Among the world's major fashion cities where large-scale fashion shows are held, Italy stands out as unique. Unlike other cities, where many brands find themselves caught in a dilemma between business and creativity and constantly searching for a solution, Italy remains true to its Italian identity. No matter how the times and the surrounding environment change, Italy maintains its elegant, glamorous, and energetic attitude. Beauty, fun, and abundance are top priorities in life, and fashion and design are an essential and familiar presence that add a spice of "joy" to life. One designer who has long been a leader in the Italian fashion industry is Rossella Jardini. After working as a designer at Bottega Veneta, she served as creative director of Moschino alongside founder Franco Moschino, and took over the brand alone after his sudden death. After leaving Moschino after about 25 years, she launched her own brand, which began being sold at Isetan Shinjuku last season and is expanding its sales channels in Asia.

She never attended fashion school, so we asked her about how she got into the industry, her valuable experiences at Moschino, and the evolution of the fashion industry.


--What made you enter the fashion industry?

Fashion is an integral part of our lives, and all of our memories are made up of fashion. I started choosing and being particular about what I wore when I was five years old, so that was over half a century ago (laughs). I was born and raised in a rural town in Italy, so there wasn't much entertainment, and it wasn't like today when you could get everything you wanted, so I just focused on the fashion I loved.

I started working at a select shop called "After Noon" at the age of 21, which is how I got into the industry. It was a boutique that handled avant-garde brands like Issey Miyake.

After that, I worked as a designer and director for several smaller brands, and then I met Michele Taddei and Renzo Zengiaro, the founders of Bottega Veneta, and designed bags, shoes, and other items for them. One day, I met Franco Moschino (the founder of Moschino) through a male friend, and he approached me, and that's how I entered the Moschino world.


--It's said that Russela was not only his business partner but also his muse. What's the truth of that?

I don't know for sure (laughs). I remember him often saying, "You're too elegant for Moschino." I suppose you were close to him and inspired him, but I guess you're not quite a muse.

--The grief of losing him, who was a working partner, a comrade, and a comrade in arms, is immeasurable. Wasn't it a great pressure to take over Moschino, a brand that was already world-renowned at the time, alone?

He passed away before we were even prepared to say goodbye, so everyone involved with the brand, including myself, was deeply saddened and heartbroken. But at the same time, a strong sense of loyalty and spirit for him blossomed within us all. We felt like we were a big family, and we all agreed that we wanted to come together and take over the brand, not for the brand or its customers, but for him alone. There was certainly pressure, but rather than being intimidated by it, we were passionate about doing it "for him," so we worked as hard as we could.

--"The modern world is losing its desire for fashion and its poetic beauty" -- Designer Russela Jardini -- Continued in INTERVIEW 2/2