Niccolò Pasqualetti

"I was an only child, from a small town in Tuscany called Saminiato. I was raised in the countryside, an hour's drive from Pisa and Florence.  My father, a vet, died a year ago, and my mother, a lawyer, has a kennel of 25 dogs. It's fair to say that although I didn't grow up in a world where fashion was the centre of attention, my father passed on to me a passion for archaeology and history. My grandfather, whom I never knew, collected minerals, and left a large collection of shells that we've kept.  I've always loved these shapes and shades, which have inspired me so much. Then, at school, I looked for books on the organic sculptures of Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth. That's where I developed my taste for these shapes that are at once pure, organic and fluid. I feel very different from my parents. They stored everything, the house was full of things, and I'm fascinated by these objects, but I just love the fact that everything is neat and pure. This double attraction is part of me. I want space as much as research, simplicity as much as objects of curiosity. At the heart of this isolated life, I was something of an ambiguous character. At sixteen, I had bleached hair, but it was important not to have any limits on the way I expressed myself, I was fascinated by Francesca Woodward, I took clothes from my mother and my father, I mixed men's suits and skirts. One day, I decided to leave. I needed to explore other places: it was Venice, then Central Saint Martin's in London, New York, and Paris where I worked at Loewe for nearly three years. I settled in Paris where I decided to launch my brand.” 

“The starting point for each collection is the intersection of a classic Italian wardrobe and special textures, details that strike a chord. The first was in 2021, for Spring-Summer 2022. It was quite a complicated period. It was in Italy that I was able to design silhouettes and find manufacturers, and it was as if I was discovering a craft reality that I'd ignored, where in the factories you can still feel the heartbeat of desire and beauty, even when it comes to small quantities. The fact that they were able to make three-dimensional constructions became a challenge for them, in terms of textures, volumes and shapes.”

“This Spring-Summer 25 collection is our seventh. It still reconciles the classic wardrobe - trousers, skirts, shirts and jackets - with elements that alter shapes, new luminous textures, sequins and embroidery. Being a finalist for the LVMH Prize is a joy and it is an honour to be recognised by people I admire, and to be able to show them my work.” 

"My current dream? To drive the brand forward while remaining close to its identity: to last over time while being independent and financially stable. I love collaborations as long as they make sense. I have a passion for object design, interior architecture and jewellery, which are very important to me, as they coincide with my beginnings. Last season, they were inspired by the sculptures of John Chamberlain. This season, what inspires me most are certain marine animals, and the earrings are reminiscent of jellyfish, without being literally figurative. I have this dual relationship between reality and dreams. “