12 minute read
LEICA WORLD
ALESSANDRO SARTORI
LEICA WORLD
In the course of the collaboration between Ermenegildo Zegna and Leica Camera, the Italian fashion giant’s artistic director spoke with us about joint projects, the inspiration behind his designs, and his long-standing passion for photography.
Ermenegildo Zegna and Leica Camera have a lot in common: just like the Wetzlar-based optics specialist, the Italian fashion house for luxury menswear is a family business with a more than 100-year history of highquality products. The companies share a commitment to sustainability and local networks – and both were founded by visionary entrepreneurs who were far ahead of their time. So it was almost inevitable that the two brands would enter into a creative dialogue.
Zegna’s 110th anniversary presented a perfect opportunity to embark on a multi-faceted partnership. Last January, four Leica photographers explored the theme of modern-day masculinity from a female perspective, as they accompanied the runway shows for Zegna’s fall/winter 2020 collection. A further three Leica photographers have been chosen to go behind the scenes of the label’s spring/ summer 2021 show. The partnership has also resulted in a range of camera bags and accessories designed by Zegna’s artistic director, Alessandro Sartori, which will soon be available in Leica and Zegna Stores worldwide.
LFI: Mr. Sartori, you are a successful fashion designer, but you also have a great passion for photography. How did you develop an interest for this medium? Alessandro Sartori: My adventure with photography began when I was a little boy. I loved looking at black and white family photos, and found it exciting to try and fathom the emotions of the people portrayed in these images. I was fascinated by the thought of who this people might have been. What did they do? Was this person a baker, a labourer, a teacher, a designer? Was it coincidence that this particular person ended up in this picture, or was there more to it? Those were the kinds of questions that captured my imagination. By immersing myself in such details, I was gradually able to unravel the emotions behind these photos.
LFI: Can you think of an especially memorable experience that has stayed with you? Alessandro Sartori: I do remember my first meaningful encounter with photography. It was in the early days of vintage markets, I must have been around ten or twelve. My father had taken me to Pavia, and there were vendors selling old photographs. I remember we bought an entire stack. They were, of course, photographs of families I didn’t know. I spent hours studying them, one by one, with full concentration.
LFI: How did your photographic journey unfold after that? Alessandro Sartori: When I was a bit older, I discovered the work of Irving Penn and a young Stanley Kubrick, who was a photographer before he became a director. His subjects were boxers, street fighters, funfair travellers and circus artistes – obscure oddballs with an often unusual appearance. They weren’t perfect. They fitted the requirements of their professions, but →
Alessandro Sartori (born 1966) is an Italian fashion designer. In 2016 he was appointed Artistic Director of the Ermenegildo Zegna Group, overseeing all Zegna brands and creative initiatives
The innovative PelleTessuta™ technique combines the supple feel of fabric with the distinguished character of leather. The protector for the Leica Q2 will be available in two variations, Nero and Vicuña
The functional Insta-Pack cross-body bag for the Leica D-Lux, produced with the PelleTessuta™ weaving technique, comes in the colour variations Nero, Cedro, Vicuña, Sprea Blue and Loden
Another example of the PelleTessuta™ technique: the calfskin wallet (above) in the shape of a lens quiver will be available in Nero and Vicuña. Right: A holster for the Leica Q2, also offered in Nero or Vicuña
not the beauty ideals of their time. They were wonderful characters! This is what inspired me to buy my first photo books. When I was around twenty, I got my hands on a book with mugshots of murderers. Well-dressed men who were photographed shortly after they had been arrested. There were some incredible images in that book.
LFI: Did anyone in your family share your fascination with photography? Alessandro Sartori: Yes, my brother was a real photo geek who taught me a great deal, and inspired me to try my hand at photography. My first camera was a Nikon, but as soon as I could afford it, I bought my first Leica. Today I own four of these ‘beautiful babies’ [laughs]. Leica has stayed my brand of choice to this day. In my work, for example, I use the M (Typ 240). I used Leica cameras and read LFI long before this collaboration, and I’m an avid fan of the Leica brand. It’s an enthusiasm that only people who have devoted themselves to a passion will ever understand. Never mind those who buy a Leica because they think the brand is ‘cool’. There are plenty of cool brands out there. These cameras are about something completely different. If you’ve never learnt to take pictures in manual mode and have no understanding of focus, exposure and light, you cannot take a good photograph. But once you have mastered them, these tools will enable you to create wonderful images. That’s my opinion, anyway. Leica cameras are incredibly responsive – they’re like an extension of your body. They’re just extraordinary!
LFI: Were Kubrick and Penn your main role models, or are there other artists that have inspired you – perhaps even people you have worked with? Alessandro Sartori: Kubrick is a given – he marks the beginning of my journey. But there are, of course, other photographers whose work I admire. In the course of my career I have worked with so many photographers, including many famous names – it’s part of what I do. Matthew Brookes is someone who never ceases to impress me. His portraits are fantastic, and he is exceptionally skilled when it comes to close-ups and light. I would probably list him alongside Kubrick.
