IN THE VAN #01 :: PESCE&PATATA

**“the fictional world, more real than the real one”**

Two minds on the same wavelength, as if they were one. A head with four arms. Not Siamese twins, but almost. DROME met Gabriele Litta and Ludovico Milani, aka Pesce&Patata (i.e. Fish&Potato). Self-indulgent and pro-active one, self-centred and charismatic the other, the two young designers received us in their laboratory, where we spent a very intensive day…

DROME: From which need bears the will to work as a duo? Which the advantages, which points of frictions?
P&P: Since we met, a sort of creative compensation has always characterized our projects. Complete opposite characters pushed us to find a new equilibrium and this is our point of strength. After we have decided the project of the idea, we assigned the tasks, but the strife comes up just when it is necessary to find a mediation between our visions. At the end we reach a compromise which allows us to go a lot beyond, remaining anyhow in a visionary sphere, which can be understood also to those who are not in this sector. Also for the accessories line, which we are designing for Corso Garibaldi, after a first phase of research and looking on the concept, the tasks, due to industrial timetable, are divided.

D: Which is your fashion’s vision?
P&P: Our fashion’s concept is close to that of art. We consider ourselves a sort of hybrid between a designer and a craftsman; we like to experiencing with materials to find new solutions. Besides that, we follow neither a specific trend, nor the times imposed by fashion system which distorts every six months what we have inside us. Of course there are changes, but they vary with time, they are not a matter of a one season.

D: What do you think about today’s fashion system and how would you like to see changes in the future?
P&P: Today’s fashion system follows commercial rules which gives, of course, comfortable certainties, but in some way inhibits authentic and genuine creativity’s concept. It is a frightened system which, however, maintains its strength of great communicator, and we would like it to find a new élan and the will to create something nice in the name of a pure ideal of ideal beauty.

D: Which do you think is the most influential and innovative fashion’s hub today? And why?
P&P: Many cities in China are showing a significant increase of the level of interest in fashion. Let’s simply think to the Bejiing Fashion Week; among all those talents there could be a new Galliano.

D: The metamorphosis concept was the common thread of your first collection. In which way the idea of “transforming into something else” continues to be present in your work?
P&P: We are truly convinced that nothing is created, nothing is destroyed, everything is transformed. From the research phase to the concrete realization of a dress, we reinvent and reinterpret, in each of our works we change something which already exist.

D: What feeds your creative imaginary and how do you materialize external propulsion in order to realize a dress and/or an accessory?
P&P: We get inspiration from what it around us. Often what we like it’s not exactly beautiful or contemporary. We start from ironic, almost freaky concepts. All of this, correctly filtered and mixed with our deeper sentiment, gives “birth” to something different, as it was for Pesce&Patata, a project that we hope to expand soon, developing collections that will keep up with the market pace, season by season. It is really challenging, just as the possibility to work as external consultants for other brands. We want to accept the challenges of the market to spur this world and make it open to different, even apparently “dangerous”, new ideas. The name “Pesce&Patata” comes from the will to make a fool of ourselves in a world in which people take themselves too seriously. In our opinion it is not the power of the name that matters, but the strength of the contents that accompanies the name. Ours is a job at full steam, deeply creative and that coincides with our passion.

D: Let’s talk about extra-fashion influences; if you have to compare your personal style, your fashion to a song, which would be? An at movie? A book?
P&P: The song would be certainly Lemonade by CocoRosie, not because of the words, but for the inside meaning that this song has for us. It ratifies the moment in which we first started. The research which haunts our work, frantic and, sometime, self-destroying brings us to think of Dead Ringers by David Cronenberg. After the storm, however, we get back to life, stronger and more structured because we are aware of our choices. Aleph by Jorge Luis Borges is the book that feels closer to our spirit, and for us is something very profound and deep.

text by Giulia Fasanella
photos by Tommaso De Dona for DROME magazine
16.03.2012

For IN THE VAN #01, the model invited by Pesce&Patata is Thony, the Polish-Sicilian singer-songwriter in her film debut with “Tutti i santi giorni” by Paolo Virzi.

Pesce&Patata are so fresh that they don’t have a website yet, but if you want to get in touch with them just drop us a line at [email protected]!

Making of IN THE VAN #01 | video by Jacopo Pergameno – music by Filippo Scorcucchi