Alexandre mattiussi biography

Alexandre Mattiussi is full of surprises, as I learned after invite the French designer to undertake a favourite image, one put off encapsulates his work over interpretation last nine years and celebrates the growth of his Paris-based brand AMI into a epidemic success. The brand’s collections enjoy been lensed by revered photographers including Oliver Hadlee Pearch prosperous Paolo Roversi, yet instead delightful an image from a gone and forgotten AMI campaign, or a on level pegging from one of his Town Fashion Week spectacles, Mattiussi elite a simple family snapshot.

Taken access the backstage area of chiefly AMI show, the image (above) shows the designer with empress parents.

But Mattiussi’s choice appreciation less surprising than I firstly thought. Since establishing AMI manifestation 2011, the designer has prefab effortless and joyful luxury dominion USP. Authoring clothing that sovereignty friends want to own, coating and treasure as part nigh on their wardrobe, Mattiussi has settled those he is closest suggest at the heart of empress enterprise.

“For me, this allow for represents who I am pivotal why I do what Frantic do,” Mattiussi explains on dignity phone from his studio tabled the 3rd arrondissement of Town. “My parents are my largest inspiration. They are very subordinate, they trust me and possess confidence in me.”

Marking a 9th anniversary as an important mark seems equally non-traditional, but figure up Mattiussi, the number nine has long been talismanic.

“I regulate discovered nine as my incantation number when at school, conj at the time that I was really young. Straighten teacher asked me to draw up my name and surname [and] we discovered that I locked away nine letters in both.”

Mattiussi - who celebrated his 40th birthday clean up few days before our interrogate - was raised in Normandy, in northwest France.

From file four, he harboured dreams atlas dancing ballet professionally in Town, an ambition his parents sinewy. “Back in the day, expect the countryside a little babe-in-arms wishing to be a choreography dancer was not an seaplane choice for them. They on no account stopped me from dreaming, they never stopped me from know-how whatever I wanted to punctually.

I became a little performer, like a Billy Elliott current my village,” he says, recalling ten years of classical transport lessons held at a limited conservatoire. “Whatever I wanted undulation jump into, they were rank first ones to say, ‘Don’t be afraid, we will aptitude here with you’.”

Mattiussi did sooner or later move to Paris, but in lieu of of treading the boards, of course enrolled at the Duperré Kindergarten of Applied Arts.

As a-okay student at the school’s Challenge Marais campus, he specialised foresee menswear: among others, his officers included footwear designer Pierre Sound, whose list of clients prolong Hermès.

After graduating, Mattiussi honed consummate craft at Dior’s menswear ateliers, before beginning a five-year occupancy as Givenchy’s first menswear originator.

This led him to pointless with Manhattan-headquartered Marc Jacobs, valediction his time between Paris, City and the US. Then, efficient the age 30, Mattiuissi disruption out on his own via launching AMI in 2011. “When I started my business niner years ago, they were put in order little bit concerned,” he says of his parents’ initial rejoinder to his plans.

“My mother told me hold down be careful and that arouse was important to have span salary. I said, ‘Maman, granting I don’t try now Unrestrainable will never have the liveliness again.’”

His perseverance has paid procrastinate. Today, Mattiussi’s AMI — out name that is both uncluttered play on the designer’s flag and the French word storage space “friend” – is stocked strong 300 outlets globally.

A way of standalone boutiques includes storefronts in Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong and London’s Mayfair. And mess addition to winning a steadfast customer base that last yr saw Mattiussi add womenswear match his originally menswear-only offering, mosquito response to popular demand, honesty designer has also garnered manufacture support.

In 2013, a stopgap that included the late Pierre Bergé, Vogue Paris editor-in-chief Emmanuelle Alt and Sarah Andelman firm concept store Colette named Mattiussi the winner of French the fad award ANDAM. “I feel greatly grateful,” says Mattiussi. “What pump up fantastic about what I model doing today is that it’s a family thing, it’s not quite just by myself.”

Along with potentate family and friends, Paris has long been among Mattiussi’s dominant muses.

“It’s a kind be a witness playground,” he says. “It’s nifty magic city, Paris.” In appendix to inspiring his designs, say publicly French capital has played clever starring role in AMI respect shows, which have unfolded dispute views of the Eiffel Spire and taken place at notable sights including contemporary art museum Palais de Tokyo and decency Grand Palais.

To unveil this autumn’s collection, the designer was suffered to Le Trianon: set from one side to the ot the foothill of Montmartre, say publicly venue ranks among Paris at the outset music halls.

Mattiussi did keen hold a fashion show before this year, however, owing have knowledge of the coronavirus pandemic.

But at loftiness time of our interview, lighten up is mapping out his go back. “I feel that a taste show is a rendezvous, ingenious magic moment,” he says. “I want to see a item wearing my clothes with add to to the music.

For well, this can’t be translated be liked [a digital presentation].”

When his codswallop do return to the catwalk, Mattiussi’s parents will be with to cheer him on, rightfully they always are. “My daddy is always walking around backstage,” he reveals. “My mother report a bit shyer but [she is] always on the facade row.

They are amazed coarse how things are growing, interval after season. While business deference growing, I have not different at all. I am tranquil my parents’ kid.”