Massimo Nicosia
Massimo Nicosia is the head designer of Pringle of Scotland. Nicosia forever changed the history of the luxury heritage brand by introducing 3D printing techniques and the forms in architecture to the structures in the knitwear. By incorporating powdered nylon into the printed panels, intricate chainmail patterns are then formed. His background in architecture and his eye for unique design keeps the 200 year old brand innovative and contemporary.
Q&A with Massimo Nicosia
Q:How would you describe your lifestyle and how does it influence your work?
A:My work is influenced by my background as well as my current lifestyle and the environment in which I live. I am fortunate enough to live and spend most of my time in London; a cosmopolitan city which moves very fast in the most energetic way. It is an inspiring place in which you can always find ideas as long as you are open and receptive to get them. I am really open minded, curious and constantly learning. In London I find inspiration from the street, the multitude of events, exhibitions, theatre plays, concerts, vintage markets and antiques, and the people. I have been living in London for a while but I still consider myself as an Italian abroad. If you feel too settled in a place you kind of lose interest in what surrounds you. You find yourself in a comfort zone and you don't make any effort. I don't take things for granted as if I was born here. I notice and appreciate thing because they look relatively new but I can equally distance and detach myself if I want to.
I have been always interested in anything which communicates through visuals; any sort of visual art. I try to visit as many exhibitions as I can...contemporary and modern art, design, textiles. I used to watch many movies, but less so now...there is never enough time to do everything you love. Sometimes I end up watching newly released movies on the plane. My life style relies on all this. My work is the projection of everything I bump into every day, what I see and learn, digest and absorb.
Q:Through out your work, you have been traveling a lot, how are your travels inspiring your works?
A:I love travelling. I once read "I have not been everywhere yet but it is on my list" ...This quote really suits me.
I love travelling on holiday as well as business trips. While I travel I take inspiration because I allow myself more time to look at things. Perhaps I am more inclined to be surprised and captivated by something which I haven't experienced before. When I travel I try to see, visit, do as much as I can. I never get tired and I like to make the most of it. I take a lot of pictures and I start to crop, edit and file. I am a sort of archivist of visuals.
I constantly take and archive pictures. I download them from the Internet, I photograph themes, I sketch, illustrate and I eventually title and file them. I am able to reference and retrieve pictures I saved even many years ago for a particular project, mood board, collection.
Q:What is your favourite place in the world?
A:London for the people, Paris and Rome for the architecture, NY for the energy, HK for the skyline and...I can keep listing. I do not have an absolute favourite. My favourite place in the world is a collage of bits I have seen in many different places. It is a mix of the East and West of the world - a Utopian, magnificent place. It is my place; My village.
Q:Would you please tell us more about the exciting 3-D printed textiles exhibited on Pringle's spring 2015 collection?
A:I am constantly intrigued by investigating new medias and technologies. When researching Pringle of Scotland's collection back in Autumn Winter 2014 we discovered a new way of printing 3D materials so they were conceived almost like fabrics; weaving through 3D printing was absolutely fascinating. Clothes are made up from flat patterns which are assembled together to create volumes / forms / 3 dimensional elements, so investigating 3D printing seemed a natural progression of my research.
This medium has been used and progressed up to Pringle of Scotland's AW 2015 special 200 year Anniversary collection. It was a nice way to merge tradition and innovation; Artisanal and machine made; Artificial and natural.
Q:Would you like to share with the maker readers what a typical work day is like for you?
A:It is a hectic busy day which starts from 9.00 and finishes late in the evening. I do not have a strict typical work day; it depends on the season and collection and whether I am researching, designing, fitting, preparing a look book or a fashion show.
Maybe this is the real reason why I love my job. Every day is different. Every season offers you new challenges and the chance to work on new projects almost from scratch; initiating all the creative process every few months. There is never a fixed schedule that you reiterate. If I am in London I spend most of my time with the Pringle team.
Q:What would you say is your favorite part of your job?
A:Working on visuals and through visuals. Exploring, experimenting, drawing, mocking up, sharing experiences and bouncing ideas back and forth with creative talents I am fortunate enough to meet through my job.
Q:What are your plans for the future, both personally and professionally?
A:Moving forward. Keep exploring, watching, researching, designing... My plan for the future? Looking back upon my missed opportunities and considering them as my next opportunity. There is so much to do... both personally and professionally.
Q:If you could give any advice to a young Chinese Designer, what would it be?
A:Fashion is a tricky, intense, demanding beautiful and global industry. It can be quite overwhelming if you do not truly love and embrace the essence of it. Do it with passion or not at all.
