Francesco Rasola‘s new collection, “It’s Just Matter of Time”, expresses this Italian fashion designer’s gift in executing a look that defies mainstream [repetitive] fashion, brings meaning to the artistry of fashion, and showcases how the trajectory of our culture impacts fashion.  He embraced the concept of time and has given us something we never expected, not only in the collection but in the actual catwalk, where the models, hindered by the fabric stiffness, metaphorically stop in front of time.  In this interview, Francesco shares his motivation, inspiration, and his view on the future of fashion.

Life itself is a succession of seconds, minutes, hours … years.  This concept of “moments” in life inspired me to apply a real clock on each of the clothes to highlight how our life is a slave of time. – Francesco Rasola [FR]

Francesco, what’s at the core of why you design fashion?  What motivates and moves you?

The core of why I am a fashion designer is my inner need to give joy to people and see their smiles.  Through my collections, I express my most intimate side.

My education, based in art, design and music, has allowed me to compose my collections as if they were music tracks.  I express myself and creativity through collections with aim not only to “dress” my customers but also to excite them.  Through my collections, I want to excite people as music excites them.   My art is a form of expression dedicated to the public.  In fact, the most beautiful emotion for me is to see the expressions on people’s faces when they see, for the first time, my collections.

How did you get started?

I started my work in fashion from scratch, learning the art of fashion directly in the workplace by co-working with great fashion professionals.   Although I hadn’t attended fashion institutes, I was able to immediately work for important Italian brands.

The fabric’s stiffness will hinder the movements of the models, to metaphorically stop them in front of time. – FR

How did you conceive of this collection, “It’s Just Matter of Time”, and what was the process in developing it?

The collection was born from an inner need regarding time, which torments me always.  “It’s Just Matter of Time” is not a casual title and the collection was conceived around the concept of time.

I saw from my personal research of observing everyday events that time marks our needs.  Life itself is a succession of seconds, minutes, hours … years.  This concept of “moments” in life inspired me to apply a real clock on each of the clothes to highlight how our life is a slave of time.  I had chosen a stiff fabric to enhance the geometry of the cuts by coupling two fabrics with 0.5 come sponge in the middle to give consistency.  The fabric stiffness will hinder the movements of the models, to metaphorically stop them in front of time.  My creative process has no rules; in fact, a lot of my ideas of this collection were born during a trip.  The journey was a sort of an incubator of my ideas.  The subway, airports, stations railway … they are all places that inspire me.

How does running the business side of the brand affect how you think and implement the creative side?

The business side doesn’t influence my way of creating.  My main goal is not to please buyers but to send messages that affect the public. I think the business side will increase its own as a result of the creative side. My main goal is to win the wider audience who really like my product.

Your brand, and particular this collection, is getting exposure with the runway show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Days – Kiev and your portfolio review with Senior Editor of Vogue Italia & Editor of Vogue Talents.  How does that benefit the goals for your brand?

The presentation of my collection during Mercedes Benz Kiev Fashion Days has given me the opportunity to introduce my product live to the public. I think it was important to present my collection live so the public could see, touch, and understand better my design.  The benefit was precisely to be able to interact with the public. I could see the reactions of people on their faces; I could talk with them about my product.  It was nice to surprise people, it can be said that there was an exchange of feelings. The joy of the people was my happiness.

Regarding the portfolio review with Senior Editor of Vogue Italia & Editor of Vogue Talents, it was kind of a test.  It was gratifying to hear the expert’s opinion about my product.

Both experiences have served to affirm my design and make me grow more and more.

In your marketing efforts, Francesco, do you find that your social media platform meets your business objectives? If so, are you able to measure its financial benefit, if any?

My social media platform meets my business objectives.  Through social media, I can get to a wider audience and also it allows keeping in touch with those who already follow me.

New platforms provide the ability to “travel” beyond the traditional boundaries and also enable us to understand the public’s tastes to which I turn.

What do you think the function of fashion is today?

The fashion world today is invaluable.  As is evident in recent years, the fashion world is living a revolution that includes the birth of the new phenomena’s.   Next to the classic prototypes of world luxury comes out new fast fashion models.  This allows the new generation to be fashionable at reasonable prices.  Another phenomenon that affects the world of fashion is the need of new.  For this reason, there is increased focus on emerging designers who bring a lot of new fashion, never before seen on the catwalks.  In fact, the major fashion brands more and more willingly decide to entrust the leadership of their fashion houses to new emerging talents.

And the future?  What are your thoughts on the future of fashion, what should it look like in 10 years?

I think that in 10 years the world of fashion will live on revolutions.  Surely the fashion world will be even more digital.  Also, thanks to future new generations, products offered will be more and more innovative.  The way we dressed in former times, the world of fashion underwent revolutions that led us to change the way we dressed models, which was then followed by the masses.  But surely this market will remain one of the strongest markets in both economic and social aspects.  Fashion is closely linked to the mentality of society, but also to the future of technology.

All photo credit:  Francesco Rasola and Pavel Lesko

EDGE congratulates you, Francesco Rasola, and wishes you continued success.

Read more interviews on emerging designers and brands at EDGE Radar.

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