Mattiolo

Gai (1968). Italian designer. When he was only 19, he presented his first collection at Modit in Milan, with the help of his father. Against the wishes of his entire family, who wanted him to become a lawyer, his father lent him 50 million lire in order to attempt a career in fashion. After high school, he opened a small atelier in the heart of Rome, his home city, and began creating patterns under the close guidance of a tailor and pattern maker. The very small venture nevertheless began to have results: his garments, which combined classicism and creativity with small details that made them unique, were immediately popular. The details were of prime importance for Mattiolo, who is a perfectionist, and tenacious and passionate about his work. He dedicates an almost maniacal attention to buttons: they are jewelry, small masterpieces, in some cases loving works of art. They are made of pure gold or precious stones, personally sourced by Mattiolo, and are micro-sculptures rather than simply fashion accessories. There is always a great variety of buttons in his collections: in the shape of fir trees on the dress he sent to the First Lady, Hillary Clinton; and lucky-charms for the Fall-Winter 1999-2000 collection, with the inscription: “Gai Mattiolo wishes you a happy new millennium.” He has become a commercial and runway success, also thanks to his alter ego, Attilio Vaccari. Today Gai Mattiolo is an international industry. His creations are present in many countries, thanks to a fine distribution network. It has expanded over the years to include Gai Mattiolo Maglia, Schoking Gai for larger sizes, Gai Mattiolo Couture Textiles, and footwear, hats, bijoux and all forms of accessories, including perfume. From the runways of Milan and Paris, his clothes appeal to many celebrities, who also have the chance to choose from the Gai Mattiolo Royale line, a limited edition of bespoke garments, only distributed in 25 retail outlets across the world. Mattiolo’s fashion often borrows from the past but is reinterpreted with an acute eye on the future. It is a memorial that emphasizes the feminine, dusting off past eras and fashions. From 2000, Mattiolo has remained faithful to his style commandments: a woman should be a “siren of seduction,” every collection “the synthesis of a philosophy,” fashion “a song of glamour”: an ever-present, well defined glamour in every garment, where even the smallest detail becomes a jewel. Indeed, jewelry — along with his heart signature — are the symbols of his runway shows: for his debut he used Swarovski crystals for a pair of jeweled handcuffs, in 1999 he made a suit fastened with three priceless rubies and completely cut away at the back. The next logical step, the following season, was to present dresses made of platinum threads. Very close to his sister Giada, who works with him and is a spectator at every runway show, Gai still retains a boyish spirit: mild and reserved. He prefers soft tones and manners even when taking drastic decisions. As a result, when he decided to stop showing on the runway in Rome, he organized an event with Jack Nicholson in order not to deprive his native home and followers of his much-awaited show. The definitive step from haute couture to prêt-à-porter came with the show on the Castel Sant’Angelo bridge, which saw the birth of “prêt-à-couture,” a term which summed up his new challenge: to find “a contemporary balance between an easier luxury and a more artisanal industry.” His successes are many and memorable, but for him personally, the most important recognition was making four chasubles for Pope John Paul II.
&Quad;2003, February. An exceptional guest attended the Milano Moda Donna runway show for Fall-Winter 2003-2004. In the front row, dressed in a very elegant sari of black-and-white gauze was Tara Gandhi, grand-daughter of the Mahatma. Mattiolo dedicated the collection to her, while a voice in the background diffused Gandhi’s famous phrase: “Violence is the only thing the atomic bomb cannot destroy.”
&Quad;2003, July. The production of Gai Mattiolo Couture was to be carried out internally and no longer by the Mariella Burani Group, starting with the Spring-Summer 2004 collection. The Emilian Group still holds the license for jeans, which dates back to 1998. In February, after closing the boutiques in Rome in Via Borgognona and in Milan in Via della Spiga, Mattiolo announced that he would open a new store in Via Mario dei Fiori in Rome in September.
&Quad;2003, July. Mattiolo returned in grand style to AltaRomaAltaModa: he reacquired the licenses for his brand and returned to own couture production. He opened the new boutique in Rome and launched his eighth perfume, Man’s. The runway show was held at the Fori Imperiali in front of the Temple of Saturn. It began with a dancer performing inside a 3-meter crystal ball and concluded with 20 dancers in white tights, representing modern gladiators. (Pierangelo Mastantuono)
&Quad;2004, September. A contract was signed with Rodolfo Zengarini, the shoe factory, for the production of the line of men’s shoes. The label also grants the license for scarves and ties to the Achille Pinto company.