I’m you.

In a world where fashion ordered excess and opulence, Antonio Marras with his collection proclaimed tradition and simple materials; Today we share a little conversation had with his son, Efisio Marras (born in summer 1992) who is the current creative director of the fashion line “I’M isola Marras”, refreshing Italian fashion like a summer cyclone.

 

This year has been definitely interesting for you, you’ve been nominated – directly from your father Antonio – as the creative director of “I’M isola Marras”. What is it like to have this opportunity of expressing yourself in such a young age? Do you feel any ‘responsibilities’ from this news?

It quite hard to describe what it feels like to bend a vision that was born ten years before me, I didn’t invent “I’M IsolaMarras”; I just found myself in the position of leading it somewhere else.

I dare to say I am quite irresponsible so no, it doesn’t feel heave at all my new role, actually it is fun to discover myself doing what I have always denied and tried to keep as far as I could from me. I guess the fact that I’m young and I have an opposite vision from the one of my dad is what made him decide to delegate and leave the direction of the contemporary line to me.

 
 
 

As you may know, this issue is based on gender in all its ways, and taking a look into your first collection it is easy to see how your visual proposes, in a way, a gender-free line and a totally emancipated style. Do you think that this artistic inclination could influence the marketing part of the project? how do you think people see this situation?

I think it is now more than a few years that the world of fashion (and it is not the only one) is moving towards gender-fluidity. Creatively I was born side this revolution, I never considered a fabric or a specific model more suited for a man or a woman. That is why I decided to introduce the menswear in Isola, using the same prints and fabrics…and sometimes same models too.

 
 

Fashion and gender are two complementary opposites – as Blake would say -, in first place everyone wanted to sexualize fashion creating clothes for women and for men, nowadays it is possible to feel a deeper and deeper removal of gender into fashion. How do you see this development?

It is even hard for me to articulate on such concept that I give as understood and accepted from everyone around me. I am sure no-one will be shocked to see a woman wearing pants than why can’t a boy wear a skirt?

 
 
 

The anthem of your campaign is basically the “I’M” word, can you share with us your personal thought about the affirmation of themselves in our society and most of all, who is Efisio in this society?

Well I was never a fan of logos, but think “I’M” is a pretty cool one, as you said, it is a personal statement, it’s not saying you are cool or rich or part of whatever subculture in vogue at the moment, it is just stating a basic concept: existence; the rest is for you to add.

Ouch, who am I is a very complicated question to try to give an answer to. As in now, I am very happy I get the chance of doing what I do, surround and supported by beautiful people.

 
 
 

You, as a young punk ‘rebel’ representative, what do you think to be able to improve in our continually attacked (and labeled) generation?

Really “I’M” aims to be a non-Island and anti-label device. “I’M” is a place where possibilities are endless, a space where creative minds come together. “I’M” is the idea to belong to a place that doesn’t enclose you in fixed words.

 
 
 

As last question, I want to get personal, if you let me to: During interviews, lot of people asked you about your relationship (fashionally talking) with your father but I am more curious to know, how you do approach to him personally talking. You are two different beautiful minds, so how do you match with him?

We do not match! *laughs* not really, I love him but he is hard to deal with, he has very clear ideas of how the brand should be lead, so my only request was to have complete freedom and I kind fight for it everyday.

At the same time, he is the most precious resource to me. He has being doing this job all his life and I just begun, I lean from every little thing, from the way to touch fabrics till how to tie shoe laces, at the end I learned everything from my parents, designing is just another of the many things to add to the list.

 

Instagram I’M Isola Marras: https://www.instagram.com/isolamarras/

An interview by Stefano Riva

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