In 2014, designer, stylist and teacher Marco Grisolia launched his eponymous, independent label. He approached the fashion creation with an unspoken and constantly evolving dialogue. Collection after collection, he (re)defined the aesthetic code of quotidian life with force, yet grace, by resorting to artistic references. Marco Grisolia’s AW16 womenswear collection stands for –as Marco declared– “reducing all contrasts just by looking through, reading time, resetting ideas and creating a new common language.”
Do you think of yourself as a designer or as a painter of modern life?
I consider myself a curious observer, a creative person with enough courage to express what I feel, what I see day by day. Thought is the only filter I apply to my aesthetic suggestions.
Would you take us through your creative process?
Yes, indeed. I try to establish a relationship between experimental aesthetics while combining storytelling and wearability. In this sense, I think it is possible to guide the customer into an exciting state of mind.
Who is the subject of your portraits?
When setting an idea –from sketch to reality– I try to concentrate on the energy of the object. I think that the key, the secret to being "cool" at this moment in time, is authenticity, is showing your own self, breaking the rules without even shouting.
What do women learn by wearing your garments?
My goal usually consists in transferring information from my semiotic approach into my creations. I would like my customers to feel part of this complex universe.
Marco Grisolia’s AW16 collection is all about rough textures, mini dresses and underdresses, oversized silhouettes… Do you believe in individuality?
Yes, I do. I believe diversity to be a value, a positive one. I think that homologation is a synonym for cerebral blackout. A man without a personal opinion is a man that does not understand his role in this project called “world.” Through Marco Grisolia’s AW16 collection, I’ve tried to represent the concept of diversity by creating a peaceful dialogue between (apparently) distant elements: a hymn to the power of differences!
Could you illustrate the concept of coexistence?
To express the concept of coexistence, I created a figurative print: a heterogeneous group of people interacting in the same space, at the same time. Are they talking about revolution? I have no idea. Their harmonious coexistence will bring us awareness: let’s unite; let’s evolve ourselves!
“The secret to being "cool" at this moment in time is breaking the rules without even shouting.”
“As long as we were in love, we understood each other. There was nothing to understand.” (Michelangelo Antonioni, L’eclisse, 1962). Do you think we live in a state of incommunicability?
I think people live under external influences, which are not… totally right. In many cases, the language, the mainstream language, does not respect the sensibility of singleness, and the message –subliminal or not– creates confusion: chaos stands for clash.
Could you complete the following sentence? Essence is…
Synthesis. Not in the way of an easy subtraction, but the capacity to discipline complexity.
What does independence stand for? Is the culture of the wasteland taking over authenticity?
It’s dimension for the brave, a dimension where it’s possible to give life to alternative solutions (also in terms of quality and research).