Superissimo – 000 – Gigi Palandri
A JOURNEY WITH CHIEF DESIGNER
GIGI PALANDRI
The focal point of every fabric mill is its designer, throughout the years seen as the guru in this field. The team behind Superissimo has met up with Lanificio Cerruti’s head designer Gigi Palandri.
As you might have noticed from the very first few lines, this will not be the usual interview, but an informal chat while having coffee, to get an insight into the man behind this name.
Gigi, comes across as a dynamic and sporty person, humble and laid-back and the conversation quickly becomes a very pleasant one.
When asked what it is like to be the head designer, he smiles and casually reveals that: “the job is created through passion, even though times have changed and with it the role of a head designer. In the 70’s this was a primary position within the company and the ability to handle a whole collection could lead to the company’s success or its ruin. These were years of great innovations and breakthroughs, and since this is no longer the case; this role has been slightly curtailed but without losing its value. Today, the evolution of a product passes through different dynamics like knowing how to mix unusual elements with more classical ones.”
The greatest gift of this talented guy, who does not take himself too seriously, is that he manages to recount the story of his job and of his role within the company in a very natural and simple manner. A way in which a novice like myself, who wears a shirt bought from the flea market by his grandma, may comprehend and appreciate.
Driven by the curiosity of Gigi’s words, I think about one final question before leaving him to his coffee, asking him what the company is looking forward to today and what is expected of him through his job.
Once again, with the aplomb that has distinguished him since his arrival, he informs me that Lanifico Cerruti is always on the lookout to create unique fabrics, through a contamination of different styles, making its products desirable to its customers. At this point I thank Gigi for his time, letting him get back to his coffee, his work and his contamination.
