The creative director of Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini reveals his affinity for the prolific photographer's work
“Ever since I was a child I have collected photography books, starting with books on animals. They became my secret garden: I would imagine travelling to Africa or to the forests of the Amazon. Then, I remember finding a book of 70s photography that had a section on David Hamilton’s pictures, and I was bewitched. There was this hidden romance to his work, and such a sense of serenity, of beauty, youth and nature. In this job, you have to deal with a lot of compromises and sometimes this can make you lose your way. Hamilton taught me to stay true to what I love. His work is really about the unconscious beauty of youth, and nowadays – with social media and Instagram – people are so aware of their own image. It seems so sad; it’s the loss of innocence. I’m trying to bring back that dreamy approach to reality. You can still be gentle and serene in this world.”
After more than a decade behind the scenes at Roberto Cavalli and Dolce & Gabbana, Lorenzo Serafini was appointed creative director of Philosophy in 2014 (now Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini) and has taken a distinctly different direction. The new focus is on a woman who is “more sensual than sexual” and on “real clothes and real life”. His gentle, ethereal aesthetic has restored an effortless romance to the label, inspired by a life-long love of the work of English photographer David Hamilton. As Italian brands celebrate a new wave of femininity, Serafini’s vision, resplendent with flowing chiffon and pussy bows, is bringing Philosophy to the forefront of a relaxed modernity.
This article was originally published in the A/W15 edition of AnOther Magazine
