Anti-fashion according to Nicolò Romano

In an era in which mass production has become a philosophy of life, in which fast fashion has found its ideological justification in green washing and even thrifting is practised at a wild pace by Gen Z, there are still those who buy a garment to order, and no, I'm not talking about a Birkin. Nicolò Romano's is a brand that produces clothing that aspires to become a symbol of subversion, although perhaps 'produce' is not the most appropriate term. Garments reminiscent of the decayed aesthetics of the 90s, leather trousers and jackets with a lived-in look that, thanks to the use of flashy logos and sexually explicit prints, acquire a strong and recognisable aesthetic, but above all very limited releases that are only available to order. 

«The thing that concerns me most about my clothes is that they are not an ill-considered or trendy purchase. I would like the customer to be able to buy a product that they are emotionally attached to, that is of high quality and that guarantees a longevity that can be inherited by subsequent generations», says Nicolò, a young man from Como born in 2001. After studying fashion first at St Martins and then at Parsons, he seems to reject any glossy, commercial aspect of the environment he has long frequented, through an approach to design and production that lies somewhere between the desire to redefine the function and role of fashion, the affirmation of a contemporary primitivism and a personal hedonism. «I have never thought of clothes as objects, I have always believed that they have a soul of their own in a way. I like to wear something that has been subject to the passage of time, that has a story to tell or at least tells my own. That's why I prefer aged leathers, T-shirts or accessories that I can reinterpret in a personal way, not just for sustainability reasons. The inclusion of prints and logos is not only a kind of satire of the logo mania of these days, an anti-logo, but also a way of distancing people from quality leather trousers by exaggerated lettering of a stranger's name on the back. I imagine the clothes in this distant dystopian future, where most resources will be exhausted, but the awareness of the average man will have reached such a high degree that he will seek something truly meaningful in his purchases.»

When I asked him why most of his garments featured an illustration of a stylised penis, asking if they were in any way a tribute to the work of Vivienne Westwood and J.W Anderson, he described his choice as a provocation: «it can mean anything and everything, it's up to the viewer to decide. As for spirituality, which is a theme that is an integral part of my inspiration, it symbolises man's most animal instinct in addition to the act of reproduction and the perpetuation of the species. Like every symbol, the phallus is permeated by multiple meanings that can change depending on the point of view, but it has the merit of provoking a reaction, whether it be indignation or laughter'. Nicolò Romano's is a choice of authenticity and a stance that goes beyond clothing, a sort of exemplary story translated into a brand that not only takes its name from its founder but also incorporates his person in everything, from the choice of materials to the final product and distribution. «A memory, an image, an idea, you can see whatever you want in it, but it's not just clothes.»