This article contains episode summaries from Season 2 of the Italian competitive reality television series Italia's Next Top Model. This season premiered on SKY Vivo on 23 September 2008, and concluded on 16 December 2008.

Russian former model and actress Natasha Stefanenko returned as a main judge, accompanied by art director and talent scout Michael Giannini, former model Nadège du Bospertus and fashion journalist Giusi Ferré. Recurring judges were photographers Ciro Zizzo and Settimio Benedusi.

This season was won by Michela Maggioni, who received a one-year contract with d’Management Group as well as well as a Max Factor campaign worth €150,000.

Episodes

Episode 1 First aired September 23, 2008

After months of castings throughout Italy, the 30 pre-selected semi-finalists arrive in Milan. They are welcomed by Natasha Stefanenko, the host, and Michael Giannini, art director of d'Management, in a modern luxury hotel where the final castings will take place.

The models start their individual evaluations in front of the judging panel made up of Natasha, Michael, former top model Nadège, model scouts Danilo Di Pasquale and Anna Peggion. After judging, Natasha announces 20 contestants that have passed to the next stage of the competition, and 10 are eliminated.

The 20 remaining contestants then compete in a photoshoot challenge, designed to test their "facial intensity".

After the judges' deliberation, Natasha announces which 14 contestants will remain in the competition. The selected contestants are overjoyed, while some of the rejected contestants make rude remarks about the judges while leaving the hotel.

Episode 2 First aired September 30, 2008

The 14 finalists are sent to the exclusive sea resort of Santa Margherita Ligure, where they are tested by competing in a photoshoot challenge with famous photographer Settimio Benedusi, who also worked for Sports Illustrated. The contestants must pose on rocks with aggressive but model-esque attitude in front of the Ligurian Sea while wearing bikinis. Some need to be coached, others perform naturally. The judges discuss and rank their performances.

At their first judging, Amy and Michela are highly praised for their effortless performance, and Beatrice is also praised. Noemi and Claudia B. are placed last for appearing uncomfortable at the photoshoot, and Claudia B. is sent home, for losing her determination in front of the camera and having a bad body posture.

Bottom two: Claudia Boi & Noemi Del Falco Eliminated: Claudia Boi Guest judges: Settimio Benedusi, fashion photographer & Danilo Di Pasquale, model scout

Episode 3 First aired October 7, 2008

In this episode, the models are told to get ready for their makeovers, so they reach the Charme & Cheveux salon to find out what they will be. Beatrice sheds a few tears when told her hair will be dyed red, but she is surprisingly satisfied with the outcome. Michela and Martina get more radical changes as their hair is cut shorter, but appreciate the result. Almost all of the models are happy with the changes with the exception of Claudia C. who does not allow the hairstylist to cut a fringe since for her that haircut is not easy to manage.

The next day, the contestants are taken to their first runway challenge, where they must walk wearing Love Moschino outfits, and portray a happy mood. Noemi redeems herself with an "effortless" performance, Giada demonstrates a huge improvement from her first walk, and Beatrice is praised by Rossella Jardini, the creative head of Moschino. Martina does not impress, and Claudia M. has troubles with her shoes being too small for her size.

In the judging room, Nadege is appalled and disappointed with most of the girls, Giorgia is criticised for walking with a sad mood, Claudia M. is criticised for appearing too fierce when walking, and she also states that Giulia's performance had horrified her. The judges ask Diletta for additional comments, and she harshly criticises Claudia C. for her poor performance and bad attitude during her makeover. Despite an entire week of training for runway walking, Mary is described as walking "like a soldier".

The judges place Claudia C. and Mary in the bottom two for their bad performances, and Mary is sent home as her look is considered too commercial and her walk is deemed the worst.

Bottom two: Claudia Cuomo & Mary Eliminated: Mary Guest designer: Rossella Jardini, creative head of Moschino

Episode 4 First aired October 14, 2008

The twelve remaining contestants experience some difficulties living together; Martina argues with Michela over cereals, while Diletta is annoyed by Michela's lack of interest in other people's needs. A group made up of Giorgia, Elena, Diletta, Noemi and Martina does not seem to get along well with Michela's personality. Natasha is deeply disappointed with this childish attitude and reminds the models they are there to compete, and should behave like adults.

The contestants take part in their first reward challenge. Judge Giusi Ferré, a fashion journalist, gives them a brief lesson on the history of fashion in the 20th century and asks the girls to recreate a vintage look using vintage dresses and clothes from Franco Jacassi's collection. Amy is declared the winner for her elegant look and is awarded with an Emilio Pucci vintage dress.

The girls are then informed of their third elimination challenge. They will pose in two groups for a photoshoot for a printed advertisement, where they will be wearing only a pair of Indian Rose jeans.

The judges then evaluate their photoshoots. Nadege is still not convinced by many girls' performances, and states that Beatrice is not a suitable model for jeans. Amy is praised for never appearing to be boring, Noemi is criticised for appearing uncomfortable on camera and Diletta, although showing improvement in her facial expressions, is called a "broken doll" due to her posing, and reprimanded for not listening to the photographer. Giulia is complimented for her eyes' intensity and for working with her body. Elena is found too plain and Martina's face is noticed for her look, despite Nadege's disapproval.

