among the distinguished graduates were:

Gabriela Malinowska,
Maja Kopyra,
Beata Pietkiewicz,
Sandra Nikuna,
Judyta Niedźwiecka,
Damian Mross,
Aleksandra Kroskowska,
Gabriela Hukałowicz,
Kseniia Pushnova,
Ulzhan Berkinbay,
Weronika Bielawska,
Julia Piotrowska,
Magdalena Kubacka,
Sandra Ajnbacher,
Isabelle Kapinos,
Hubert Rynas,
Valeriia Kalmykova,
Krystian Szadziński,
Natalia Grzelczak,
Dobrosława Bilska,
Aleksandra Szafranowska,
Oliwia Nowak.

The Diploma Show, for which the students had been preparing for a long time, was an incredibly emotional experience for everyone. The excitement and joy were accompanied by the stress of making their debut on a professional fashion runway.
“I feel euphoric! I’m proud of myself and all the hard work I’ve put in. It was worth it! I’m most excited about my internship at GPoland and happy that someone appreciated my collection, ‘Fallen’. It’s bold, black, full of interesting shapes and silhouettes, and it is an entirely menswear collection,” said a delighted Damian Mross.

“I’m pleasantly surprised. I’m happy that I’m not the only one who fell in love with the little figures I sculpted, but that the audience liked them too. My collection is a surreal patchwork of intertwined elements. It refers to an ancient Vietnamese fairy tale known as the Asian Cinderella,” said Weronika Bielawska.

The talented graduates received an abundance of awards and distinctions from the event’s partners and sponsors:

Paprocki&Brzozowski,
Maciej Zień,
Michał Zaczyński,
Iwona Kossman,
Międzynarodowe Studium Dziewulskich,
State Ethnographic Museum,
National Museum in Warsaw,
Museum of the History of Katowice,
Answer.com,
ELLE,
KMAG,
OTOFILM,
Gpoland,
Kurt Geiger,
Lola Casademunt,
LPP,
Fashion Biznes,
Grupa Bambino,
Marcello,
Medusa,
Nicoletta,
V Creatives,
Estimon,
Risk,
Mad White,
Juki,
R+CO,
Faculdada de Design, Tecnologia e Comunicacao,
Realme,
Fashion Revolution Poland,
Polish Filmmakers Association,
Art Felix,
Capitol Theatre,
Best Film,
Nasze Miasto portal,
Arkady Publishing House,
Otwarte Klatki Association.

“The standard of this year’s diploma collections is truly astonishing. In my opinion, MSKPU is a leader among schools of this kind. We genuinely liked every single collection. We watched them with great interest and didn’t even notice how quickly the time passed,” said Marcin Paprocki.

“We had to choose a collection that matched our brand’s identity because we are inviting its designer to join our studio for an internship. We hope this person will strengthen our team and that we will be able to create a great collection together. We chose Judyta Niedźwiecka. We are delighted and offer our congratulations,” added Mariusz Brzozowski.

“I am deeply impressed by the artistic maturity of the collections presented. They are truly ready for production. Several designers particularly caught my attention. The decision was not easy, as we had to weigh beauty against practicality. Congratulations to Dr. Magdalena Płonka and MSKPU! After many years, I am returning to the role of patron. I first began collaborating with MSKPU as KOSSMAN Fashion in 2012. I am impressed by this long-standing partnership,” said Iwona Kossman, who presented her distinction to Ulzhan Berkinbay.

An important part of the programme was the presentation of the winning collection of the Responsible Fashion Awards, MSKPU’s flagship competition promoting ethical and environmentally responsible values in fashion. The winning RFA collection was designed by Anna Grzeszuk.
“MSKPU is a leader in promoting education in sustainable fashion. For 20 years, we have been committed to educating people about protecting human rights, animal rights and the environment in the textile industry. We have already written two books on the subject, and a third is currently in preparation,” concluded Dr. Magdalena Płonka.