For over twenty years, Ermanno Scervino has been making and breaking fashion with his creations that play with contrasts. Sporty inflections meet couture details, masculine lines contrast with signature opulence... In other words, fashion that is very much in tune with the times, with a common thread that is more than ever five-star know-how. Meet Ermanno Scervino.

Ermanno Scervino's fashion interview

Vogue. What was the main inspiration for this fall-winter collection?

Ermanno Scervino. "Beauty and femininity are always my main source of inspiration. I imagined a contemporary woman as I would like to see her in her different moments of everyday life.

What is your relationship with fashion?

I don't just have a relationship with fashion, it is truly part of my lifestyle. I have always lived, desired, and taken part in this world that is not only made of "clothes" but of aesthetics, culture, society, design, and sophistication.

What is your first fashion memory?

I was 12 years old when I was sneaking with my sister into the movie theaters, forbidden to those under 14 years old, fascinated by this world, this aesthetic. I clearly remember that moment when I saw Elizabeth Taylor's underwear/skirt in "Butterfield 8" thinking "this is what I'm going to do".

And the best of your career?

At the Blades in London, when I was asked to fill a very important role. My first real accomplishment as a designer.

How has your background influenced your creative approach?

My creative approach has guided my career path, not the other way around. I've been fortunate enough to collaborate with great talent, which has allowed me to express myself unconditionally. Creativity is an element that I transform into fabrics, drapes, and silhouettes. I always start with a woman's vision, not a single garment. Fashion is not just about following it, it is about creating it.

How has Ermanno Scervino's identity evolved since its creation?

We work without nostalgia, the past must be a source of knowledge and cultural reference, but it must not become a constraint. I try to project my vision into the future without losing my aesthetic references, the contrasts between sport and couture, and between exposed lingerie and masculine volumes. We have built a brand that is able to combine technology and craftsmanship. Thanks to this approach, we manage to make even a complex and sophisticated fabric like lace look modern.

What role do heritage and know-how play in your designs?

Fundamental, so much so that it almost becomes an obstacle to the times demanded by fashion. The art of tailoring requires special attention to detail and, by definition, must be complex to reproduce. From the beginning, we have surrounded ourselves with the highest level of workshops and brought them in-house. I work closely with our prototyping workshops, and we have dedicated a lot of space to our archives. It is not a coincidence that we chose Florence as our company headquarters because it is a center of small businesses with great craftsmanship. Just look at the investments that all the fashion giants are making today in the Florentine districts.

What are the 5 pieces a woman should always have in her wardrobe?

A pair of stilettos

A pair of underwear

A white blouse

A black skirt below the knee

A coat that is too big

What does it mean to have style today?

It is not enough to know how to dress, it is something that comes from the head. Style requires a culture, an attitude, an education, and gestures...

What are the differences between the style of the Italian woman and the French woman according to you?

There are no differences. We now live in a multicultural society where style must be cultivated and be international. We have the chance to choose whom we want to be.

Your fashion icon?

I have always thought that it is the woman who interprets the clothes she wears. I have admired a lot of women in my stylistic journey, they have all always had very strong personalities.

What advice would you give to a young designer?

Being a designer is complex, it's a vocation. I could advise you to never stop studying, culture is the fundamental basis of a creative process. It is essential to know art, history, design, and cultural evolution. It is also important to know the structure of a dress and the characteristics of fabrics. Being a designer is not only about being creative, it is also about having the knowledge to bring ideas to life.

What can we wish Ermanno Scervino?

That he doesn't lose the identity of his product. Unfortunately, communication is becoming more and more predominant over the quality of execution. The digital world has taken customers away from the culture of luxury, but fortunately, I see a return to conscious consumption, to the pleasure of human relationship that is created in stores."