Interview with Andrea Pompilio - Illustration by Anna Higgie
Born in Pesaro in 1973 but cosmopolitan by vocation, Andrea Pompilio is a leading name from the latest generation of Italian designers. Enjoying decisive collaborations with brands of the calibre of Alessandro Dell'Acqua, Prada, Bally and Calvin Klein, his debut was in 2010 with the homonymous men's line. Distinguishing features: reinterpretation of the classics with a crisp, iconoclastic air, for a mix that takes tailoring to a new concept of urban sportiness.
What does it mean to be a designer today?
I don’t think that being a designer today is that different from what it meant to be one in the past. Times have definitely changed a lot, but the objective still remains to express your creativity to the greatest possible extent, to provide interpretations of trends to be inspired by and aspire to.
You’re known for the tailoring and meticulous construction of your collections, but they still suggest a playful freedom from codes. What makes the classic modern?
Experimenting and being daring in the combinations of fabrics, which can be surprising at times, or in applying prints, which could be seen as my signature, to garments with classic or tailored shapes. The construction is everything, because the outerwear, or jacket or whatever the item of clothing is has to be portable and comfortable, but thanks the materials and the processes I can also experiment with a double breasted suit, interpreting it in a completely new and contemporary way.
Do you ever design for yourself or do you have an ideal point of reference in mind for your style?
My point of reference is a man with a strong personality who is cosmopolitan, self-confident and ironic, with a deep sense of humour. Of course, I see a lot of myself in this figure and I wear my own clothing practically every day.
Do hand made production and craftsmanship still have value in your work?
Yes, absolutely. It’s a form of know-how that has accompanied me ever since I began this career. It is a passion above all, and a fundamental element of my collections. Craftsmanship is part of my DNA and it has an inestimable value for our Made in Italy fashion.
What would like to see in the future of fashion, and Italian fashion in particular?
It’s a difficult time for the markets, and fashion is not immune from the changes that are affecting systems worldwide, but fashion must continue to make people dream and to suggest alternative, more creative and innovative ways of seeing reality. Italian fashion has this role first and foremost because it is still considered a model throughout the world. If we are able to protect the riches of our textile crafts and the many talented figures – whether young or old – who contribute to it, then I predict a very positive future.
