“A chemist, an explorer, a researcher and a private diplomat walk into a bar.”
It is not the beginning of a joke, but the story of the speakers invited to #TheFutureOfBeauty, gathered inside the welcoming bistro turned art gallery at The Great Hill, in Cotroceni.
Why such an unpredictable profile in selecting the speakers, for a subject apparently linked to aesthetics? Because beauty, from perception to symbolic currency, from a discreet indicator of status to identity construction, from a tool for magnetizing attention to a differentiator, operates across all the fault lines of society and across all categories where branding makes a difference.
The evening opened with a tribute to Italian beauty, inspired by Peroni, the event partner, through a screening of epic case studies, from Lavazza to Bottega Veneta, in a setting where the Peroni fountains and their unmistakable blue found a subtle dialogue with the chromatic spectacle of Dumitru Macovei’s works and, through references to Roman mythology, with the abundance imagined by Kyivan scenographer and painter Kata Rudakova.
“Peroni is an iconic brand for the way Italian stylistics transform beauty into attitude, social gesture and visual culture. We were delighted to support TheFutureOfBeauty, a living study built from four perspectives on beauty as essence, dressed as a Creative MBA conference by #TheAlternativeSchool,” said Gabriela Crețu, VP Sales, Ursus Breweries.
Alongside an audience interested in aesthetics empowered by meaning, CMOs, creators, diplomats, brandologists and #TheAlternativeSchool scholars, the event’s guests dissected the theme, navigating territories that were anything but predictable.
Alex Duarte: beauty as scaffolding
Alex Duarte, researcher, surfer, university professor and analyst of perception, spoke about beauty as backbone: structure, architecture, armature, with the “visible” layer arriving only at the very end. Rich in cultural references, his demonstration dribbled across disciplines with the nonchalance of a first-league basketball player, from destination branding to fashion, bringing into play Stefan Sagmeister, Caravaggio and Kandinsky, and reminding the audience that, before creating beauty, one must first become a voracious consumer of culture.
Because every nation and every brand with a local vibration has a distinct imprint when it comes to beauty, Alex, born in Lisbon and turned planetary traveller, spoke through expressive case studies about the Portuguese perspective, beauty captured in the moment and its “imperfect” as a form of uniqueness.
Cristina Scomoroscenco: the mind behind beauty
Cristina Scomoroscenco, chemist and co-founder of Chanand, shared her intense and no less fabulous journey: from her adolescence in Moldova, marked by the discomfort of stubborn acne, to the moment when she understood that, in a market overflowing with products and promises, truly tangible solutions are, in fact, hard to find.
This is how she began to create, first modestly, then with growing confidence once she reached university, mixes and formulas capable of visibly helping skin “under siege”, whether dealing with breakouts, ageing or pigmentation spots.
Her passion for the subject did not only help her achieve a 3D poster complexion. The coherence of her research and the impact of the results also brought her into the proximity of Cristina Bâtlan, style icon, business angel and, eventually, partner in the Chanand adventure.
Today, the brand is successfully present in Switzerland, the UK and across Europe, in clinics and on premium platforms, while its compliance with California Proposition 65, one of the world’s most demanding standards regarding ingredients and safety, functions as a guarantee for an educated clientele, attentive and difficult to seduce through beautifully packaged promises alone.
Adi Bulboacă: on inaccessible beauty
With disarming honesty, Adi Bulboacă spoke about how his passion for running and for the world of ultramarathons in extreme conditions emerged at a turning point, when he was no longer certain that photography would remain his lifelong destination.
The Ultra races in the Arctic perimeter, where he had to run hundreds of kilometres at -30 degrees, together with the fascinating universe of the other runners, which inspired him to make a documentary film, became the trigger for a profound confirmation: that “looking through the lens in order to share with others” remains his identity imprint.
The living proof came when he gave up one of the races in order to photograph a celestial spectacle created by light in a polar context, even if that choice came with frozen fingers and pain comparable to a toothache.
It is equally true that being present in almost inaccessible territories has become second nature to him. Photography in worlds where few people ever arrive is no longer just an experiment, but part of his DNA.
Teodora Migdalovici: Young Lady and beauty in identity code
Compressing 21 years into 30 minutes, Teodora Migdalovici spoke about the private diplomacy efforts built around promoting talented Romania in international environments, from the perspective of the deep connection between identity and creativity. From a survival mechanism to a mechanism of self-assumption, creativity functioned, for the first generations of Romanians who travelled and worked at the intersection with the West after the Revolution, as a form of recovering dignity, beyond the baggage of guilt, shame or cultural complex often felt in contact with the Western world.
Beyond education as a platform for identity reset, she described the story behind the Romanian edition of Ladies First, the English-language publication dedicated to exceptional talent, with special attention given to the ladies of ideas. The project served as a lobbying instrument for Romanian presences in the See It Be It programme and, through the impact generated in international markets, opened the path towards mapping other creative industries from less understood or less visible cultures. The initiative later expanded into the cartography of creative ecosystems in Cairo, Istanbul, Tel Aviv, Beirut and Dubai.
The conclusion, 11 years after the launch of the first #LadiesFirst edition, is that the world has changed, while the reputation of Romanian women continues to be caught between old clichés and new projections, sometimes just as toxic. From the image of “Europe’s most talented courtesans” to that of the “contemporary Scheherazades” of the planetary videochat economy or the “pretty girls” invited to decoratively raise the vibration of certain circles of influence, including those mentioned in the Epstein Files, where Romania’s name is invoked over 800 times, according to Euronews Romania, it becomes clear that something must be done.
