Issue link: https://www.balharbourdigital.com/i/1507768
De Vincenzo has been studying fashion since he was a teenager. Born and raised in Sicily, he calls his home region "a land full of inspi- ration, but very far from fashion," which is centralized in the Italian cities of Milan, Rome, and Florence. That distance from the fashion industr y made it all the more appealing to him as a teena ger, because he watched the industry from afar, let his imagination run wild, and started to "desire" a future for himself in design. "What's better than strongly desiring something?" On a personal level, the designer finds himself drawn to Op art, which he uses as a reference point for geometric pat terns. "I can't explain the reasons why, but something in those geometric modules and in the way of combining colors represents me," he says. "I have already brought this passion into the Etro world, but without forcing it too much." When he has an idea, he knows right away whether it's an Etro idea or not, because the brand has such a strong identit y, and well-defined house codes. In terms of the perspective he brings, he believes his "sense of color" and "love of decoration represent t wo important points of a‡nity within the brand." And how does it feel to be part of the new guard? "I think it is a nat- ural process for a historic brand to forge its own path, because no form of creat iv it y is sel f-su f f icient or in f initely sel f-per pet uat in g," de Vincenzo says. "A‡nity is also founded on di‰erence and acceptance of a point of view that is foreign to one's own. I consider myself lucky for this growth opportunity." AFFINITY IS ALSO FOUNDED ON DIFFERENCE AND ACCEPTANCE OF A POINT OF VIEW THAT IS FOREIGN TO ONE'S OWN. AFFINITY ACCEPTANCE FOREIGN De Vincenzo Born and raised ration, but very cities of Milan, of Milan, of industr y made because he watched wild, and started better than strongly On a personal which he uses as OWN. Looks captured behind the scenes and on the runway at the F/W 23 show in Milan. P H OTO S BY D E L P H I N E AC H A R D BAL HARBOUR 227