Marco Materazzi

The Italian born football legend Marco Materazzi is known for his highly successful career playing in Serie A, including 10 years with Inter. While playing with Inter, he won five Serie A championships, one UEFA Champions League, and four Coppa Italia titles. Materazzi also won the World Cup with the Italian national team in 2006, and played two European Championships. He officially retired from football in 2011 and most recently worked as a manager for Chennaiyin FC in the Indian Super League. A controversial and provocative figure in football, Materazzi was included in the Times’ list of the 50 hardest football players in history.
What’s Materazzi up to now? LuisaViaRoma visited Materazzi at his home in Perugia, Italy, where he showed off his extensive sneaker collection and talked about his latest project, the clothing line Taboo. Materazzi and his two business partners Michele and Mirko are proud to launch the collection at LuisaViaRoma for SS18.

Tell us about your brand, Taboo. Let’s start from the beginning – when did you start this venture with your business partners Michele and Mirko?
The project started in 2004 in Perugia, Italy. Michele and Mirko, my business partners, are long-time friends of mine, and we decided to focus on our shared passion for graphics, t-shirts and fashion.
What’s your role within the company?
I’m responsible for the entire creative process. I like to establish personal connections with the brand, so I design every piece with my friends in mind, creating things that they would wear every day.
Why the name Taboo?
Because we’re constantly surrounded by taboos – our goal is to make people feel like they’re wearing something controversial, a taboo of some sort.
What’s the inspiration behind your brand?
The inspiration never stops. I try to travel as much as I can. I like mixing with the locals and learning about cultures that are different from mine.

What’s next for Taboo?
We plan to keep collaborating with other brands like ours, or even more popular ones. Our partnership with LuisaViaRoma is definitely a big stepping stone for us, and we hope that it’ll be the first of a long series of collaborations.
You mentioned collaborations. If you could work with any brand or designer, who would you choose?
Riccardo Tisci – he was the first designer to bring streetwear to high fashion by revolutionizing the Givenchy brand.
We’ve noticed that you’re a sneakerhead. What are your favorite sneakers from your personal collection?
My pair of Nike Air Jordan XI.
You designed a Nike Tiempo ‘94 sneaker. Tell us about the inspiration behind the shoe.
The sneaker is the Air Jordan with a twist. The sneaker pays homage to the Derby match between Milan and Inter – one model is red and black, while the other is blue and black.
We heard you’re a big fan of Valentino Rossi. What’s your take on his 2006 Germany win at the MotoGP World Championship?
Valentino asked to wear my jersey for his win. The day before the race, he wasn’t sure he was going to win anymore, but then he ending up winning! I watched him from the Milan Airport, I was heading on vacation after the World Cup.

Is there any career choice you regret and wish you could change? If so, what would you change?
I don’t regret anything. I was offered to play in Barcelona, which is an amazing place, but I still chose to stay in Milan and play with Inter.
What’s the most special moment of your professional career, and why?
The World Cup win in 2006, with two of my goals.
We heard that your family’s nickname is “cinghialotti” (little boars). Why the funny name?
Because we’re always together, following each other. The father leads, and the mother follows – just like wildboars when they protect their offspring.
Your favorite song right now?
“Congregation” by Foo Fighters.
What does music mean to you?
Passion, memories, emotions.
Your favorite quote?
Let us not speak of them, but look, and pass from Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy.