" I carry in my heart the values I've learned from my hometown - such as being true to myself and to my style"

------ MARIANNA ROSATI INTERVIEW ------

1. Your work is based in Italy, how does the city and your culture impact your designs?

The DROMe headquarters is based in Italy, Tuscany to be precise. I’ve been working from London for a while and traveling a lot. I continue to travel because I strongly believe that the world needs to be discovered! My background and my roots always influence my life and my work. I’m very attached to my hometown. I carry in my heart the values I've learned from my hometown - such as being true to my self and to my style, the love for quality and high standards, and the love for handcrafting my designs in Italy.

2. What inspires your designs?

The world around me! I love observing people, looking at their attitude ,their mood and style. The atmospheres of the places I visit play a big role in my creative process. Sometimes even just music or looking at someone dancing can make the difference or can start an imaginative world inside my mind. I’m very into photography and researching old books about images, street style, lifestyles. I like art, theater and mostly dance so every time I design a collection I think of it as being part of a performance. Usually when I start creating mood boards I start by selecting faces of people I like and then imagine what they would want to wear, what they would like to do and how they would move.

3. Which iconic men/women do you feel best represent your brand?

I never really like answering this question. I think that there is no need to categorize a brand with only one or two iconic people. I like to communicate that the DROMe woman is not strictly connected to an existing model or person, but she can define the style of someone who likes the brand.

4. In your latest Spring & Fall collections, what challenges did you face while working on them?

Every collection is a big and exciting challenge! Generally the biggest challenge of all is evolution - starting from the previous season and pushing it forward in the right direction, pushing the boundaries and not being afraid of experimenting. My desire is always to keep moving on and go fast and forward but sometimes I need to slow down. Consumers don't move as fast as a creative person, they need a bit of time to digest a new style. If they like the new item and then it becomes a success. So I need to be patient! Designing a collection means creating emotions with clothes but at the same time these clothes need to be wearable and appealing. A big challenge I face as the designer for DROMe is always with the spring/summer collection because we are working with leather. I always think: how can I make DROMe successful for spring? Well, I think to make every item an object of desire and something to fall in love with forever! The Fall Winter 16-17 has been one of my favorite seasons, I loved the mood and the collection. I worked with the stylist Emma Wyman from Dazed for the first time, she followed me during the creative process and the presentation. Working with someone to share my ideas with and to confront with on the project meant very much to me, it can really bring the collection on new paths.

5. Your brand is based mainly around beautiful leather textures. In the near future how do you plan to incorporate leather materials into your designs?

I plan to keep experimenting with shapes, textures and details! I'm starting to introduce items made of a combination of fabrics and leathers into the collection, as well as knitwear. I think that DROMe is ready to be expanded into different categories beside just leather.

6. How do your co-workers support and inspire you?

I work with an amazing team of people with whom I've been sharing the DROMe experience since the very beginning! Feeling the trust and the friendship of people around me is very important for my work and for myself. Their passion and full commitment to the project always makes me feel positive and determined even when I feel a bit down. I have full support from the company which is great and I also work with my father, Ferrero Rosati CEO of Factory srl, who is a very inspiring figure for his dedication to his work and mostly to his dreams.

7. What are your ultimate goals for the brand overall and yourself as a designer?

We are putting a lot of energy into DROMe. We are working on launching an online site and opening our first flagship store in Milan. I am working hard to complete the collection and expand the DROMe boundaries by incorporating footwear and accessories into the line. There is a lot to do and I am very excited about it!

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INTERVIEWED AND WRITTEN BY: AYAMI OKURA

EDIT BY: SUSAN SCHELL