Exhibitors Spotlight:
Pierre Louis Mascia
Editorial
Edition 101
19.11.2021
Inside Pierre-Louis Mascia’s World of Wearable Art

Exhibitors Spotlight focuses on a selection of brands exhibiting at this year's Pitti Uomo, showcasing their upcoming collections and special upcoming projects.

Pierre-Louis Mascia’s background as a fashion illustrator is evident the second your eyes land on his collections. The brand is an extension of his drawings, the artwork simply landing on a sheet of fabric rather than a sheet of paper.
“I see this profession more like a “chef d’orchestre” than a fashion designer,” Mascia tells us when we sit down to learn more about his brand. “When I started working in the fashion industry, my interest was more towards brands that worked with their image — Comme Des Garçons, Yohji Yamamoto, Romeo Gigli. I presented at a time that was inscribed in this dynamic. What has always fascinated me in fashion is that it’s a domain that “borrows” from all the applied arts: painting, graphic design, dance, scenography.”
For Mascia, the exploration of applied arts means that his aesthetic style is always changing, evolving alongside him as he moves through life. “This brand is part of a movement,” he continues, talking of how he doesn’t focus on one specific style in order to “leave free rein [for] creation. Of course, there are rituals and twists that keep coming back. What I find admirable is a creator like David Bowie who has been able to reinvent himself with each album while keeping his identity. Today the universe that we are developing is a universe of color and blends. Tomorrow this universe could be much more minimal.”
At Pitti, Mascia will show a collection of “nature-inspired” printed silk shirts, continuing the luxurious and rich aesthetic that the label is renowned for. All of the shirts carry the GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) stamp of approval, meaning each piece has passed a certification test that ensures the textiles used in the collection have been harvested through environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing practices throughout the supply chain. 
Elsewhere, Pierre-Louis Mascia has launched an independent design studio called  "Irréel Atelier," which sees the brand evolving to embrace the more contemporary and holistic view of what a fashion house can be by releasing its own bi-annual brand magazine. As for any upcoming collaborations or partnerships? “We are [also] developing a series of jewelry pieces with partners in Vietnam that will be presented in June 2022,” says Mascia. “We often refuse collaboration proposals that are only opportunistic. But if we had to formulate a wish for an ideal collaboration, it would be with a sneaker brand.”