“My message in fashion is always maximalism: play with it, go bold,” says Anna Dello Russo, her husky, Italian voice animated. We’re talking about her new, limited-edition collection of ‘haute denim’ for the contemporary American brand 7 For All Mankind, which upends everything you thought you knew about this humble staple. “I wanted to give denim a touch of pop,” she says. “The concept was denim and diamond. I always play with paradoxes in fashion, and I like not staying in one position. This collection is about melding what’s functional with what’s not, and finding that balance in contradiction.”
True to the concept she describes, Dello Russo’s collection is a treasure trove of denim with the volume turned up to the max: think crop tops, tiny minidresses and crystal-encrusted jeans with cut-outs all the way to the waist (yes, knickers are impossible). “My favourite is the jumpsuit, it’s probably the most fashionable piece,” she tells me. “It’s functional, but has that editorial aesthetic. When I work on a collaboration, I want to wear all the pieces. I don’t want to just see fashion in a window!”
Far from being unexpected, this kind of OTT collection is the fashion editor and stylist’s home ground. For 12 years, Dello Russo worked for Vogue Italia; in 2018, she released a book – AdR: Beyond Fashion – and once claimed she and her husband separated because she didn’t leave him enough space in the wardrobe for his clothes. In the past, she has teamed up with YOOX and H&M on collections and, in more recent years, has become a dedicated activist for charities like PETA, for which she auctioned off all her furs in 2018.
Most of all, however, Dello Russo is known for her flamboyant style which heroes colour, tight silhouettes and plenty of flesh; everyday looks include a green lamé minidress, or a red puffer jacket with a pink, sequinned jumpsuit. It’s the antithesis of today’s fashion mood, which tends towards clean basics from The Row, and slouchy, minimalist tailoring. What does she think of ‘quiet luxury’?
“I love every type of change – that’s why I love fashion, because it’s always vulnerable,” she says. “There’s always a next step. To me, ‘quiet luxury’ means editing, and not consuming so much. That’s why I’ve made a small capsule collection, of just a few pieces.” To her, there will always be more joy in maximalism, however: “It means being open to change, to different messages and new designers. Maximalism is about being open-minded, provoking a reaction, being flexible and stepping out of your comfort zone. It’s less stiff than minimalism. It’s more accepting of change.”
Dello Russo’s attitude to collaborating on a collection like this – and, more generally, to fashion and its constant thirst for newness – is just as broad-minded. “In my job, I have to have 360-degree vision in order to be inspired by everything,” she explains. “Collaborating with designers is another way to exercise my sense of style.”
She’s equally embracing of the modern trend cycle, which seems to spit out a new craze every few days. “Digital exaggerates everything. It’s very democratic, especially for the younger generation,” she says. “I used to really follow the trends, from '90s minimalism to everything else. I’ve been a journalist since 1989, when there was one trend at a time, maybe two, but now there are micro-trends everywhere. What you see on TikTok is so different to what’s on the catwalk. If you do my job, you should observe it all. The digital revolution has completely changed everything; fashion is for everyone now, but it changes so fast – it’s like being on a boat in the middle of the sea.”
Many journalists who, like Dello Russo, were working 20 years ago, describe it as a ‘golden age’ of fashion, often showing a level of disdain for up-and-coming influencers and a social media-obsessed generation, which goes through five trends a week. But not Dello Russo, who became an ambassador of the Istituto Marangoni in Milan in 2018, and went on to launch ‘Playground’, a year-long course that allows students to work together on various fashion projects, and then present them to a panel of designers.
“Fashion means so much to me. I’ve been so privileged to work in this amazing world, and now it’s time to share it with a new generation,” she says. “I’m really open to having contact with all the young designers and journalists, because fashion is all about the new: it’s contemporary because, like life, it changes.”
She is not, however, about to bow out of the race just yet. “Fashion just makes me so excited, it’s never stable,” she says, laughing. “I’ll never sit on the bench!”
Anna Dello Russo's collection for 7 For All Mankind is out now.
