THE FUTURE ESSAY
In front of a blank sheet, you might wonder where to start. Everyone has their own method. It arguably could not work for others, but nobody would be entitled to define it as ‘objectively wrong’.
That’s what the teacher said, so I started closing my eyes and wiggling my head in order to try and find my own method. My desk turned into a thick wet rope underneath my hands. I was holding that rope with all the strength I had in my body. I was a pirate, I was on my galleon heading towards a desert island. Three parrots were looking at me from the top of a small palm tree, they were singing to my ears and I bet they were laughing at my eyes. My crew was made of twenty two people, and during the long nights of sailing we came up with a nickname for all of us. I proudly remember each one of them and their anecdotes. I promised myself I’d strongly be attached to my memory. Memories and devotion will always be the root of my life, an oath to my people. I was wearing a pair of knee-high boots, that were shining under the sun. I rolled up the sleeves of my shirt not to let the salty wa- ter ruin the white silk, while knotting the rope. To be honest with you, I don’t know if a captain would ever knot robes or how he’d dress to conquer an island. However, I’d like to have a beautiful brooch on my vest and a long loose braid.
“Creativity and ideas are going to save our world” said the teacher.
Fine, then. I’d like to be a pirate. How old is a pirate? I’m ten years old, shall I lie about it? ‘Creativity and ideas’, got it. I won’t declare my age, adding mystery to my hero. While we were reaching the island’s shore, a lot of beautiful creatures rose from the surface of the sea. Star fish, crabs and multicoloured shells; as soon as I got closer, the latter splashed me. Weeds were waving in a hypnotising dance and fast, tiny zebra lined fishes were twisting and moving around my boots. What shall my crew do on the island? Maybe, fight with someone? Maybe, taste neve before seen fruits or look for a treasure? I’d definitely go for gold, medals and jewels. I’d like to find an amazing necklace that I could bring back to Ella, who’s always seated at the first desk in our class. She’s the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen, and I’d like to propose to her.
I definitely need a treasure then, so I have to look for a cave, following a treasure map, that was found ages before by a wellknown king, who died trying to unbury the treasure. My crew and I walked for hours, despite the small dimension of the island. Suddenly, Luke the Duke because of his habit not to start eating, unless with the right cutlery for each dish shout out to catch our attention.
“Be Unexpected, try to surprise me!” said the teacher, while at the clock on the wall.
Luke the Duke called us back immediately when he realised what he’d just found: a paperback book with empty white pages. I told him to let me take a look at it. He was tired and embittered, so he just gave me the book, sure that we were just wasting time. Luke the Duke was right: empty pages, except for two oblique lines, crossing the first and last page and forming a giant cross if combined together. I was delighted of that. For sure, something was hidden on that island: we had a beginning and an ending, what we needed to do was filling what was supposed to be in the middle of the untold story.
“Once you find your pace, follow it forever” said the teacher .
I have my story now. The teacher’s task was to explain how we saw our future over two pages. I drew one oblique line over each page, creating a cross. Exactly as the paperback book on my desert island was: one is my beginning, a ten-year-old pirate, one is my ending, my treasure. I’ll start my hunting now, day after day. I imagine it as a giant jigsaw, where you have to slot in every piece, forming your own method to arrive to the treasure.
“You don’t have to fight for your future, you have to start thinking about it. You don’t have to choose your future, you have to start understanding it” said the teacher while collecting our assignments.
Fear and a sense of unresolved, questions about what’s next are probably constant in everyone’s mind during this period. It’s probably a matter of how you face a moment, ra- ther than where you’ll arrive. Hence the question, where do you want to end up? All those thoughts came up in my mind when I talked to Bianca Saunders - the British menswear designer, who’s challenging the fashion industry with elegance, creativity and excitement. She believes in human beings, who are on the centre stage of her collections. Introspection, hard work and a continuous curiosity towards her audience are probably the main features of her creative process. She’s a woman in a male dominated industry, she’s a woman in menswear, who gave her own name to an independent brand and kept pushing through dark times. Bianca Saunders told me the easiest yet most relevant thing we should remember that’ll make all the difference: determination always gets you further than anything else.
You had a nice childhood in the south of London, and you’ve always been free to express your creativity with- out any restrictions from your family. In regard to your dreams and how they’re now turning into concrete reality, do you have an eye-opening memory?