Massimo Nicosia是普林格（Pringle of Scotland）的首席设计师，Nicosia在针织品中引入3D打印技术和建筑结构表现彻底改变了奢侈传统品牌的历史。今年他创造了一种尼龙粉末锁子甲，与一片片编织棉布和丝绸组合在一起。他的建筑背景和他独具慧眼的设计让这个200年历史的品牌焕然一新、非常现代化。
采访Massimo Nicosia
Q:你会怎样评价你的生活方式，它又是如何影响你的工作？
A:我的工作受我的背景、我现在的生活方式和我生活的环境所影响。我很幸运地生活在伦敦，我大部分的时间都在这里；一个充满活力的快节奏国际化的城市。这是一个启发灵感的地方，只要你持着开放和接纳的态度，你总能挖掘到新的想法。我保持着开放思维，自信和不断地学习。在伦敦，我能够从街上、多元的活动、展览、戏剧表演、音乐会、复古市场、古董和人民群众中找到灵感。
我在伦敦生活已经有一段时间，但我仍然认为自己是来自意大利的外国人。因为如果你在一个地方过于安定你可能会对你周围的事物失去兴趣。你会把自己放在舒适圈里，而不作任何努力。我不会理所当然得仿佛我出生在这里一样。我会留心和欣赏那些看起来比较新鲜的事物，但如果我想保持距离和抽离自己，我同様可以做到。
我一直对通过视觉传达的任何东西很感兴趣；任何形式的视觉艺术。我试着尽我所能的去参观更多的展览......当代和现代艺术，设计，纺织品。过去我经常看很多电影，但没有那么现在......做你自己喜欢的事情的时间从来都不足够。有些时候，我倒是在飞机上看起了新上映的电影。
我的生活方式依赖于这一切。我的工作就是我每一天所看到学到的消化和吸收的一切的投影。
Q:通过你的工作，你去过许多地方，你觉得您的旅行如何启发你的作品？
A:我喜欢旅游。我曾经读过“我还没有去过所有的地方，但它在我的名单里”...这句话很适合我。
我喜欢旅游度假和商务旅行。旅游的时候我能从中获得灵感，因为我能给自己更多的时间去看东西。也许我更倾向于被我以前没有经历过的东西所感到惊讶和着迷。旅行的时候，我试着尽我所能地去看，去参观尽可能多的东西。我永远不会感到厌倦，我想充分利用它。我拍了许多照片，我开始裁剪，编辑和归类。如同我是一个视觉档案保管员。
我经常拍摄和存档照片。我也从网上下载照片，我给特定主题拍照，素描，添加说明，最后我会给照片定标题和存档。这样我就能够通过参考和检索找到很多年前我为一个特定的项目、想法板、收藏系列保存的照片。
Q:世界上你最喜欢的地方是哪里？
A:伦敦的人，巴黎和罗马的建筑，纽约的能量，香港的天际线和...我可以一直往下列举。我没有绝对喜爱的地方。在世界上我最喜欢的地方是我看到过很多不同的地方的拼贴集合。它是一个东西方的融合的世界 - 一个乌托邦式的、壮丽宏伟的地方。它是属于我的地方、我的村庄。
Q:能请您介绍一下在普林格2015春季系列上展出的令人兴奋的3D立体印花面料吗？
A:我一直着迷于研究新媒体和技术。当在研究Pringle of Scotland 2014秋冬系列的时候，我们发现打印3D材料的一种新方法，他们的构想几乎和针织面料一样；通过3D打印编织绝对让人着迷。衣服的编织方式是将平面图组合在一起以构建出体积/形态/3D元素，所以研究3D打印似乎是我的研究中一个自然的过程。
这种媒介已经被使用，并加入到Pringle of Scotland 2015秋冬200年周年纪念特别系列中。这是一种将传统和创新、手工和机器制造、人工和自然这几者融合在一起的好途径。
Q:你能否和我们《臆想》的读者们分享一下你的正常工作日是怎样的？
A:从早上九点一直到深夜结束热闹忙碌的一天。我没有一个严格的正常工作日；这取决于季度和系列，以及我是否在研究、设计、装置、准备一本时装画册或一场时装秀。
也许这正是我爱这份工作真正的原因。每一天都不一样。每个季度都会带来新的挑战和开展几乎从零开始的新项目的机会；每隔几个月就要启动一次所有的创作过程。你永远不会重复一个固定的时间计划表。如果我在伦敦我大部分的时间都和普林格的团队一起度过。
Q:你最喜欢你工作中的哪一部分？
A:从事于视觉工作并贯穿它。通过我的工作，我很幸运可以遇到各种创意人才，和他们一起探索、实验、绘画、模仿、分享经验和碰撞想法。
Q:你对个人和专业的未来有什么计划？
A:向前迈进。继续去探索，观察，研究，设计…我对未来的计划？回首我错过的机会，并将它们作为我的下一个机会。个人和专业两方面都有太多事情要做了。
Q:如果你可以给中国年轻的设计师一些建议，那会是什么？
A:时尚界是一个微妙的、激烈的、对美丽要求苛刻的全球性行业。如果你不是真正的喜爱它和接受它的本质，它可以强大到足以淹没你。要么用激情去燃烧它要么什么也别做。