K-OODI Magazine March 2016, Issue 4 | Page 19

Of course, I agree. Being Italian… I think it means that you are used to be surrounded by history, beautiful art, perfection in manufacturing, and when you grow up with all of this, and your family grows up with it too, you kind of have this in your DNA, in your blood. It is something more than pride because you shouldnʼt be proud of something that feels ”normal.” I am happy to be a Sicilian, more than Italian. About being competitive, I can not say. Italian politics are killing the economy, all the companies are wounded by the political system, the politicians do not care about Italian companies, they concentrate only in asking taxes for their comfort, and asking money for the import companies. Luckily foreign countries understand the importance and high value of ”Made in Italy.” The Italian design aesthetic is very clean, very tailored and often graphic and intellectually driven, and Sergio Daricelloʼs style is no exception. The silhouettes he creates are innovative, the cuts are meticulous, details eye-catching yet not over the top. His designs are a combination of cultivated shapes and delicate femininity, often combined with delicate prints and material choices. Some of his prints are rich, even flamboyant, with a spirit of heritage and history, while occasionally reminding you of the unforgettable richness of Gianni Versaceʼs work. Regardless, Sergio Daricello has his own way of doing things, of combining materials and creating silhouettes. Itʼs no wonder the designs carrying his name have already walked the red carpet and appeared in Japanese Vogue, among many other magazines. How would you describe your design aesthetic? And how would you describe the woman you are designing for? I would definitely say that my aesthetic is the synthesis of the aesthetic of the place where I come from: Palermo, with its rich baroque architecture mixed with the clean lines of the Arab-Normandy architecture. That is why I mix baroque lines with minimal shapes. In the prints I give you a window to my world. I do the prints all by myself, using graphics and my own photography. There are days when I say: ”Ok, Sergio, letʼs go out in the historical downtown and find something!” Sergio Daricello began his career by working for Bruno Bordese accessories, being the assistant designer for both menʼs and womenʼs products at Clone. From there, he got a position as assistant designer for Anna Gemma Lascari, former assistant to Gianfranco Ferré. In Lascariʼs studio, Sergio got to explore the world of couture and interact with international clientele. He made his debut as a designer when he was hired to work at Etro. As an assistent designer to Kean Etro he worked for Etroʼs menswear collections. But perhaps the most important experience