Marco De Vincenzo

LUISAVIAROMA had the pleasure of interviewing Marco De Vincenzo in Milan. The charming designer touched on everything from where he gets inspiration from to his top playlist songs. Spending his time between Sicily, Rome and Milan, with many years of experience working at Fendi, he is in every way, a true Italian designer. He launched his ready-to-wear line in 2009, and was awarded the main prize for Who Is On Next, Italian Vogue’s showcase for new talent.

We know you got your start at Fendi. Can you tell us a little more about your launch into the fashion world?
I’ve always known that I would work in fashion. When I was 18 I left and went to Rome where I studied at the European Design Institute for 3 years, and then Fendi came to my life immediately. It was my first job after graduating. I interviewed and was immediately hired as a bag designer. I have been there for about 10 years now. It was a great opportunity, even though I never set out to be a bag designer. But to make it clear, Fendi is amazing! It has been an honor to work for them, I have learned so much there. It has always been rewarding. But after a few years I started to miss ready-to-wear.

You have designed accessories for Fendi, now you design accessories for your own label as well as ready-to-wear. What was it like to change over into doing clothing?
After years of working in bags I realized that the only way to get into ready-to-wear, was to start on my own. Fendi understood my needs, they were the first to understand that it was important for me to take a new road alone, but with the promise to keep working with them as a bag designer.

You are from Sicily and spend a lot of time in Rome and Milan. Where feels like home to you and why?
I think home can be everywhere. Sicily is the place where I go back to find certain things, go back to my roots, it re-charges me. Rome is the city where I have lived for the most time in my life. Rome is truly beautiful. Being far from the fashion world of Milan, it inspires me in a way that is very pure, uninfluenced by other trends. At the same time, Milan has become the city to work in, I have created my headquarters there. I really love all of these cities for different reasons. It’s not that when I go to Sicily I forget my work, I go to Sicily and I get re-charged. In Rome I elaborate on my ideas and in Milan, everything becomes concrete.

Can you tell us about your design process?
I need an environment that is very personal, very intimate to design, to plot, to think. I divide my time between my studio that I share with my team and my private studio at home where I can elaborate on my ideas better.

To have spontaneity I need to live the creative moments in a private atmosphere. When I started out, I really believed in defending my creativity. Every collection had it’s own inspiration from what came out from me. I have never wanted to put a limit on it, I wanted to give something new every six months. Now with some experience I have refined my aesthetic point of view. Inspiration still comes from everyone, but I let ideas evolve and let time decide.

What inspires you?
Inspiration comes from everywhere, like every creative person I am inspired by a fabric, a film, a photo. But very I’m fascinated by the changes in fashion, how trends change, how brands change, and to always give something unexpected. I love to wait for a show from a brand and not really be sure what to expect. This is the identity I want to create.

What do you think about see-now buy-now ? and what do you think is in future for ready-to-wear?
See-now buy now is necessary, and it is a part of the times that we are living in. The time between wanting something, of desiring something and then getting it, is always becoming shorter, more instant. I lived in a generation before all of this, I am kind of in the middle about it all. I like the idea of newness, and not having to wait to have something, but at the same time, sometimes waiting is nice. There is also the risk that ideas don’t last in time, that things seem old after only one month. We need to find a balance between the two.

Top five songs on your playlist?
Jealous – Beyoncé
No Cars Go – Arcade Fire
Black Water – Apparat
Ritornerai – Bruno Lauzi
We Belong – RAC

One thing you can’t live without?
Unfortunately . .my phone… I am a slave to technology. If I lose it I would be completely lost.

The best thing about your life right now?
My life is changing, for the first time I am thinking that I can do different things, go different places. I have been in Rome for so long. Now I am in a phase of change and it’s a great feeling.

What’s the best advice you have ever gotten?
Don’t be afraid to take a risk and to not conserve your ideas. Be generous with your creativity, let it flow, don’t put a limit on it. Be generous with yourself and the work that you do!

What do you like to do in your free time?
I like to go to flea markets. It’s not necessarily even about buying anything, I just like the atmosphere of it all. I also love the seaside as well, this is because of my Sicilian roots, there is nothing better than the seaside.

5 Questions in 15 seconds:

Tea or Coffee? Coffee

Favorite Day of the Week? Saturday

Shoes or Bag? Shoes

Morning or Evening? Morning

Pizza or Pasta? Pasta