From Frank Gehry to Milan’s runways: Alessia Xoccato

Launched by the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (National Chamber of Italian Fashion), the Next Generation project, now in its third edition, has helped in the last few years to promote new and exciting Italian designers. Each year the project offers to the selected designers the chance to present their creations at a special catwalk show organised during the Milano Moda Donna event.

Alessia Xoccato is one of the four winners of the new edition of the Next Generation project and showcased her A/W 09 collection on the opening day of the Milanese fashion week.

Xoccato, 26 years old, followed the IED Moda Lab fashion design courses and then gained her MA at Milan’s Domus Academy. Her collection - inspired by Frank Gehry’s architectures and Umberto Boccioni’s art - featured dresses, trousers and tops in peacock green, soft mauve and black, in fabrics such as wool and organza employed to create opaque-lucid contrasts. The silhouettes of Xoccato’s dresses - supported by cage-like metal structures similar to crinolines - were rather architectural, though in some cases their geometrical cut seemed to reproduce the shape of diamonds.

Question: What inspired the collection that was selected for the Next Generation award catwalk?
Answer: Rather than a proper collection I would define it as a capsule collection, since it includes thirty pieces. The collection was inspired by the wind, so moving from this theme I played a lot with the pattern construction, studying the consequences of shifting the volumes of the body and deconstructing the forms. Colours were also very important and I decided to opt for a palette of dusty shades.

Q: What’s your favourite dress out of this collection?
A: My favourite dress is actually the most difficult I designed so far. My dressmaker hated me when she saw its pattern as it featured a lot of cutting. The dress is also supported by a sort of metallic cage-like structure that surrounds the whole body. This design was inspired by Frank Gehry’s architectures and I conceived it as a study on the deviation of the human body forms. 

Q: For this collection you made the shoes together with an Italian footwear designer, Micol Colombo, did you find it interesting working with her?
A: I love collaborations and exchanging ideas with other people. I don’t have enough experience to make my own shoes, so working with Micol proved an invaluable experience. She perfectly understood my needs and my views and we worked very well together designing both pumps and boots that recalled the silhouettes and shapes of my garments in their deconstructed lines.

Q: Did you enjoy your catwalk at Milan Fashion Week and do you think that projects such as the Next Generation award can genuinely help young Italian designers?
A: I was very excited since this was the first proper catwalk I did, but it went really well. In places such as London there seems to be more chances for young designers, while Italy has never been very open towards fresh ideas as we’re used to stick to what’s established and we are afraid of new things. Yet I’m confident that things are changing here as well, also thanks to projects such as Next Generation which are definitely offering more visibility to young designers

Q: What’s the first thing you do when you set down to work on a collection?
A: I do a lot of iconographic researches as I think they are of vital importance for the development of my imagination and inspirations. A great part of my work is based on geometries, so drawing is very important for me. I usually sketch a lot before working on the dummy because it helps me to understand how a garment can actually work on the body. 

Q: Is there a designer who prompted you to study fashion?
A: Roberto Capucci is the reason why I got into fashion. When I was 10 years old my dad gave me as a present a book about Capucci. I was totally mesmerised by his work and decided I wanted to become a fashion designer.

Q: What are your plans for the future, are you going to launch your own label?
A: I would like to gain more experience for another couple of years and work for different Italian and foreign companies before launching my own label. I would also like to come back to Milan next season and present my next collection, but I’m open to different options as I think that, at the stage I am, any offers and chances of showcasing my work will help me improving and getting known. Member of the Boxxet Network of Blogs, Videos and Photos Member of the Boxxet Network of Blogs, Videos and Photos