Marco Rambaldi on Integrity

The fashion industry can be a harsh, disorienting and rapidly changing place. In the midst of trend-chasing and backlashes, the young Italian designer Marco Rambaldi stands out. He stays true to his vision of inclusion, community and kindness. Values seem to become increasingly rarer these days; what with Kim Kardashian talking publicly and proudly about her crash diet or the pharmaceutical drug Ozempic for people suffering from diabetes on the rise recreationally for weight loss. To Rambaldi, it comes easily and naturally to design for a variety of people – probably one of the reasons he won the Next Generation competition sponsored by the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana with his first collection in 2014.

His latest FW23/24 collection might be darker and more mysterious than usual but at the core it remains as hopeful and positive as the previous ones. Like a bright star during a dark night, ready to explode, ready to initiate change – hence the title “Supernova”. A temporary interruption by something which has always been there, allowing to pause in the present moment and all desires to unfold. The transformational power of the quiet and magical night stands at the centre of his current work. In the evening there is meaning and in Rambaldi’s case: a lot of heart.

SLEEK: You name the Italian bourgeoisie of the 70s as a strong influence for your work. What exactly keeps inspiring you with this era? And what connection do see to our time?

Marco Rambaldi: The Italian bourgeoisie’s aesthetic was very strong. The concept of the uniform and the concept of “per bene” are contradictions that are definitely part of the Italian bourgeoisie, we like to play with these kinds of stereotypes in an attempt to break them down. Today, we still feel the need to go against social imposition to free not just the women but all the human beings.

S: A few seasons ago, it felt like body diversity was becoming standard on the runway, but during the latest fashion shows we can see a regression. It seems as if you are one of the last ones staying true to their conviction of inclusion. Do you see the backlash as well? Are you concerned?

MR: Yes, of course there has been a general backlash. Unfortunately, it looks like body diversity on the runways was just a fashion and not a lasting one. In the world there has been a wave of conservative thinking that has gained more and more power and of course it is concerning. We have stayed true to our ideas about body inclusivity  because for us it’s a necessity to dress all kinds of body and people. Although it is true that many started being less inclusive, many other designers kept inclusivity in mind when casting for the shows. At the end of the day, one can only keep pushing his ideas even if the general trend is going against it, in the hope that maybe soon everyone will realise that keeping body inclusivity as the norm is the right thing to do.

S: What is your casting process and how much do you have the individual models in mind during the process of creating?

MR: Casting for us has always been very important. We try to make this process as hybrid as possible, bringing together a more conventional type of casting, street casting and also including friends and people, who have always been part of our collective from the beginning. Having specific people and body types in mind while creating the collections is fundamental, it is almost impossible to design clothes without thinking also about who will wear them.

S: You once said that kindness will save the world and that this is your motto. Do you feel this is extra challenging in the industry you are working in?

MR: Kindness has always been fundamental in the identity of the brand.  We always keep kindness in mind when working on the collections both for the design and when interacting with the people who we meet during the process of creating the collections. I feel like all the people who somehow interact with us as a brand bring something special that in some way stays with us. Kindness is the only way to truly show how thankful we really are to everybody.

S: Words and poetry play an important role in your shows and designs. What is your personal relationship with literature?

MR: I’ve always had a close relationship with literature. The role words and poetry play in the brand is a group effort, everybody brings their own sensitivity – especially Filippo [Guiliani, art director of the brand]. He is the one who makes the biggest effort trying to put together words and sensations.

S: Your latest collection is inspired by the mythical Italian club Cocoricó. The collection revolves around the topic of the night and the person we are when we go out. Would you say that the slightly darker  tone is a contrast or an addition to the aesthetic you’ve established so far?

MR: It’s undeniable that the last collection was slightly darker and more mysterious. When we decided to go with this theme, it didn’t feel like a contradiction or contrast at all. It was obviously aesthetically different to our previous collections but I feel like all the elements that are at the core of the brand are still there. We have always had a positive and colourful approach to design but it’s impossible to deny that at some point in life we all find ourself in a darker place and once you’re there you can’t deny its existence, you have to go through it to move on. That’s what the collection was all about. You can’t deny the night but you can try and find the light, the sparkle and the joy in it. You can go through the darkness without losing who you are: you just need to adapt and that’s what we did with this collection.

S: Your creations have been very colourful and playful so far. What role did the aspects of fun and softness play in your inclusive and feminist statements?

MR: Colour and playfulness have been very present in a lot of our collections, they merged with our feminist and inclusive statements because it is what felt true to us in that moment, just like the slightly darker palette and more mature approach are merging with our statements now. The message hasn’t changed a bit, what changed is the the way we deliver that message, playfulness and color were fundamental for us to express certain things in that moment but right now we felt like we needed “new words” to talk about feminism and inclusivity.

S: Doilies and crochet garments keep reappearing in your collections throughout the years. Can you explain your fascination with this craftsmanship?

MR: My love for crochet and doilies comes from my memories as a young boy, watching my great-grandma crocheting and creating beautiful pieces. That’s the main reason we started including crochet in the collections. Since then, we’ve had the opportunity to discover how incredible crochet can be from the design point of view, it really gives you the possibility to experiment with a million different things while always keeping its romantic vibe. What I also love about crochet is the fact that it is inevitably linked to the figure of the artisan. I really enjoy the constant exchange necessary for the development of the crochet pieces, I get to know incredibly talented artisans.

S: Last year, you have been the first chosen designer for the initiative by Italy’s Camera della Moda and the House of Valentino. What did that collaboration mean to you and how was the experience working together with Valentino?

MR: Being chosen as the first guest brand to present on Valentino’s platform was obviously a great honour. The level of exposure we got was unprecedented for us, we’re talking about a legendary brand that has millions of followers, of course it was an honour to have the possibility to present our work and share our message to such a wide audience. One of the greatest pleasures was having the possibility to talk one on one with Pierpaolo about fashion and specifically my work, the fact that he shares a lot of our values gave us the possibility to communicate and bond also on a personal level. It has been an honour to receive his personal support.