GUERNICA // Niccolò Lapo Latini
Interview by Dorota Novak
1. In just a few years, you've made a significant impact in the fashion industry. How doyou feel about this?
I'm happy and feel privileged. My work is truly my passion, and it's not something to be underestimated. "Skyrocketed" is a great description, but there have been many growth steps in my journey, and I'm still learning a lot. Continuing to refine my skills and acquiring new knowledge is the fuel that drives my journey.
2. You've focused a lot on a rebellious youth in your work. Is this a reflec5on of your own experiences?
It has been a recurring theme in two of my editorial projects from 2020 to 2022, which significantly boosted my career ("Buio II" for Purple France, "You Rock My World" for Vanity Teen, which won awards at TDC68 in New York for Best Communication Design and Best Typography). All adolescents go through a phase of rebellion at some point. It's useful to detach from your origins, figuratively from your family, to start finding your own path and place in the world. That said, I don't consider myself a rebel (NLL smiles). I am determined, for sure, and there's a lot of dedication in my routine, but at the same time, I believe I'm a fairly rational and reflective person. I enjoy being quiet, assessing situations and personalities, and making thoughoul decisions calmly.
3. You grew up in Marche. Can you see yourself returning and sepling down there one day?
I enjoy going back home aqer a period of intense work or a long trip, but I haven't lived in Marche since I was 19, and thinking about returning to live there one day is a bit of a utopia for me, honestly. I probably wouldn't even live in a city; I would prefer to retire to the mountains one day. But who knows... It's too early to think about it; I might change my mind in the future.
4. Your work oqen conveys strong messages. How do you choose these messages, and are they meant for a specific generation?
As a project manager, what's even more important to me than the message itself is the balance of a project, the dosage. The messages to convey can be diverse and are oqen not solely influenced by the target audience but rather by your own personal need. They are oqen associated with periods of growth, age, and the artistic and personal evolution of a professional. I work with many creatives, and they all have different worldviews. The important thing is that the message to be disseminated is consistent in all its technical aspects, well-developed, and, as mentioned, balanced; otherwise, no maper how strong it may be, it won't have a significant impact on anyone.
5. Do you think consumerism is eroding our values?
The fact that a phenomenon exists doesn't necessarily mean it has to influence everyone. One of the real problems today, which I often see in my generation, is not knowing who you are and what you want. Not knowing the basics, what you like, what you don't like, what you want for your future, and even more importantly, what you want for your present. Am I happy? When you spend too much time with others and too liple time with yourself, when you don't listen to yourself and never put yourself first, when you accept everything from others but are so stubborn and blind that you accept nothing from yourself... The mistake is ours, losing sight of the simplest and most important things in life and gevng lost in nothingness.
6. What does it mean for you to be a Project Manager today?
Being a Project Manager is synonymous with responsibility, making decisions, and taking charge of choices that can change the course of a project for beper or worse. Times change rapidly, and, as in all professions, we need to stay updated, study a lot, and test new methods to verify their effectiveness. The story of a project, whether it's a campaign, an editorial produc5on, a new communication strategy, or a crea5ve plan for a fashion show, always has a beginning, a development, and an end. Our job is to make this journey as simple, light, effective, and safe as possible, never forgevng the passion and emotional involvement of all team members, which is one of the essential ingredients.
7. You've collaborated on many projects with Emanuele Ferrari. How did you meet?
Emanuele was definitely an important figure in my early days, and he helped me a lot by believing in me. We met, as oqen happens in our field, on a set. I was very young, a kid, and his initial scepticism was more than justified and understandable. Fortunately, I was able to prove my qualities in the field, and actions spoke louder than my age. We worked on some very stimulating projects together, and I have great memories. There was an immediate professional chemistry and understanding between us, and I wish him all the best.
8. In "Buio II," you used pizza. Is there a connection between food and the female body that you aim to convey?
The pizza, as an iconic Italian food, was a reference to Italy and the protests of Italian pizzaiolos and restaurateurs who were forced to close during that period, resulting in job losses. Many were forced to close permanently. It was undoubtedly a difficult and challenging time on multiple fronts. ("Buio II" was shot during the second Italian lockdown - Fall/Winter 2020).
9. Which artists would you like to be most associated with?
All the artists and professionals I've collaborated with have been an incredible gift to me. Every partnership has been a source of significant knowledge and inspiration. I pay close apention to selecting individual team members, and oqen the ini5al approach, the story of the first encounter, the first steps taken together, is as exciting as the project itself. With Lucky Blue Smith, we chased each other for two years before finally being able to work together. It was a continuous search that touched multiple cities and moments. In the future, I'd like to deepen my relationships with the world of cinema; it would be truly fascinating.
10. In a world dominated by digital avatars and technology giants, do you think it's our responsibility to bring a sense of togetherness back into the art world?
I don't have a technical answer to this question, at least not a technical one. I believe that, as romantic as the concept of restoring a situation may be, clinging to outdated methods or lost traditions is simultaneously a rather futile endeavour. When an era has passed, and another, for better or worse, inevitably looms, one can either simply go with the flow, adapt, and reap the rewards of innovation while making various compromises or choose to stay on the less crowded path that aligns beper with one's own identity. I feel a bit like a dinosaur in this regard, despite my age; I accept change, I don't deny it because it's evident, and I don't fight it because it's senseless. I surrender to progress, I don't resist, but I still decide to live in the past, or in the time that makes me feel most at home.