The story of fashion designer Giuseppe Di Morabito

Fashion designer Giuseppe Di Morabito, talked to The View Magazine about his brand, how he rolled into the fashion world, how his mind is always at work even if he is taking a break, and much more.

TV: Hi Giuseppe, how are you? What have you been doing lately?

GDM: Hi Rinaldi, all is well, amazing I might say! Altaroma and Vogue Italy chose me as one of the four finalist-designers who will be showing their creations at Who is on next talent competition, very important Italian fashion talent which takes place in Rome. It is a very important opportunity for new designers since it gives them the chance to present their collections to journalists and people involved in the fashion business around the world. At the moment I am very concentrated in the creation of my new women’s collection, that is inspired by the Galleria degli Stucchi at Pianetti Palace in Jesi, in the Marche region of Italy.

TV: Tell us about yourself.

GDM: First of all, I am young man with a lot of interests, from reading to going out to the movies with friends, but my real passion is fashion. I decided to launch my own fashion label and during the last years I put all my efforts on establishing my name within the fashion field. I know I have still a lot of work to do, but I find this adventure very exciting.

TV: How did you get in touch with fashion?

GDM: Fashion runs in the family, my mother is a seamstress and she was the first person that introduced me to the magic world of tailoring. Then growing I started drawing my first looks, feminine silhouette and long dresses mostly. This was my first approach to fashion as a child.

TV: How much did it mean to you to move to Milan?

GDM: I moved from my small town in Calabria, Southern Italy, to Milan about three years ago, because I wanted to learn more about the new fashion techniques and to start my own brand. Milan is a very exciting city, you can get inspired just by walking around and talking to people. During this last year there has been a lot of changes, mostly do to Expo, many new galleries opened and all kind of events started to spread around the city. Milan is a melting pot where urbanization and traditions can coexist by balancing each other.

TV: You started your own brand pretty fast after settling in Milan, where you that driven? Not interested in working at a brand first at all?

GDM: People asked me this question frequently. I believe that working for a fashion house is very useful and important, but I was very lucky and thanks to the people I met, I had the opportunity to launch my own brand. I really wanted to work on my ideas concerning fashion and that’s probably why I risked everything by opening my own brand.

TV: Tell us about your brand, what is your vision on fashion and design?

GDM: I am very fascinated by art. I usually refer to Italian art in my collections, I like sophisticated shapes although I focus on wearability of garments and contemporary taste too, mixing old and new, tradition and modernity. This could sound as an overworking of expression but that’s how I describe my brand: ancient art and past fashion can assume new shapes and colors in order to re-establish themselves in the present. I am very attached to silks, organzas and precious materials, embroideries and 3D technics are a very important element in all my collections.

TV: Can you share a bit about your workflow?

GDM: I have a specific routine: sketch, analyze and reconstruct paper models, I produce the first garments (collection of samples), I present them and then I spread them in shops through showrooms and sales campaigns. What I really like about the development of the collections is researching materials and I feel very lucky because I found great experts that teach me new things every day, so it is not only about creation but also about learning.

TV: Where do you draw inspiration? Do you carry a sketchbook or notebook, take pictures along the way, etc?

GDM: I start my sketches by looking at paintings, architectures of other elements in the field of art, trying to overcome traditions while looking at them: I like re-interpreting artworks in shape of garments. For example in my last collection I researched on Palazzo Pianetti at Jesi. I took a few details of indoor stuccos and I re-moulded them on garments by means of embroideries and shaped-feathers. Artworks really affect my colour palette too.

TV: Take us through a day of your life.

GDM: I wake up at 8 am. Breakfast with ginseng coffee and croissant. I go to the office and I start researching on materials and new technics of productions – I am now approaching new methods of 3D printing and printed feathers for example. I take appointments with suppliers and manufacturers and deal with all the situations that happen day after day, on day is never similar to another, this is also one of the reason I love my job.

TV: How much free time do you allow for yourself, how do you spent it?

GDM: Starting a new brand is a very hard task that requires all my energy, so even when I am not physically working my thoughts go always back to my collection, thinking about something new to do, a new detail to add to a look and so on. When I have some free time, not very often, I like to recharge my batteries by visiting my family and childhood friends, home is always home.

TV: Thanks Giuseppe!

Interview minimally edited to keep authenticity.

All images and video are copyright to their respective owners.

See his collections on the Giuseppe Di Morabito website.

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