LFI: Photography seems to play a major role in your life. Would you say that it has also influenced your work as a designer? Alessandro Sartori: Very much so. Anyone who works in a creative profession will have their sources of inspiration. For me, they are multifaceted – it could be art, literature, cinema, travel, even my own previous work. But photography, and I genuinely mean that, is the most important of them all. I can create whole storyboards in my mind by drawing on past visual references. That’s something I also did in Paris, where I lived for six years. I would get up early in the morning and just go out with my camera. I would take pictures along the Seine, or visit the city’s monuments – the stones of these buildings
look stunning in the first light of a summer’s morning. The research involved in photography also feeds into other areas of my life. That’s why it really is the greatest source of inspiration for my fashion work.
LFI: Would you say this is also true in a broader context? In other words, is photography still an important part of fashion, or has this changed? Alessandro Sartori: Photography has always played a major role in fashion, and I would say that its significance is actually increasing. Let’s say you’ve created a campaign for one of your collections. However, if your Instagram isn’t going well – or if your message isn’t coming across, because maybe the lighting or the atmosphere aren’t quite right – your professional image could be ruined on a global level. Equally, however, small companies are now able to create wonderful brands with the aid of good artwork, because they choose the right focus points and use photography to convey a coherent image of their vision. Which, in my opinion, is more important today than it has ever been before.
LFI: Does this also hold true the other way around? Can fashion be a source of inspiration for photographers today? Alessandro Sartori: I do think that there are various interesting fashion trends that influence photography with their multitude of innovative forms and ideas. Many new phenomena first develop on the street, becoming increas- →
ingly popular until they eventually reach the stores. Very often, the people involved have no idea that they acted as initiators. These days, we are able to watch crazy action videos of random guys in the Kuwait desert, or look at artworks by Korean and Japanese teens that have gone viral. None of this would be possible without the medium of video and photography. Both play a vital role in capturing these visual trends, and spreading them across the world. So I believe that photos and videos have become more important than ever. Of course, the same can happen with regard to fashion styles, if a good photographer manages to record them. LFI: Speaking of good photographers: on the occasion of Zegna’s 110th anniversary, the company comissioned three Leica photographers to capture next year’s spring/summer collection – namely William Daniels, Frederic Stucin (see page 22) and Dominic Nahr. How did this come about? Alessandro Sartori: There is a backstory to this decision. We had already invited four Leica photographers – Queenie Cheen, Roselena Ramistella, Hélène Pambrun and Veronique de Viguerie – to accompany the show for our fall/winter 2020 collection. We wanted to document the fruits of our labour, so we were looking for accomplished photographers to capture moments and details, as well as portraits of the models, the backstage team, and so forth. And, of course, we wanted them to convey the bigger picture of what Zegna stands for. Following the success of this project, we decided on a similar collaboration for the presentation of our spring/summer 2021 collection. And I certainly feel that each photographer produced absolutely wonderful images. If you look at the collective body of their work, it seems even more impressive, because while the photographers speak the same language, they each do so in their own way. The reason we chose these three artists was that they perfectly complement each other – and I have to say, these three really were fantastic together.
LFI: Is that why you took photographers such as de Viguerie, Daniels and Nahr, into consideration rather than limiting your choice to purely commercial photographers? Alessandro Sartori: Yes, absolutely. Their instincts are more aligned with a non-studio environment. I’m certainly not questioning the skills of fashion photographers, but when it comes to capturing unstaged moments, you are more likely to choose someone with a background in reportage or nature photography, rather than the world of fashion. That person will
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have a completely different perspective – which can, in fact, translate well into fashion photography.
LFI: What led to the collaboration between Zegna and Leica Camera? Alessandro Sartori: I have great admiration for the Leica brand, particularly regarding its integrity and the quality of its products. I also have great respect for what the company has built in the course of its history, and how it has developed its own language. Leica is among the few digital camera manufacturers today that enable photographers to cultivate their own style and implement their ideas. That was the link between the collection and these projects. It feels very natural to collaborate, develop ideas, and enjoy seeing the first results. I can’t wait to walk into a Leica Store and see strangers discuss, try out and buy the products I designed. It’s a fantastic feeling when you get this kind of organic feedback on your own work.
LFI: You are also a passionate photographer. Was this an important factor when it came to developing your Leica accessory designs? Alessandro Sartori: Yes, absolutely. We have created products whose purpose is not just to protect and transport your camera, but also to facilitate a connection. Our holders, straps, and especially our cross-body bags, are
designed to make you feel at one with your equipment. You can have your hands free when you’re out walking or travelling – but anytime you want to take a picture or change a lens, everything is close at hand. These crossbody bags are exactly in line with my idea of modern photography. It’s not about storing your camera, but about having a relationship with it, keeping it on you and having instant access whenever you need it. I had a lot of conversations with my photographer friends, and tried to be as practical and pragmatic as possible. Throughout the design process, I was always thinking about my own wants and needs as a photographer.
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