Massimiliano Giornetti – Stilista & Fashion Designer

After a degree in Spanish Language and Literature, he studied Fashion design at Istituto Polimoda in Florence, a course associated with the London College of Fashion and the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. In 1999 he worked with the designer Anton Giulio Grande in Roma, and in 2000 he joined Salvatore Ferragamo to work on men’s knitwear and to become Menswear Creative Director four years later. In 2010 he started designing the Women’s prêt-à-porter collection and, in the same year, he was appointed Creative Director for the entire label, thus
being the first Creative Director in the Florentine company’s history. In 2012, he took part in an extraordinary project: during the exhibition sponsored by Ferragamo at the Louvre in Paris ‘Sant’Anna – the last masterpiece by Leonardo da Vinci’, he had the opportunity to present the Resort 2013 collection in the peristylium of the museum’s Denon wing. It was the first time ever that the Louvre allowed its spaces for a fashion event. In 2013 he received the Designer of the Year award in Mexico City from the man’s magazine GQ.

For who is your Masters designed, and why join?
I would say that it is a Master dedicated to all the designers who want to switch back to the true philosophy of fashion: the creation of new ideas. The great names of the past such as Chanel, Balenciaga and YSL started new trends, influenced people’s lifestyles, and inspired social change. Today, a designer has become somebody who recycles ideas, capitulating to the time frame of distribution. Counting myself, the Master engages 10 professionals including media communicators, a nose, artists, fashion designers and art directors, aiming to create an authentic “Art Parlour” where future creative professionals will be trained.
Which professional opportunities is your Master offering?
I decided to work with Raffles Milano to offer students a different teaching method. A 10 months highly specialised training, aimed at the education of professionals who will be eventually able to create something new and that, at the same time, could be easily introduced to the main fashion companies in the world, being ready to take on in a highly competitive scenario.
What is the recipe of success for a fashion designer?
Real competences, as we all as a thorough technical knowledge. The ability to catch the evolution of consumers, anticipate their palates, surprise and seduce them. For me, fashion is the liveliest art form, the one I judge to be mostly related to social and contemporary life.
During your travels, which town or country has most impressed you for its production and creation of items or design projects?
Doubtless, I think there is no country on earth as deeply perceived as Italy. In the digital era, it could seem out-dated to talk about manual skills, but to the contrary, our history and tradition are the starting point from which any form of creativity must originate to develop its evolution.
What is Cool in your life?
Never be out of fashion! Meaning not being subjected to trends, but creating a style that remains.
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