SPECIAL QUESTION for Carlo Capasa
One special question, there are three cities that pretend to be the capitals of the fashion. Why Milan is the best?
Honestly, I think that Milan and Paris are the best for different reasons. If you think Milan started to develop fashion industry not many years ago, in the 70’s, you are mistaken, definitely earlier. Formerly Milan was in a row with all the ateliers, florists’ studios, etc. Milan started with prêt-à-porter, basically. There was a really innocence of Milan and innocence of Italy, but it felt the spirit of Milan. The main idea was to make something very nice-looking, good quality, that people can wear, but still creative. Not so easy. In France it was more about creation something really gorgeous, it doesn’t matter if people could wear it or not, but it would be the brand. And this was a big difference because this was created and pushed by the industry. The industry in Italy made bags, shoes and clothes very special. To make them special is to sell them, not just to put them in a museum. They are expensive and unique, but they need to be sold. This is typical prêt-à-porter; it makes Italy a very unique place. Thus much unique that now all the brands, even French, English, or American brands, want to produce goods in Italy. Because Italy is the only capital that produce very high quality and at the same time creative. It is the philosophy of Italia. That's why we created one special story about the Italian fashion industry. Italians a very individualistic. How can you create something when you are very individual? Here is a company of ten people, but they will never merge with another group of ten people because they are two different families. How can you create the system in this case? In Italy it divided by the districts. In one district you make shoes: someone makes the Heels, one other makes Tomaya, another – La Suola, etc. This creates areas in Italy, where everybody is individual but work altogether to the projects. What would it be in case of integration of the artisan and the industry? This makes Italy very creative and very flexible. If you want to make fifty shoes – no problem, you want to make five thousand shoes – no problem anyway. We will unite more industries together. If you want to make a show the day after tomorrow and you need a special finish of the jacket, a special fabric, a special color – we can make it too we are flexible and efficient. You will always find somebody to do anything special.