Interview with Alexandre Mattiussi

Alexandre Mattiussi is French, lives in Paris and is in love with what he does.

After working for institutions such as Dior, Marc Jacobs and Givenchy, in 2011 Alexandre gives birth to AMI Paris, a brand whose zeitgeist is pure Parisian relaxation. Six years later, Alexandre is the first male designer to win the prestigious ANDAM prize, is cited by Business of Fashion as one of the 500 personalities that are defining the fashion industry and its brand is sold in more than 300 stores around the world and is a fixed guest at Paris Fashion Week.

Recently to his collaborative list was added the highly successful Eastpak x AMI partnership that saw the creation of three exclusive models in which Alexandre Mattiussi's playful creativity seems to reach its apex. 

#1 What moved you to found AMI Paris? 

I started the brand because I saw a gap in the market for wardrobe staples that were cool stylish, good quality yet still approachable in terms of price. It sounds simple but it was surprisingly hard to find all those qualities in other brands on the market. I was designing things in my previous roles that I couldn’t afford, that my friends couldn’t afford either. I wanted to do something relevant for these types of people. Cool young guys who were interested in style and authenticity.  

#2 When it comes to creating, what is your main source of inspiration? What aesthetic is the basis for your creations?

Ami is Paris. It is always a source of inspiration for me because I live here, and I grew up here since my adolescence. So the city naturally influences my collections.  Paris is a city where so much happens in the streets. People walk everywhere, they eat and drink on terraces; there is always life in the streets. So my collections are based around a wardrobe for guys I see on the street who I want to dress. In this sense, I always take a very pragmatic approach to designing: a cool suit, a shirt, a stylish pair of pants. It has to be wearable. 

#3 The capsule collection with Eastpak it’s the latest of a long series of collaborations in which AMI has been involved in recent years. Tell us about how this partnership was born.

Choosing the ideal partner for a collaboration is usually very natural: one party approaches the other, and if there is a positive energy and it makes sense from a product point of view, I know straight away. Everything falls into place naturally. When the opportunity came up for Eastpak, there was no hesitation: for me, Eastpak has a sense of nostalgia; I’ve always had an Eastpak backpack, ever since I was a boy. Seeing it on the AMI catwalk is an evolution of that relationship. Sort of like coming full circle. 

#4 Which aesthetics inspired you based on the creation of the three models?

I like the versatility of these models – they can be worn by the guy who is really into style, or the guy who approaches fashion from a more practical point of view. In terms of design, we really respected the heritage of the brand and the original Eastpak style. We added touches of color from the Fall Winter collection, pop elements, as well as playing with proportions.

I ride a scooter around Paris so each of the three models is perfect for that. The oversized Banana model started out as an image piece but I think I’m going to end up using it every day. It’s actually really practical. 

# 5 In your mind, for who was the Eastpak x AMI capsule collection designed?

He is a guy like me, like my friends. He could be a bit more classic, or really into fashion. I like to dress all kinds of men: when I design I don’t have a singular type of guy in mind. We have a lot of women who really like that boyfriend style who are clients too. 

Above all, I wanted to keep the Eastpak designs wearable. So that a guy in a suit, jeans or shorts could make it work.