You have been working in marketing in the fashion industry for 30 years: can you tell us a little about yourself, explaining how your passion for this world was born and how your professional career has evolved?
In reality, it all happened almost by chance: after high school, I enrolled in medicine, but I couldn't reconcile the obligation to attend with the need to work to support myself. So at 21 I decided to follow another passion of mine, graphics and photography , and I started working in a friend's studio, right at the time when digitalization was radically transforming all sectors. After a few years, I joined Apple, becoming a contact for the companies that invested most in digital transformation and collaborating with all the main Italian fashion brands.
The next step took me to Diesel, where I was in charge of the digital evolution - one of the first in the world - and advertising campaigns: with the marketing department we won many awards, both for communication and digital innovation. Later, I worked for Dolce & Gabbana and Versace, where I was the Chief Marketing Officer; in both brands I tried to make the most of my experience in digital communication, to revolutionize the approach to fashion shows and online sales.
Finally, in 2015, I began my adventure as a consultant, which led me to collaborate with many companies in the fashion sector but also in other sectors, ranging from Pinko and Borsalino to Barilla and Edison Energia.
Talking about your work activity, what do you find most exciting and stimulating?
What I love most is working on innovative projects , especially when I am supported by a team that stimulates me and contributes to the creative process. I strongly believe in the value of Made in Italy, and for this reason I am passionate about working with companies that design and create their products in our country. I am also convinced of the need for a responsible and sustainable approach to fashion, an aspect that I concretely integrate into the projects I deal with.
Where do you get inspiration for your work and how do you fuel your creativity?
For example, from meetings like this, from talking to people sharing stories and ideas. When a friend or acquaintance tells me something - anything - I can often draw ideas and inspiration from their words. In addition to this, I read and inform myself constantly to keep my mind open : both books and magazines, and newsletters that aggregate information and news of interest to me. But the human relationship remains the key to my inspiration.
How did you discover the Lirecento brand and what caught your attention?
I got to know lirecento through Carlo Battaglino, one of the two founders, who was a colleague of mine years ago when we both worked in Switzerland. Working together, a mutual relationship of respect and friendship was born, and when he told me about the lirecento project, I offered him some advice. Later, Alessio Cursi, Head of Design of lirecento and my friend, introduced me to the brand more closely.
What I like about lirecento is the attention to detail , which allows to make an essential piece like the men's chino trousers unique , and the fact that all the pieces in the collection are designed to be passe-partout, and to match perfectly with formal and casual outfits. I was pleased to notice the same approach also in the knitwear and in the new “Total look” pieces just presented: in all of them you can perceive the craftsmanship and the attention to detail.
Define your personal style. What are the key elements that characterize your wardrobe and how do you choose your daily outfits?
My style varies a lot from day to day: friends say they have never seen me dressed the same way twice! In reality, however, I have some items that I cannot give up: one of these are trousers, which are always black, dark grey or petrol green. In general, I wear items without brands or writing: I don't like the ostentation of the brand, also because as Totò said "From what they show off you will understand what they lack". Your style is your personality , so it must not have a brand.
All my outfits, then, are built starting from a specific element. For example, I wake up in the morning and decide that I want to wear those shoes, or that sweater, or that jacket... and I choose all the combinations based on that starting element.
I am very fond of clothes , and for this reason I always try to repair all those that wear out or get damaged: it is not just a question of sustainability, but of personal bond.
Accessories and details are often crucial to completing a look. Is there any accessory or detail of your outfit that you particularly love and that you consider a distinctive touch of your style?
If the fixed item is dark trousers, the essential accessory is the clutch bag: I have so many of them, in different colors and bought over time, and I like to use them. And then I am very attached to watches, even if I don't own any of great value or rarity. I always wear my rings and bracelets, which I never take off.
How important do you consider elegance in your way of dressing and how do you think it influences your day?
Elegance is a very personal and always a bit debatable topic, and too often it is confused with formality. I see people dressed very well, with beautiful formal clothes, but not very elegant; in the same way I see people dressed “badly” but very elegant. For me elegance is not defined so much by the beautiful dress, but rather by how you wear it, by the dignity with which you wear it. Elegance is linked to the person, rather than to the clothing.
Finally, do you have any style tips or rules that you consistently follow in your way of dressing and that you would like to share with our readers?
Recommending a style means pushing for homologation. I don't have any real rules, and I let myself be guided by the mood of the day to choose that famous piece that acts as a creative spark for an outfit. So the advice I feel like giving is to follow your soul : choose a piece that you like that day, trying not to repeat the same choice every day, and then build the rest around that piece.
What are your main passions?
I have many passions, but two particularly take up my free time: photography and motors , whether motorbikes or vintage cars.
I'm not a big motoring expert, but I love the feeling of riding in the open air, and I like the design of older vehicles.
My passion for photography dates back to when I was a kid and I bought my first camera: at the time I had an amateur darkroom, where I developed and printed my photos. In photography I have always found a way to deepen my relationship with people: I really love street photography and reportage. Even today when I travel, wherever I go, I always have a camera with me, normally digital, but sometimes also analog and totally mechanical.
