SCANDINAVIAN TRAVELER MEETS GOING INSANE Nicola Formichetti’s bold vision extends far beyond his sensational styling of . Now moving in more commercial circles as ’s creative front man, the fashion world’s enfant terrible is once again ready to go mad.

By Emma Holmqvist Deacon Photos by Victor Jones

72 JULY 2016 lad in a sky-blue satin bomber jacket with a luminous smile on his face, there’s something of the boy angel about Nicola Formi- chetti this afternoon. We meet the fashion maverick – whose work is intrinsically linked to Lady Gaga’s outlandish wardrobe, including that meat dress – at Brown’s Hotel in ’s exclusive Mayfair Carea. The distinctive jacket he’s wearing is by Diesel, the Italian denim brand for which he’s served as artistic director since spring 2013. He also runs his own suped-up streetwear label Nicopanda. These days, Formichetti, who is of Japanese and Italian descent, is based in New York. But it was in London that his trajectory towards the upper fashion echelons began. “I grew up in and but didn’t feel at home in either city,” says the 39-year- old. “I was obsessed with British magazines like i-D and The Face. The way people dressed was insane and I thought ‘I have to move to London!’” To justify the relocation to his parents, he enrolled at an architecture school, but headed for the exit only days into his degree and soon hit the mid 1990s’ London nightclub scene. “It was incredible to be part of that hedonistic, creative world,” he exclaims, as if reliving the moment. “Dressing up was a huge part of my clubbing days. The music and the way you dressed were connected – it was raw, creative and grungy. London gave me the freedom to be who I wanted to be.”

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WHO HE IS AND WHAT HE DOES Nicola Formichetti Born: Tokyo, 31 May 1977 Lives: , New York Current positions: Artistic director of Diesel; designer and owner of fashion label Nicopanda; stylist. Career: Head buyer and creative director at Pineal Eye boutique; fashion editor and creative director of Dazed & Confused magazine; stylist working for magazines such as V, V Man, Another, Another Man and Arena Homme; fashion director of Vogue Hommes Japan; creative director at Mugler; creative director at . Awards: Award for Fashion Creator at the 2010 British Fashion Awards.

Freedom of expression is central to Nicola Formichetti’s work and persona.

While working at the progressive Soho boutique And he has a particular penchant for Italian The Pineal Eye, Formichetti came into contact with all photography and advertising from the 1980s. He manner of fashion people, including esteemed stylist singles out the Benetton ads from this era with their Katy England. She spotted Formichetti’s unique strong colors and bold smiling faces as all-time creative sensibility and brought him into the fold of favorites. “The idea of communicating the values of the edgy Dazed & Confused magazine, allowing him diferent cultures and using advertising as a vehicle to to make his irreverent mark frst as a stylist and start a dialog appeals to me,” he explains. fashion editor, then as creative director. Freedom of expression is central to Formichetti’s e has clearly harnessed this approach in his work and persona, and he uses fashion to push spring/summer 2016 campaign for Diesel, boundaries and break convention. “As a young stylist, which comments, with a tongue-in-cheek ‘I grew up in I embraced the grungy 1990s aesthetic of London, tone, on society’s love-hate relationship Rome and turning my back on anything else,” he says. “Then I with the digital world. He’s even come up realized I’d gone against the freedom I was looking for Hwith his own emoticons, including a small halo- Tokyo but by rejecting my Japanese and Italian roots. I was all adorned angel. didn’t feel about the new, new, new!” It’s impossible to sit next to Formichetti without at home in It all clicked, he says, when he paused for a moment prying into his days with Lady Gaga, with whom he and acknowledged his heritage. “When I let the worked between 2009 and 2012. “Gaga and I had so either city’ infuences of my past and present merge, I grew more much fun,” he beams. “When I put her in my outfts, confdent and my work became more interesting.” they came alive and turned into something else Part of Formichetti’s talent is his ability to capture entirely.” Formichetti and Gaga’s convention-busting the imagination of the millennial generation. But aesthetic created a stir globally and became an while his digitally-savvy vision is wholly contempo- enduring image of its era. rary, infuences from decades past give it nuance. One ensemble caused more controversy than

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Piano man: Nicola Formichetti has a parallel passion as a classical pianist.

