An Italian Love Story: Giuliano Calza
A love affiar fulfilled with diversity equality and beauty… It’s a troubling time for seekers of authenticity. GCDS’s creative director, Giuliano Calza knows this better than most. Since launching his streetwear brand GCDS, created ideas on authenticity, originality, diversity and female empowerment… We can say he cares about anything that matters in the world. Calza appraciates beauty and qurkiness and creates a fantasy world within. The overriding sense is one of disorientation. It is fascinating that a persona can make you feel ‘hope’ when he creates and he feels the same while in the process. The rest of us here waiting for his next journey. And ready for all the rules he will break on the way. You are invited to his story of love. Enjoy!
Fashion is all about creating stories, this could be a love story or something else… What is the story of GCDS?
GCDS is a love story with my home, going back to my place of origin. I was living in Shanghai, one of the cities I love the most, and at some point I just felt like going back home… and that’s where GCDS was born! GCDS is my love story with “made in Italy,” and where my mind has always been captivated (fashion). Today, I make my love grow, making it a worldwide honeymoon of sorts, and everyone is invited!
Fashion right now is a way to raise questions and explore gender, culture and ethnicity. Where does GCDS stand in this?
In my mind GCDS is a pink streetwear, not limited by too many boundaries. We just handle it normally and we stand to be a place for everyone, any kind of refugee. We live in a society which attempts to rule the mind, and the media makes you feel out of place, or not quite enough. I want to create fun scenarios where people my age can still play and experience freedom.
In a world that everything and everyone consume fast, where do you find your inspiration to create constantly?
I constantly feed my own imagination and create an amusement park with different areas and creatures. A sad Pikachu for the environment or a sexy women having fun, with no prejudice. These are all ideas in my mind, that I continuously revise and question myself, like our future, where are we going?
With your name being what it is (God Can’t Destroy Streetwear), in your own words what is the definition of streetwear?
I think it’s the definition of “something that cannot be touched”, because its a place of self expression and freedom. What is streetwear in the end? It’s just a place where we want to belong and take our risks.
Let’s say you are walking down the streets of beautiful Milan, and you see someone in something you created. What is that experience like?
I always take pics when I like the styling and I genuinely feel like I’ve created this starting from zero, with a lot of hard work. Seeing it alive and walking makes me proud, not only about our expansion, but more the sweet thought that someone chose an idea of mine. You never know, so just believe in it.
What is your desire that you want to show people?
To the Italian kid, that we are still a powerful country where ideas come true, and in general that your own persona makes something cool, even if it looks weird or fun, just take your own risks.
What is truly authentic for you?
A trend is already mainstream, so something that each time surprises me or make my eyes water, like a delicious plate of food.
GCDS feels new, but it also evinces a clear lineage. What are the things that influence you in terms of creativity?
I think im choosing influences according to what I like, but basing my collection on the Italian craftsmanship and experience, so it’s a balance of heritage and a reinterpretation of ideas. I really like Kawaii Japanese world and artists like Eddie Kang.
Do you think the extravaganza in your designs belong to the idea of being Italian and with that having a statement?
I think it’s just a way to create something new, I truly think everything’s has already been created and a touch of extravagance is like the spice in a traditional soup, just need a taste doesn’t mean it doesn’t taste good.
‘Rule breaking’ is a phrase thrown around fashion a lot. Who do you think make these rules?
I think the market in the end makes the rules, but today I don’t see anyone ruling, I just don’t see strong personality or characters, there are only some good web avatars that seem to be opinion leaders but I don’t see great opinions around.
Talking about changing the world of creativity and being authentic, we have to talk about a topic that matters, the effect of the blending of gender lines in the industry. You as someone who really made this into a talking point, why do you think it is important to change the rules of fashion?
I hope there’s gonna be a huge reorganizing of the status quo, where not only the ones with more likes have the strongest opinions. I’m enchanted by people with big brains that really see where the world is going. I always try to give messages about the future, about recycling and sustainability, and in general this giant monster that is the economy of fashion.
You have a multi-disciplinary approach through your work, your brand recently launched a beauty line where authenticity is the key. Can you tell why you wanted to put your mark in the beauty world?
We still have many boundaries in the industry but I see kids wearing make up and not being crazy out of this world creatures, I just want to make a beauty line where everyone’s free to choose whether to wear a lipstick or not, putting nail polish on, or whatever they feel.
