Fashion that excites, that tells, that breaks the mould and rewrites the very concept of the catwalk. In Rome, at the Palazzetto dello Sport in Viale Tiziano, the third edition of “Don’t Stop Me Now” turned a fashion show into a powerful, visual and human experience on April 2. A project that combines aesthetics and inclusion, style and identity, bringing to the stage models with autism who are the protagonists of an authentic and necessary narrative
The event, promoted by the Department of Major Events, Tourism, Sports and Fashion of Roma Capitale together with theassociation Modelli si Nasce, is part of World Autism Awareness Day. Here fashion stops being surface and becomes language. It becomes a concrete tool to redefine the gaze.
Leading this vision is Councilor for Major Events, Fashion, Tourism Alessandro Onorato, who emphasizes the social value of the initiative. “We believe in fashion as a vehicle for social inclusion. It is not just a fashion show, it is the realization of the dream of 24 autistic children and their families. The choice of symbolic places such as the Palazzetto dello Sport shows how much we invest in this project.” Clear positioning. Fashion as a cultural lever, not just entertainment.
The evening, hosted by Eleonora Daniele, alternated between rhythm and storytelling. Talent and identity were in the forefront, with the presence of guests such as Simona Quadarella and Noemi, two faces that embody excellence and rootedness in the city. The result is an event that holds together spectacle and content, visibility and awareness.
The heart remains the catwalk. Here every outing becomes a statement. Every look tells a story. The selected collections build a dialogue between different stylistic languages. Alberto Zambelli brings a vision that combines rigor and experimentation. Bottega Bernard explores genderlessness with fluid lines. Chronos Corps introduces a rawer, almost industrial aesthetic. futuroRemoto, in collaboration with RAMUNDO, works on the concept of jewelry as sculpture. giuglia. lights up the scene with color and irony. LEONARDOVALENTINI insists on a rougher material. Yashu & Prem interprets craftsmanship with elegance. Frank Lo completes the looks with sharply designed glasses.
The result is consistent but not uniform. A parade that seeks not homologation but authenticity.
At the center of the creative construction emerges strongly the figure of Rossano Giuppa, artistic director of the event. His work is not limited to visual direction. He constructs a narrative. He holds together rhythm, emotion and aesthetic coherence. He translates the models’ stories into fashion language. Every detail responds to a precise narrative logic. The catwalk becomes a scene. The look becomes identity.
“Every exit is a story, every step an achievement,” is the principle that guides the artistic direction. A vision that is reflected in the choice of designers, the construction of moments, and the management of time. Giuppa works on balance and intensity, avoiding any form of rhetoric.
Behind this project is the association Modelli si Nasce, founded in 2018 in Rome by a group of families. A path that starts from five nuclei and today exceeds 100 members. An evolution that shows how the project has found its precise identity in the Italian panorama.
Silvia Cento, president of the association, recounts this growth in direct words. “Don’t Stop Me Now is an anthem that represents our role models. It is joy, spontaneity, but also determination. Our kids invite the fashion world to dance with them, accepting imperfection as a value.”
Here the concept of imperfection changes perspective. It is not a limitation. It becomes a stylistic figure. It becomes a hallmark.
The association builds customized training paths. It prepares autistic kids to enter the fashion system as models and photomodels. It is not a symbolic project. It is a concrete path. Training, experience, visibility. Three key elements that turn an intuition into a real opportunity.
The visual impact of the evening remains strong. The Sports Hall is confirmed as a strategic location. Large, iconic, recognizable. A space that amplifies the message. The choice of venue reinforces the positioning of the event. Not periphery. Not marginality. Center stage.
Fashion here becomes a platform. A place where aesthetics and content meet without compromise. Where storytelling transcends the surface.
“Don’t Stop Me Now” is not just the title. It is a statement. A direct invitation. Don’t stop the dreams. Don’t stop the change. Don’t stop the gaze.
On the catwalk, not only dresses parade. They parade stories. Identities. Paths. And above all, a new idea of beauty, which does not ask for approval but demands space.
Rome welcomes and relaunches. Fashion transforms. The message comes through clearly.Special guests on stage were singer Noemi and swimmer Simona Quadarella. Among the guests in the audience were Guillermo Mariotto, Countess Maria Consiglio Visco Marigliano del Monte, Deanna Ferretti Veroni, Cristiana Ciacci (Little Tony’s daughter), Amaurys Pérez, the Lazio La Lepre and la Tartaruga, Lazio Serie A Femminile, Roma Primavera and del Convitto teams, as well as numerous other guests.
