作者: Newsroom

«To represent Italy in the US for someone who was born in the US to a Neapolitan father and a Czechoslovakian mother is, first of all, an honour. And today, after many years in Italy, working within kitchens and on TV, to land back in the States, where I was born and that I left forty years ago, is fascinating. It was quite impactful from a cultural point of view, from a culinary point of view, as well as in terms of style, art and beauty. I love beauty and bringing all this here, to the United States, is for me a privilege. A way to express my Italian identity but, at the same time, to get in touch with my American side».

«My appointment as Ambassador of Italian cuisine in the US, because the government decided to accelerate and promote the inclusion of Italian cuisine in UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage, pleasantly surprised me. The fact that the government was pleased to promote it in the United States and to exploit me as, let’s say, the spearhead to enter the American market was a great source of pride and achievement for me and my whole team, the staff of my restaurant “Il Lusso della Semplicità”. We told ourselves: “Well, we must have done something nice!”».

«So, if I imagined myself as a conductor with all my ingredients, and I had to create a dish representing Italian cuisine to bring to a market like the US, that dish would be on the same level as an Italian furniture piece, an Italian sartorial item, a car, a pair of glasses. These are all “Made in Italy” products that are already very appealing to the market, but we’d like to adapt a bit of our Italian identity to the American market. This is something that all the true ambassadors of “Made in Italy” should do, making sure that everything is accurately tailored to customers».

«Since the Covid pandemic we’ve all become more aware, color sensitivity has become more widespread and our choice parameters have also changed greatly. When we speak about colors, no-trend is the real trend today: we are all – businesses and individuals alike – instinctively looking for iconic colors that are destined to stand the test of time. And that also embrace a multisensorial dimension, for instance a certain scent associated with a certain material and a certain color. In case of eyewear, this translates into a certain shape, a (glossy, natural or matte) material and a (more or less saturated) color that represent and express our personality. Our eyewear of choice can be black or colored, small or oversize. But it’s always better to have a way out».

«No, you need at least two: a pair to wear in the long term, on which you can invest a bit more, and a pair that meets your need for change. Whether it’s for an evening out, a special occasion or a holiday. Because you’re bound to get tired of a red frame if you wear it every day, but if you learn to measure it – like a spice in a recipe – then it becomes a stylish reflection of your personality».

«According to the rules of color harmony, you can find your most flattering hues based on your natural colors, such as the skin tone, hair shade and eye color. The interesting thing is that, if they keep an open mind, anyone is instinctively drawn to such hues. However, when you speak about an accessory like eyewear, materials also matter greatly: how many there are, how they reflect the light, if there are any jewel-like details and so on. So, in the end I have just one final tip for you: if you are a monochrome but multi-material lover, you can play with colored, mono-material frames. On the other hand, if you love bright colors you’ll look good with monochrome frames embellished with unique details and inserts».

«Altagamma has changed, and so has the market. Altagamma has changed because when I joined the Foundation, it used to have approximately 67 members, while today there are 118 members which become over 140 companies if the partners are added, so it’s a larger community. But our list of activities has also grown longer: today we carry out awareness-raising initiatives as well, like the “Adopt a school” project dedicated to manufacturing products. But the entire industry has changed too. I like to remember that 10 years ago the industries represented in Altagamma – fashion, design, hospitality, jewelry and automotive – did not view the digital world as a cornerstone nor sustainability as a buzzword. Today, these are two pillars of the business, and not only in our industry».

«The collaboration was born organically and spontaneously. Marcolin is an excellent Italian manufacturing company that was already working with many of our member brands, such as Tod’s, Zegna, Max Mara, Pucci, so in a way it was already part of our community: Altagamma tends to involve companies that are already intrinsically connected to our sector, so Marcolin had already earned its spot. Its entry is the perfect example of the fact that excellent manufacturing and savoir-faire must be part of our ecosystem».

«The definition of luxury has always been a bit nomadic, it changes when customer values change and so the industry has to change along with them: cyclically, you go from quiet luxury to “screaming” luxury, depending on the seasons. Quiet luxury has been gaining popularity lately, and some brands interpret it in a very powerful way, but I would say that this alternation between explosive and sober luxury is in the nature of luxury itself. Perhaps, however, after the pandemic we all tend to be more attracted by sober, pragmatic and effective luxury: rather than a status symbol, it’s a style that expresses values that are consistent with our personality and with who we are».

From Italy to China and back, enjoying great international success. This is, in a nutshell, the story of GCDS (i.e. the acronym for “Giuliano Calza Design Studio”) founded by Giuliano and Giordano Calza in 2015. A fashion brand that, thanks to the design and skilful craftsmanship of its products, in less than ten years has conquered the heart of celebrities, influencers and large audience worldwide.

«GCDS largely represents who I am: I was born and raised in Italy, but I also had the opportunity to define my language around the world. I think there is a lot of fear of self-expression, but my world exists for those who can understand it and who want to use it as a tool for amusement».

«I think celebrities are genuinely interested in my world, I’ve become friends with some of them, because we share the same references.  This pushed me to believe in my creativity and in the fact that a product often becomes the key to a world of shared images and emotions».

«Eyewear is a must-have accessory for me, it’s one of the few accessories I always carry with me while travelling, in this order: a pair of black sunglasses, a coloured frame to wear on any occasion and a bold and playful design to add a twist to any plain look. This is my idea behind the GCDS eyewear collection by Marcolin».