Rome's efforts to find a role in Italy's Milan-dominated fashion scene as the launching pad of new talents were rewarded as its haute couture week began with a whirlwind of fashion shows and events featuring interesting young designers alongside the capital's historic ateliers.

The highlight of Rome's talent scouting agenda was the "Who is on next?" competition for young designers promoted by AltaRoma, the organisation behind Rome's fashion week chaired by Silvia Venturini Fendi of the Fendi fashion house and Vogue Italia.

After a runway show of the 12 finalists' spring-summer 2013 collections, the international jury gave the award to Italy's Marcobologna brand by the duo Marco Giugliano, 26, and Nicolo' Bologna, 27. The designers, who debuted their label a year ago, presented a highly conceptual collection made with oleographic fabrics including prints of guns and crystal details. With strong colours including red, blue, orange, pink, black and a touch of fluorescent, combined with streamlined silhouettes, the collection had a fresh and irreverent take on rock glam. Among the attention-grabbing outfits were slim-fitting pants and matching striped shirts, along with shirt and skirt outfits mixing different patterns.

Finalists included outstanding young talents such as Alessia Xoccato who presented a sophisticated collection in block colours with a soft palette of blue, orange and grey for a fresh take on fashion's current love affair with minimalism. The collection included a beautiful powder-pink silk dress playing with volumes to create a flattering silhouette.

With a more romantic interpretation of minimalism, Barbara Casasola also played with block colours and different textures in a collection featuring beautiful, long-flowing skirts matched to austere tops.

Second place was awarded to Milan's Giancarlo Petriglia, whose bags are entirely handmade in Palermo and combine sleek design to superfine materials using interesting colour blocking with a palette ranging from lilac to orange, blue, white and brown.

Architect-turned-designer Charline de Luca won third place for her sculptural and comfortable plateau heels in raffia, mirrored metal and leather together with Gianluca Tamburini whose dreamy stilettos with semi-precious stones and silver were a vision to behold. 'Rome has become a talent scouting city,' Franca Sozzani, editor-in-chief of Vogue Italia, said presenting the awards. 'Today the capital is hosting the selection of the 12 finalists for the program Who is on Next?. Rome has gone up a level. It has been promoted'. The international jury included scouting guru Floriane de Saint Pierre, the international doyenne of fashion reporters Suzy Menkes of the International Herald Tribune and the executive vice-president of Saks Fifth Avenue Terron Schaeffer.

Other key events giving visibility to young talents over the weekend included the Limited-Unlimited exhibit featuring up-and-coming designers, along with historic fashion houses - including Aquilano Rimondi, Marco De Vincenzo, Mary Katrantzou, Maurizio Galante, Sergio Zambon, Sylvio Giardina, Fendi and Valentino - who each presented a creation. All clothes and accessories were inspired by the 'sculptural' theme paying homage to the capital's monuments.

Rome's historic haute couture maison Fausto Sarli presented its autumn-winter 2013 collection 'The dark side of the moon' designed by Carlo Alberto Terranova. Terranova worked for two decades with Sarli before his death two years ago. The collection had a dual inspiration - the rock glamour of the 1970s and the mysterious appeal of femininity evoked by the moon's eclipse. Among the gowns presented at Rome's splendid new Ponte della Musica was an outstanding, sculptural wedding gown of fans in pleated organza.

The colour palette of the haute couture dresses evoked the moon's eclipse - white, grey, red, purple and dark blue - and included the 1970s silhouettes of pinstriped suits and geometric dresses for a 'Sarli woman who wears red-carpet gowns' said Terranova.

Retro luxury was the star on the runway at Raffaella Curiel's, another staple of Rome's fashion week, who presented an autumn-winter 2013 collection inspired by the delicate appeal of snow with a white, grey, silver, green and beige palette and splendid crystal details.

The designer's iconic 'Curiellini' - two-piece suits in tweed evoking 19th-century aristocratic glamour - were a vision for fit and craftsmanship along with sensual evening gowns in georgette and lace. An ironic touch to the high-impact collection was added by leather gloves with fake red nails worn by the models.