Not only to address clichés, however uncomfortable they may be, and however true the observation of one of the participants remains, that “where there is smoke, there is fire”, but also so that the under-35 generation can discover that there is more than one way to reach the first million euro by the age of 30. Talent, passion, expertise and sustained effort are a real alternative, as demonstrated by the story of Cristina Scomoroscenco, a veritable embodiment of the Young Lady reference.
Teodora’s presentation ended with a collective invitation addressed to the audience: to propose valuable names for Young Lady and to support an initiative through which remarkable representatives of Romanian intelligence, aged up to 35, can benefit from mentoring, personal branding, collaborations with exceptional Romanian make-up artists, hair designers and photographers, followed by promotion in international environments through the launch of the magazine at creativity festivals and global business events, generating a current and relevant narrative about exceptional Romanian women on the world’s stages.
What did the participants say?
“Congratulations for such an intimate event, full of inspiration and beauty. I like people who look for beauty in everything and, especially, those who choose to share it with others when they find it. I loved you, being with you and being among you. Wishing you success with the next events!”
Oana Valeria Radu, Marketing Coordinator, ParkLake
“It was an excellent perspective on the world of beauty, in the context of advertising and beyond. Since I am currently working on my own talk about the visual arts, the very relevant presentations at TheFutureofBeauty were an excellent source of inspiration. It was also a pleasant surprise to speak with someone from my alma mater.”
Daniel Lupu, award-winning illustrator
“I was genuinely happy to be there. It was a warm evening, full of meaning, with a message that continues to resonate: that things can be done more authentically and closer to what truly matters. I left with two ideas that stayed with me: to trust the beauty within us and pass it on, but also to have the courage to do more, not only to observe. And perhaps the most beautiful conclusion is that people carry so much beauty inside them, the world is wonderful and we can learn to live beautifully. Congratulations for everything, the energy and passion were truly felt.”
Cristina Păduraru, Sales & Marketing Director, DC Investment
“It was, indeed, a different kind of evening, with interesting and premiere presentations, high-level speakers, but also an atmosphere of comfort and community. We are exploring the campaigns discussed with interest.”
Laura Frunzeti, Executive Director, Romanian Advertising Council
“Last night was wonderful. So many beautiful stories, so many case studies that make you think.”
Patricia Zegreanu, Marketing & Communication Manager, ŠKODA
“I liked it very much and left with a lot of inspiration and ideas buzzing in my head.”
Anca Abaza, Senior Consultant, Marketing & ESG
“Every time I attend TheAlternativeSchool events, I am reminded of how big and beautiful the world is: through people, through ideas and through the way creativity is present in everything we do. With Teodora and her guests, we see, every time, how creativity takes shape and becomes plan, initiative, meaning. This was also the case at TheFutureofBeauty. And I could not have liked the chosen topic more.”
Carina Cichi, Project Conductor, Comm’On
“It was the first time I attended an Alternative School Creative MBA event, and it was such an agreeable experience. The topic was related to beauty, which is all around us, including in Portugal’s light,” said Lăcrămioara Golea, sinologist and Marketing Manager at Omoda & Jaecoo Romania.
“For me, the #TheFutureOfBeauty experience came exactly when I needed it. That is why I do not believe in coincidences. I learned something different from each speaker, who, by the way, were very cool and smart. When I attend events like this here, I feel proud to be Romanian.”
Catinca Ancuța, Social Media Manager, AFI Cotroceni
“An event about beauty that went beyond aesthetics and became a real dialogue about perception, courage, and expression in advertising. An intimate space, at The Great Hill, where creativity took shape through people who dare to step outside the expected patterns. An experience that not only inspired me, but also made me see beauty differently.” Maria Pușcaș, Founder & Creative Director, Empe Jewelry.
“I am still processing many of the ideas and emotions I left TheFutureofBeauty with. The story of Adi Bulboacă and his journey in search of inaccessible beauty, which led him to ultramarathons and running hundreds of kilometres at -30 degrees, impressed me deeply and made me reflect on how much inner will, discipline and the courage to go beyond one’s limits truly matter.”
Mihaela Păduraru, Country Manager, Votat Produsul Anului
“Cristina Scomoroscenco’s story reminded me that sometimes what initially seems like a personal problem, in her case teenage acne she wanted to correct, can turn into an opportunity for evolution, not only for the person experiencing it, but for many others as well. The road from dream to action can be very short when you are passionate, motivated and competent. When a solution born from a real need ends up helping at scale, you feel there is more there than strategy or luck: there is meaning, patience and help from Above.”
Andreea Popescu, Strategy Director & Partner, Media Concept Store
“Beauty has always been, for me, an act of courage, because it’s not always what gets illuminated. TheFutureofBeauty was not about beauty as mere aesthetics. It was about beauty as a way of being: attentive, curious, honest, alive to what truly matters, with creativity as the choice to keep looking, even when what you see is uncomfortable. Perhaps especially then.
What makes beauty extraordinary is that it is timeless. Though TheFutureofBeauty carries “future” in its name, for me it was a reminder that beauty is beautiful because it delights hearts and makes souls vibrate. And our souls do not follow trends, tendencies, or passing preferences. Beauty moves that space within us which exists beyond fashion and will endure – a Memento Pulchritudinis, Memento Mirari, Memento Vivere: remember beauty, remember wonder, remember to live.
Beauty is not an ornament, but a profound language through which we tell the truth about who we are. And The Alternative School for Creative Thinking, through everything it creates, speaks that truth in strokes that are gentle, resolute, and deeply valuable.”
Raluca Mihăilă, Owner Utopic Brain