I think having really supportive parents encouraged me to become the designer I am today. At a young age you’re quite impressionable, if someone tells you that you’re good at something you believe that you’ll truly become successful. So, I’ve never been discouraged. I grew up with the idea of not letting anyone tell me who I’d better be. I always thought nothing is impossible in a way.
Freedom could be synonymous with independence. What does being independent mean to you?
I guess following a path and not really thinking about what everyone else is doing. If you want to have a brand you have to be really individual, otherwise you won’t survive. It takes a really strong confidence to create a product and explain who you are, which is quite fascinating to me. You have to see the person behind the brand to understand how everything is related.
Martin Margiela used to say the most important parts of his silhouettes were shoulders and shoes. What are the most important details of your own silhouettes?
Martin Margiela’s work has always been conceptual, he’s never explained too much about it and I think it’s fair. As to my own details, I’d say it’s pretty much the same as for Margiela. Since I’ve graduated and started my own brand, I’ve always been quite focused on shoulders. In menswear, having a sharp shoulder line is considered pretty masculine. For my own brand, I tried to modify the idea of traditional menswear style by refusing to categorise gender roles: for instance, moving the shoulders’ point slightly forward and using the vest shoulder line or curving a back sleeve, as well as working over the shoulder pads with my own point of view. My work for Gucci Fest could be an example of that. In ‘The Pedestrian’, the key element is manipulation. I worked on the idea of something that looks very familiar, but with a twist that turns it into something unfamiliar.
I’d like to know more about Gucci Fest’s “The Pedestrian’. Why did you decide to focus the attention on the construction of a character, rather than a classic visual plot?
I wanted people to find in it a sort of humour and also to give models distinctive features. We rarely hear models speak on camera anymore, so I truly wanted them to show personality together with a look. I tried to bring back an interest and make it interesting to others. It was great, I feel like there was a perfect balance in showing the personality of the interpreters and the garments.
Menswear has always fascinated me. However, there’s still so much that’s unknown and has yet to be developed to its full potential. Do you have in mind any names of people who’ve pushed things, breaking down barriers?
As to the contemporary scenario, I’d say Blood Orange. Going back in time, Prince. Still contemporary, I really like and admire Frank Ocean. It’s interesting even to look at people like Harry Styles, because everything related to his style seems to be really comfortable. I think comfort is what I try to achieve when I have to break down boundaries, because each and every man should see themselves in my clothes. Then, the styling is crucial. What’s been truly rewarding for me is seeing my customers recreate my products. It’s great to see the ideology I have for my brand in someone else.
You wish to add accessories to your brand. I think accesories, even the smallest ones, can elevate a look. Why do you want to focus on accessories?
I feel it’d be great to create a full look and wardrobe for men. It’s also a matter of process. I completely put myself into it and, as many artists do, I tend to improve my process. However, due to the short time we have between a collection and the next one, it’s pretty tough to work on that aspect. Anyhow I believe that, through accessories, I can express myself, my process and idea of the wardrobe I have in mind even more.
To provoke something, a reaction, a point of view is probably the ultimate goal everyone should set for them- selves. What’s that one thing that helps you recharge your batteries, feel inspired and productive?
I do work a lot on my brand, probably too much. Working on the weekend or late at night made me realise I really need to take a break sometimes. So, I started swimming more often. It’s something that really helps me relieve stress and makes me feel refreshed, swimming allows me to see things from a different perspective.
We all faced and are still facing quite a moment. I think the biggest lesson we’ve been given by this pandemic is we’re all in this together and should pay more attention to humanity and love. What have you learned from all of this?
In the beginning, when we were forced to slow down a bit, it was quite an important moment for me. I think not knowing what was going to happen had an impact on me as it did for everybody else. Now, I can say that I’ve been able to handle this situation and it’s given me time to focus on what I truly want from fashion and, of course, my brand. I think that’s the reason why I’m now concentrating on people and how they feel. It’s really important to remember that creativity can change the world and how you protect and project your work is going to affect it positively. Being human and having the ability to say and express what you think and how you feel is the most powerful weapon in this world.
By now, we should have learnt to appreciate the things we’ve always taken for granted or that we’ve lost. Do you think live fashion shows, with a room full of people, are still necessary ?
I actually think they still matter, and this kind of massive celebration is what added pop glamour to fashion. What really matters is being able to showcase your work in different ways. It’s not just about a catwalk show, otherwise it’d get boring over time. It depends on the way each and every designer works. However, I think fashion is still alive and has the power to bring people together.
