Interview with Renzo Rosso - Illustration by Anna Higgie

02/04/2014

It’s not just Diesel that has become an all-round lifestyle brand thanks to his genius but also Maison Martin Margiela and Viktor&Rolf. Let’s not forget that he is also a shareholder of Marni and a distributor of DSquared2, Just Cavalli and Vivienne Westwood. Renzo Rosso, the latest member of the Italian Chamber of Fashion, is the epitome of the Italian entrepreneurial spirit that sets the trend all over the world.

Nick Knight used an iPhone to shoot the advertising campaign for Diesel, one of the brands ofyour OTB group. Is this a revolution in the making?

Yes, absolutely. A brand like Diesel, which interacts with young, creative people around the world, has a propensity for innovation in its DNA.
But in a wider sense our entire world is changing, and what's changing essentially is the way we create, communicate and sell. This is a revolution in the fashion industry - which Cameramoda represents - that needs to be embraced with enthusiasm and a sincere spirit of innovation.

Being an entrepreneur in a time of crisis. What is the secret for success?

Crisis or not, the recipe for a company's success is always the same: creativity first and foremost, a proper organization, good management, and careful cost control measures.

Young Italians are accused of being 'big babies'. What are your views on this?

Unfortunately, I quite agree. I firmly believe that at the age of 18, parents should push their children to leave home, to get out and experience life on their own. Cooking, cleaning, paying bills, managing themselves on a budget, these are the first experiences in running a "mini business". This way, they can be allowed to develop the antibodies required to be independent, learning the hard way through trial and error, and beginning to understand how to exploit the best opportunities available.

Is there an ideal style?

I don't believe in a perfect style to copy. Instead, I believe in the individuality of each person, whose style is dictated by self-awareness and the ability to combine things that make them simply feel good.

What would you like to see in the future of fashion, and Italian fashion in particular?

I would like Italy to become the most creative, most modern country in the world. This is the ambition that animates my personal contribution to the activity of Cameramoda, and it is the wish I hold for Italy as a whole.