Diletta and Noemi find themselves in the bottom two and Noemi is eliminated for her performance in the photoshoots that placed her at the bottom twice in three weeks.

Bottom two: Diletta & Noemi Del Falco Eliminated: Noemi Del Falco Special Guest: Franco Jacassi, fashion collection owner

Episode 5 First aired October 21, 2008

After being told to get ready for this week's reward challenge, the eleven remaining models meet Rajan Tolomei, make-up artist of Max Factor. He teaches the girls a basic lesson on how to create a natural and fresh makeup look, useful for castings. Then the contestants are asked to recreate the makeup of a Japanese geisha. Giorgia, Giulia and Elena do extremely well but is Giorgia who wins the challenge and she shares the prize with Elena. The reward is a phone call to a loved person.

The models are then evaluated on a runway challenge where they must walk wearing the elegant lingerie designed by Madame Chantal Thomass. The designer herself prepares and coaches the models for the runway where they will interpret the sexy and sophisticated lingerie without being vulgar. At the end, Chantal Thomass is quite satisfied with some of the contestants' walks and interpretations.

In the judging session, Claudia M., Elena and Giada are praised because of their improvements on the runway, Giulia is highly praised for being self-confident despite her curvy thighs. Diletta is considered bored and scared while walking, but Michael and Nadege defend her for delivering a good walk wearing open shoes with pantyhose that can get slippery. Michela is reprimanded for showing lack of confidence by making grimaces at the end of the runway, Amy is scolded for losing composure and producing an unacceptable performance and so is Claudia C. for her lack of expression.

Claudia C. and Amy are placed in the bottom two because of their second lacklustre performance on the runway, and Claudia C. is sent home for always having only an aggressive mood on the runway regardless of the brief.

Bottom two: Claudia Cuomo & Amy Eliminated: Claudia Cuomo Guest designer: Madame Chantal Thomass, lingerie designer Guest judge: Rajan Tolomei, make-up artist of Max Factor

Episode 6 First aired October 28, 2008

The ten models get a visit from Stefano Fadda, a "coolhunter". He explains that, for this week's reward challenge, they must do some "coolhunting "in the centre of Milan, taking pictures of people who may anticipate certain fashion trends. Martina is exempt from the challenge, having injured her foot by slipping on the staircase when walking with wet feet. The nine models are split into groups of three, and sent downtown to take snapshots. Diletta, Elena and Giorgia are declared the winners, and spend an evening out in one of Milan's coolest lounge bars.

For the week's elimination challenge, the contestants participate in a beauty photoshoot with Ciro Zizzo, and they must pose without makeup to show their true potential. Beatrice, Martina and Michela shine according to the photographer, while Diletta, Elena, Giorgia and Giulia struggle and need to be coached.

In the judging room the contestants' photos are shown with and without digital retouching to determine who has a fresh face and who has not. Claudia M. cries when critiqued, Giulia disappoints the panel because of an uninteresting shot, and Elena is deemed too unremarkable by the photographer. Martina and Amy are praised for their photos and Giorgia surprises the judges with the best shot despite her nervousness in front of the camera.

Diletta and Giulia are paired in the bottom two for not translating their beauty into their pictures and for the amount of coaching they needed. Although declared one of the most beautiful girls, Diletta is eliminated for not progressing in the competition because of her weakness and for requiring too much retouching on her photo.

Bottom two: Diletta & Giulia Galizia Eliminated: Diletta Special guest: Stefano Fadda, cool-hunter

Episode 7 First aired November 4, 2008

The nine remaining models face their fourth reward challenge, when stylist Susanna Ausoni visits to teach the contestants how to accessorize a dress properly. The contestants are given a simple black dress, and are evaluated based on how they accessorise the item. After critiques are given, Claudia M. is declared winner of the challenge and is awarded with a shopping trip to a shoe store where she purchases a pair of Les Tropeziénnes shoes.

The contestants leave Milan for Genoa, where they take part in a complicated editorial photo shoot. The models arrive at the monumental cemetery of Staglieno and meet Nicola Majocchi, their photographer for this unusual photo shoot. The contestants must impersonate women in mourning while wearing high fashion dresses, with a monumental and macabre grave in the background. Elena, Giorgia and Michela show great interpretive skills, but for Amy, Beatrice, and Claudia M., the task seems to be much harder.

Back in Milan, the judges scold Amy for the sleepy look on her photo and Martina receives warnings to be more present when doing the photoshoots. Judge Nadege is deeply disappointed with Giulia's weight gain and strongly reprimands her for not taking care of her body. Elena, Giada, Giorgia and Michela shine in their photos according to the panel, while Claudia M's performance is criticised.

Martina and Claudia M. are ranked in the bottom two for their disappointing performances both on set and on picture. After Martina is warned to overcome her limits quickly to be noticed by the panel, Claudia M. is sent home for not impressing the judges enough with her poor results on set, and for her lack of expression in the last photoshoots.

Bottom two: Martina & Claudia Manzella Eliminated: Claudia Manzella Guest judge: Nicola Majocchi, fashion photographer