A resourceful entrepreneur with a multi-pronged background, Hakan Baykam boasts an extensive and in-depth career that spans from fashion to design, from education to renewable energies. Born in Istanbul, Turkey, in 1972, he has a solid success story that leverages on his drive to innovate, on his quest to support sustainability, and on his long standing passion for fashion, finely honed over the years.
His latest far-sighted fashion projects are based in Miami, where he opened one of the top ranked fashion Schools in the world, Istituto Marangoni Miami.
By combining the Italian way of teaching, which is very connected to hand-crafting, with the American way of doing business, the School encourages students to develop an entrepreneurial mindset where they feel confident to transform their creative ideas into real, tangible products.
Baykam’s diverse background certainly contributed to his dynamic and sharp business acumen. Rooted in a strong Turkish tradition, at the age of six he moved to Italy. As part of this radical change, his childhood was defined by the challenges of acceptance, diversity and adjusting to a new country, all elements which forged his character and the desire to bond different worlds and cultures, a defining trait of many of his projects and achievements.
Hakan graduated from the prestigious Venice University, where he holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and a Masters in Communications and Marketing. After his studies, in the late Nineties, Baykam worked for a large spectrum of fashion companies in various key roles, from Marketing to Communications to Sales. They include Benetton Sports System; Levi’s Italy; Marzotto Group’s Marlboro Classics clothing licenses; Miss Sixty Group.
In the early 2000s, with far-sighted wit he and his brother successfully rode the wave of renewable energies in Italy and other major countries, a budding sector that thrived on new laws and business opportunities.
In Miami, Hakan brought his passion for sustainability into fashion by incorporation a strong concept of Sustainable Fashion into the School’s curricular program.
“I see Miami as one of the most dynamic and culturally enriched cities in the world; I have all the elements to make it the next fashion mecca. Industry leaders and investors are moving to Miami from NYC and LA because they see the potential the city has to offer. Miami has led the way in both architecture and art, and is quickly becoming a major player in the fashion market. Over the next decade, I think the Miami style scene will definitely be affected by powerful influential people, some of which could be graduates from our School.” – Hakan Baykam.