Massimo Giorgetti’s journey into fashion hasn’t exactly followed a conventional route. The Italian-born designer had stints as an accountant, salesman, fit model and DJ before eventually starting his own label, MSGM, in 2008, which marked the beginning of his meteoric rise through the Italian fashion industry. Since then, business has been booming – MSGM has enjoyed unprecedented success by tapping a niche in the market for affordable yet stylish luxury fashion – and, in March last year, Giorgetti was appointed creative director of heritage Italian house, Emilio Pucci.
“Pucci is one of the houses that has truly made a mark on Italian fashion history,” explains Giorgetti. “Not only was it one of the early pioneers in defining the quality and distinctive characteristics of local fashion, it also established itself internationally, taking Italian style worldwide. The challenge of working for a brand with such a strong heritage is to find a way to remain true to the Maison’s roots, while still appealing to a modern customer.” This challenge has been a significant one for Giorgetti, whose first runway show last year met with mixed reviews. But, he’s slowly and steadily found his feet at Pucci. “After a year and a half, I finally feel inside the brand. I’m really learning a lot here. Every time I step into the archives, I discover something new, which drives my curiosity,” he says, pausing slightly before continuing, “It’s like opening marvelous little boxes of toys; it’s both interesting and exciting. Time always flies when you do things with passion.”
These days, time is a precious commodity for Giorgetti, who spends his working week travelling between MSGM’s headquarters in Milan and Pucci’s offices in Florence, “I’m not a workaholic, but I do work a lot,” he smiles. In the years preceding his appointment at Pucci, Giorgetti carved out his playful style signature displaying his flair and penchant for print from MSGM’S very first collection. His fun, energetic and fashion-forward aesthetic has been eagerly embraced by fashion’s youthful ‘it’ crowd. The offer to join Pucci in 2015 came as a welcome surprise, “I certainly couldn’t have imagined all of this,” he reflects, “But, I never stopped believing in myself and my aspirations. Historically, Pucci is a brand that is synonymous with print, which is a theme that has always been very important to me. Additionally, I feel like I can relate to the way Emilio Pucci anticipated trends and created something new.”
Giorgetti’s own creative process when designing for the house begins with a specific source of inspiration, such as a film, song or photograph. His time spent on the sales floor before becoming a designer also plays a part, “It helped a lot,” he says. “It allowed me to experience fashion from a different perspective. When I design, I first try to visualise the pieces displayed in the showrooms and the stores. For the autumn/winter16 collection, I was inspired by Slim Aarons’s photography and the idea of a timeless, modern jet set. I was also inspired by Emilio Pucci’s beginnings as a sportswear designer. Not many people know that he actually began his career with a ski-outfit he designed for a friend in Zermatt in 1947, so I wanted to take the Maison back to its roots, with a modern point of view, for this collection.”
Giorgetti is one of a growing number of young creatives who have taken the helm at a storied fashion house in the last two years. This gravitation towards younger designers is perhaps indicative of the fashion industry’s recognition of the increasing importance of attracting and engaging millennial consumers to develop brand loyalty from early on, a notion that the Italian designer fully comprehends. “Millennials are wiser than previous generations; they’re also more self-conscious, but they are not passive consumers,” he muses. “They are both creators and curators. Today, the idea of status is not only shaped by luxurious and exclusive possessions, but also by a commitment to freedom of expression, as well as new experiences and technology that can keep up with a busy lifestyle. Just luxury alone will not cut it for consumers anymore – freedom is the key concept.”
Giorgetti’s viewpoint on millennial consumers has had a direct impact on his perception of today’s Pucci woman. “The Pucci woman is culturally rich, she doesn’t take herself too seriously, but she’s also self-confident, sophisticated, ironic and nonchalant,” he explains. “I don’t have a specific muse, I think it’s a very old concept. But, I do believe in charm: The way you move, how you behave, what you say and how you say things, and the way you dress. It’s not about age for our woman, but it’s all about positivity and colours instead.” This emphasis on colour was evident in the brand’s vividly coloured spring/summer17 collection, which was comprised of shades of daffodil yellow, bright orange, aqua blue, baby pink, cobalt blue and lime green. “One of the most important aspects of our spring/summer show was the textile research,” notes Giorgetti, “Emilio Pucci himself was always at the forefront of technological innovation when it came to fabrics. Therefore, I wanted to create garments from jersey, one of the founding fabrics of the Maison.” Working with jersey afforded the designer an excellent opportunity to drape, resulting in beautifully light, floaty and feminine dresses of varying lengths and proportions, were ornately and delicately draped and ruched across shoulders and torsos. As well as the dresses, Giorgetti sent out a legion of boldly printed separates, accessorised with coordinating ankle boots and oversized fringed raffia clutches. The combination of block colours and prints proved to be a smart move on Giorgetti’s behalf – the wildly patterned shorts, jumpsuits, miniskirts, playsuits and summer trenches are sure to hold boundless appeal for Pucci’s younger clients, while the finely draped dresses and printed accessories will cater to those reluctant to wear print.
For a man simultaneously managing two of Italy’s most successful fashion brands, Giorgetti seems remarkably composed, calm and positive. As we broach the topic of designer burnout, he offers a wry smile before saying, “To ensure I remain relaxed and focused on my work, I run, do yoga and I go for a walk with Pane, my beloved Jack Russell. I also make sure I eat regularly, take time to breathe, disconnect my phone and listen to a good album.” It’s no easy feat finding inspiration to design collections for two very different brands season after season, but Giorgetti seems to be taking it all in his stride. “Pucci has such a rich universe in which you always discover new stories; it’s a wonderful journey from which I’ve learnt so much so far by working in the archives, reading books about Pucci and speaking to different people who are part of the brand’s history,” Giorgetti enthuses. “I was born and raised in Rimini, just like Federico Fellini, which is why the Italian seaside and its colours are a constant source of inspiration for me. Music also constantly influences my life. It punctuates my days, evokes memories and creates many new ones. Music amplifies life, and I like to think that my collections are a material interpretation of sound – music for your eyes.”
So, where to from here then? Our conversation with the Italian designer takes place shortly after his spring/summer17 show; therefore – understandably – he’s still basking in his well-deserved post-show success before divulging too much information about the direction his next collection will take, but confirms that creating wearable garments is of paramount importance to him. “Emilio Pucci was one of the greatest pioneers of Italian fashion – a world-renowned figure who made Italian fashion famous for a variety of reasons. Of these reasons, the wearability of Pucci’s collections, that enabled women to go effortlessly from one occasion to the other, is the most important and is what makes a Pucci piece so special.” We look forward to seeing what each new season under Giorgetti’s tenure will bring.
