In an exclusive interview for MMSCENE magazine ROBERT CAVALLI sits down with Editor KATARINA DJORIC to talk about the beginnings of his label TRIPLE RRR, the inspiration he finds in his hometown Florence and and future plans.
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Read the interview after the jump:
How did you come to start your own label?
I came to start my own label from a need to tell the world my stories, which are all formed from the influences and inspirations which have shaped me up to this present moment.
Before I really started Triple RRR, I was going chronically through my life stories, and still am every day with my friends as we travel, experience art, music, night-life and cultures. These are all things which inspire me massively. It’s all about influences, inspiration, creativity in art and music, and most importantly: friendships.
I see Triple RRR as a canvas for my personal experiences and ideas. Ultimately, people wear this canvas. I want to make a garment that authentically share the energy that I wish to give you.
Why Triple RRR? What do the three Rs stand for?
TRIPLE RRR stands for the lucky “Rs” in my life – they represent my roots, my present, and my future.
The first two R’s stand for my father, Roberto, and for myself, Robert. From the combination of these two, comes the third R, which is all about the future: the beginning of this new personal challenge.
In Italian the letter ‘R’ is pronounced as “are,” which in the English language means “to be” or “being”. This being is you, the person wearing what my father created (me), and what I have in-turn created. You are the next “being” taking that creation and making it your own by living your own experiences in it.
How much does your hometown Florence and its rich culture play part in your collections? What sets apart Florence from other cities?
My childhood in Florence is a treasure of tactile memories which include the fabrics that were always laying around the house – the silks and velours, but also the touch of feathers from our garden peacocks.
Strolling through the center of town in the early summer evenings with my mother, while gazing at the sunset on the river, or discovering sculptor workshops and antiquities is when you realize at a young age that you are this new chapter in a giant book of artists and thinkers from Florence who were already here before you. It is very humbling, but simultaneously, very motivating to contribute to the next chapters, and finding ways to express my love, stories and experiences in Florence. What was once a beacon of enlightenment, the Florentine thinkers and philosophers all had a great impact on our consciousness – both scientifically, as well as artistically. It is safe to say that Florence can be an endless source of inspiration, and that we shouldn’t ever be reluctant to write a new chapter, and look ahead toward changing the world by creating for the men and women who we hope to become in the future.
While working on your collections, do you sketch? Could you describe your work in progress?
At the studio, we sometimes laugh about the enormous mess I have created that day – tossing all sorts of fabrics, colours and materials around and leaving them on the floor. This is my preferred method of working. I like to instinctively place materials alongside each other and see immediately what combinations work. I, then, imagine this patchwork of fabrics and colors on a body silhouette. It is very much like creating a painting and starting with a blank canvas. Once I have created this total mess of materials in my head and around the office, I start to assemble everything together and translate it into a specific garment.
How important is individuality to you when it comes to designing?
Triple RRR can be summed up as an embroidery of how I live my life with my friends, and what we wear when we go out to enjoy our evenings. Triple RRR is festive and elegant, yet confidentially daring and always in the spotlight. All of the garments are pieces created for the occasions which I typically encounter in my life. They go best with the type of parties I like to host or go to, and for summer holidays spend around the Mediterranean.
Tell me more about your Fall Winter 2019/20 collection Royal Rebellion. How did the wind inspire you?
When I was younger, I wasn’t always the easiest. I wasn’t afraid to go out and explore on my own. I kicked down a few doors which I possibly shouldn’t have, which could have been considered rebellious acts. I never held back and I think these phases in your life are important as it helps you discover boundaries and where your personal limits are. Through youth and more formative years, one can be like a whirlwind blowing in and out of different cities and environments; and you can either create chaos, or carry ideas and people with you in your rush of wind.
I am infatuated by the new collection, especially the shirts. What are your favorite pieces?
That’s both exciting to hear and encouraging. Thank you!
When I first begun imagining the shirting, I thought of this part of the collection as pieces of absolute joy to wear, yet provocative of reactions in which these pieces could spark a conversation. I wanted the shirting to make people smile while allowing them to live without the traditional formality with which we are often stuck in our daily lives. I love hearing people share their experiences of when they wear a piece from the collections. One example is of a man who wrote me saying that he had picked someone up for a date while wearing the zebra shirt. This must have left quite the impression because it led to the couple successfully dating after that.
I think every piece serves a purpose in the collection. They are all part of an equation that equals something greater than the sum. However, if I had to select one piece from the collection, it might be this vibrant dark green overcoat embroidered with renaissance style creatures. Now that’s a statement.
Do you have particular pieces you enjoy designing and making more than others?
I think that every piece in the collection should, and does serve its own purpose. I adore working on illustrations for the collection; especially for the shirting.
One of the important parts of the collection is that everything is created by our profoundly trained Italian artisans, and both the techniques and fabrications we use. All of our craftsmen and textiles are Italian, which is quite important as I am able to personally oversee every step of the full creation process. I like to ensure that each garment carry the precise energy that I wish for it to transmit when you wear it.
If you could describe your design aesthetic in three words, what would they be?
Romanticism, Rock&Roll, Maximalism.
What men do you have in mind when designing; who is your muse?
I design for a man of confidence with an intriguing and plentifully layered personality. The man in mind is one of great charisma, who walks into a room and ensures that every guest enjoy their life to the fullest in that present moment.
How did it feel seeing people wearing your designs for the first time?
It’s quite intriguing to see how people style and mix my creations with other pieces – old vintage pieces, or contemporary designers. Finding ways in which to include pieces from the collections into one’s every day wear is what makes Triple RRR alive.
What are you working on now? Can you share with our readers something about your next collection?
Without giving too much away before the “baby” is born, one can expect an homage to the natural world in all of its diversity and pureness in its beauty.
Where do you see your label 10 years from today?
In 10 years time, I would hope that every man has allowed himself to try wearing Triple RRR for a day to see how it created a change from within – highlighting his self confidence and allowing him to have the most splendid time living out his passions in these canvases which I have created.
Photo Danilo Pavlovic.
Keep up with Robert and Triple RRR on Instagram @robertcavalli and @triplerrr_official
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