The golden age of fashion by Federico Del Ristoro

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The young emerging designer from Bologna demonstrated at GDD Fashion Week that the future of fashion could be a new Renaissance. In this interview Federico Del Ristoro tells us his story and the inspiration of his collection.

A new talent who stands out for his clear and phylosophical vision that recalls the opulence of the late 80s and the glorious ages of fashion history from the Middle Age to the Baroque and Romanticism. A collection rich of references and deep concepts presented by Federico Del Ristoro during the last edition of GDD FASHION WEEK, the important Italian event dedicated to emerging brands and young fashion designers.

At Amantea in Calabria (South Italy), gorgeous and enchanting set of the fashion week, Federico was one of the selected Special Guests and had the occasion to live entirely the 3-days experience between fashion photo shootings and catwalks. Not his first experience, yet.

We met Federico for the first time during the Fashion Graduate Italia and the at Milano Unica. During the fashion week dedicated to fashion schools and graduate collections, he presented his creations immediately impressing us for the bold image, the incredible refinery of the tailoring and the strong character of his style. Already an interesting fashion brand also if at that time he was simply a fashion design student at Next Fashion School in Bologna.

Today we decided to interview him for knowing better his inspirations and his personal story.

Fashion world is part of your family background. Can you tell us something about your grandmother’s experience and your father’s job?

It all started when my grandparents were teenagers. They met because my grandfather was working as a shopkeeper in a textile and yarn shop, while my grandmother was a seamstress for men’s clothing. As time went by their relationship evolved beyond business and became romantic. From this love story my father was born and followed in his father’s footsteps and became a textile representative. So we could say my genealogical tree has its seed in fashion somehow.

When you decided to become a fashion designer?

I can say it was pretty much a calling from above for me to be in this world. With time I also learned that for me it wasn’t just about creating a good product, but it needed to be something more, a bearer of some kind of message. The dress needs to deliver a piece of my life experiences that I consciously channel through textile.

What was your approach to fashion design education?

Let’s say that since I was captured by the fashion world since I was very young, my personal growth has always followed a parallel path to my growth as a fashion designer. Since I was a child I learned the foundations of tailoring and textile fibers, that I was able to develop and explore on a deeper level at Next Fashion School in Bologna.

What are the best lessons you learned at your fashion school?

I learned to follow my instincts, accepting all criticism from my professors because I knew it would make me grow, but always pursuing my ideas.

I’ve seen your graduate collection the first time during the “Fashion Graduate Italia” and you really impressed me for the strong message behind your creations. What do you want to say through fashion?

To me fashion contains a signal. Since ancient times fashion contained hints of the person wearing the clothes, of social class, of ideologies. Therefore clothing has to be designed to bear messages, information. The construction of a dress and the fabric itself are one with the designer’s experiences. Experiences that come out through the collection and tell a story.

Now you are launching your label and we really think it has great potentialities. Can you tell us how do you want to develop it?

My goal is always to tell a story through my collections. Stories that start from my personal life, exorcised and amplified through clothing. My intention is to create a common thread between the revolution that was DERRYNASCIMENTO and what is coming next.

You were one of the Special Guests of GDD Fashion Week, a very important event for emerging designers and Partner of our platform TFP TALENTS. So we had the great chance to see your outfits on catwalk last August. How was this experience for you?

Participating in GDD was a magical experience. I was able to meet people that ended up being highly inspirational and who were fuel to my creativity and well-being. So it was really a good experience both from a personal and professional perspective.

What is the inspiration of your collection?

For the collection I was inspired by the cuts and volumes typical of the renaissance period, revisiting them in my own DERRY terms. As a matter of fact, I took the term “Rinascimento” and made it my own with DERRYNASCIMENTO. And so was born my collection that I’m proud to say brings a very positive message which is “wear the evil as if it was your best dress”.

How may you define your style?

My brand’s style encaptures my soul. Very strong and tenacious but not afraid to show its weaknesses. Not afraid to dare or flaunt and that praises diversity in itself.

One of the most important focus of your design process is on fabrics. How do you choose textiles and embellishments?

As I mentioned before, textile for me stands as the bearer of a greater message. So thinking about the mood of the collection and with my textile notions, I try and find which fabric is the best to communicate that message. The researching process is so important: you never have to stop searching, not giving up on something that is just “good”, but continue until you find “the” fabric.

Now you are working on many new projects. What can you say about them?

Right now I’m working on a “Pret-a-Derry” collection that will add something more to DERRYNASCIMENTO. In the meantime I’m also trying to develop my second collection that I would love to present at Alta Roma or in a more DERRY way next year, if the pandemic allows it.

What are your plans for the future?

I hope to be in the position of letting in more and more people into the DERRY world that will identify with my style and eventually feel stronger wearing my clothes.

Thank you Federico for sharing with us your experience. Keep us updated about your next steps!