Tiziano Guardini is an award-winning Italian haute couture fashion designer. His designs have been showcased around the globe, including the UK, Switzerland, Beijing, and New York. Tiziano made headlines in the eco-couture scene by winning the Green Carpet Fashion Award in 2017. This month, Parvati Magazine spoke with Tiziano about his success, his inspirations and roots.
Parvati Magazine: How did you start in eco-fashion? Did you always have a love for couture and design?
Tiziano Guardini: My focus on the environment has always been a constant commitment in every area of my life. So when I started my career as a fashion designer it was natural to bring all of this into my work. And yes, I’ve always felt a love/attraction for design and fashion, and for nature.
PMAG: In 2017, you were awarded the Green Carpet Fashion Award by model Naomi Campbell. You were quoted as describing this winning piece as “…[this] dress is like a muse emerging from the sea to protect the environment.” Tell us about this creation and what this award has meant for you and your career?
TG: It’s full of research, details and love. For example, to make the outfit I have used non-violent silk and recycled nylon. In the case of non-violent silk, unlike the traditional one, the worm is not killed, but instead, it reaches the butterfly stage and then the abandoned cocoon is collected.
Also the nylon I use is very interesting; this material is 100% recycled nylon from fishing nets.
To be rewarded with the Green Carpet Fashion Award is very important for my career because I can better communicate my sustainable and cruelty-free projects.
PMAG: How has your style evolved over the last few years? Where do you get your inspiration from?
TG: Honestly, my style evolves every day. And I get inspiration from a lot of things: a show, a film, a song, a font, a city, a colour…
PMAG: Tell us about some of the materials you have used in your designs. You’ve even used recycled CDs and made a coat entirely out of pine needles. What inspires you to look beyond usual textiles?
TG: I am a creative so I need to look beyond what has already been done. Massimo Troisi, an Italian actor once said “I start from three” because one and two were already made.
PMAG: You started off with a degree in economics. How has that helped you as a designer? Do you recommend designers to become more knowledgeable in business and economics?
TG: The degree in economics helps me to maintain contact with reality. Sometimes the creativity needs “roots”. Yes of course it’s very important to know as much as possible about business and economics.
PMAG: What are you working on now for the spring?
TG: The following steps are showing my next collection at the next Milan Fashion Week and increase the distribution network as well. And then for the spring I would like to organize a holiday.
Tiziano Guardini is a fashion designer who loves fashion combined with nature – two apparently antithetical concepts brought into perfect harmony, in his creations. He has been repeatedly cited by fashion magazines and newspapers like the New York Times, Vogue, Interview, and Il Corriere della Sera who called him the “Designer of Nature”.