Nicola and others: the famous outft fashioned from raw fank wasn’t successful was that I didn’t take the commer- his piano steak. “That dress caused such a reaction, and not cial side seriously enough; I just wanted to be cre- Formichetti is a only in fashion circles,” observes Formichetti. “It was ative,” he admits. “I never had formal fashion training trained classical exciting to discover that a piece of clothing, though an and made all my mistakes in public. In the beginning, pianist and plays to unconventional one, could have such an impact it was horrible and I took it personally. But it contrib- relax. He marvels at globally.” uted to the position I’m in now.” always being the As for the endless interpretations of the dress, Gaga youngest person at herself explained at the time that it was a statement ormichetti also gives credit to his “teachers” recitals. “Why about one’s need to fght for what one believes in, in the magazine and retail world for his doesn’t anyone criticizing the US military’s don’t-ask-don’t-tell policy. current success but notes that the one thing under the age of Today, most designers would kill to have Lady he’d always lacked was a business partner. 60 listen to classical Gaga, or any musician of global renown, appear in Enter , founder and owner of music live? I don’t their clothes, but Formachetti reveals that this was not FDiesel and Only the Brave Group, which includes understand. It’s such always the case. “The only two people willing to lend , and Viktor & Rolf in its stable a good way to relax us clothes were Alexander McQueen and Miuccia of fashion powerhouse brands. and get inspired.” Prada. That’s why you saw Gaga dressed in their Rosso had been watching Formichetti for some time Watch Formichetti pieces a lot during her early career. All of the other and eventually asked if he’d consider helping him play the piano: brands said no. When I started working with Gaga, it restore Diesel to its former glory. “My frst reaction was instagram.com/ was taboo for a fashion stylist to team ‘me designing denim, are you crazy?’” nicolaformichetti up with musicians. People told me I recalls Formichetti. “But it soon start- was crazy to work with a Gaga, saying ‘Gaga and I had ed to make sense. I love denim and I it would ruin my career. It’s amazing so much fun. When knew Renzo wouldn’t try to stife my to think this was the general consen- I put her in my creativity. I also knew I had to hone sus only a few years ago.” my business skills and joining a major Having reached international star- outfits, they came company like Diesel would give me dom via the House of Gaga, Formi- alive’ the perfect opportunity to do so.” chetti was appointed creative direc- Since stepping in as the Italian tor of French fashion house Mugler brand’s artistic director, Formichetti (originally known as ). Gaga had has been involved in every aspect of the sprawling brought Mugler back into the limelight, which made business and helped strategically steer it in a new, Formichetti a natural ft. more premium direction. “We’ve spent two years re- But Formichetti received mixed reviews for his fning Diesel’s DNA and bringing in the right people,” work, and his tenure came to an end in 2013 after just he says. “Now we have a really strong team, and we’re two years. “One of the reasons my time at Mugler ready to push the brand – it’s time to go insane.”

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NICOLA FORMICHETTI’S 1 WORLD Growing up in Rome and Tokyo, fashion icon Nicola Formichetti learned his trade in London. But New York is now his home.

NEW YORK EN Japanese Brasserie 3 I love Japanese food. EN serves the best sushi in NYC. The menu 2 includes everything from fresh tofu and Saikyo Miso Black Cod to sashimi and Wagyu steak. 435 Hudson Street • enjb.com Search & Destroy The direction of this clothing store is vintage punk rock. It’s a 5 totally crazy place run by a Japanese team. 25 St. Marks Place FORMICHETTI’S FAVORITE GLOBAL HAUNTS Ladyfag’s parties Machine-A, London I’m a fan of Ladyfag’s regular 5 I love Machine-A in London’s Friday night party. It’s called 11:11 and Soho. It’s a super-cute multibrand attracts a great crowd with amazing store selling clothing and music by DJ Michael Magnan. accessories by young progressive 11:11 is held at Open House, designers as well as more 244 East Houston Street • openhouse-nyc.com established ones. (check for updates here: .com/Ladyfag) 13 Brewer Street, London machine-a.com New Museum There’s always something fun go- 3 Dog, Tokyo ing on at New Museum, a The stuff at Dog is mad. They contemporary art establishment take vintage clothing and recycle founded in 1977 by Marcia Tucker. it and even use old car parts or 235 Bowery • newmuseum.org phones and turn them into something wearable. Lady Gaga Tribeca and I used to go often when 2 The area’s vibrant with a great looking for new outfits. community and it’s also where I live B1 Trinity Bld. 3-23-3 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku and work. The name of this hip dog-hjk.com locale, which offers shopping and dining opportunities aplenty, is an Hotel Esencia, Mexico acronym for Triangle Below Canal 1 This is the most amazing hotel Street. I’ve ever stayed at. It’s a traditional Mexican place with a beachfront Lincoln Center garden, but as it was the one-time 4 I go to classical concerts often. holiday retreat of an Italian The most recent performance Duchess, it has a stylish European I saw was Rachmaninoff at the feel to it. Lincoln Center. 4 Carretera Cancún – Tulum km 265 70 Lincoln Center Plaza • lincolncenter.org hotelesencia.com

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