Marcelo Burlon, ten years later Backstage at his show, the designer talks about himself on the occasion of the brand's 10-year anniversary

There is something about deserted places that makes them seem ten times bigger. It was at a deserted football field that I caught up with Marcelo Burlon to interview him, sitting on the grass at sunset after the show commemorating his brand's tenth anniversary, along with his dogs, Noa and Reina, whom he made drink water from the hollow of his hand. «I don't go dancing like I used to», he tells me while recalling his beginnings in Riccione first and at Magazzini Generali in Milan later. «I'm making a private club in my home to have my more intimate parties. Because I'm looking for that anyway, something a little more intimate». Thoughts of the places Marcelo calls home, Ibiza and Patagonia, keep coming back during our chat: «My homes are made to welcome people»  says talking about his private life, away from the chaos of fashion. «The goal is to tighten the circle», he says, «with social media you kind of belong to everyone». But this process of seeking more personal horizons actually began even before the pandemic, with the expansion of Marcelo's activities outside fashion tout court: «I already do other things: I have a foundation, and many other things I'm pursuing. Branding is one of those». No use worrying too much about a future you don't know, for someone like Marcelo in life you navigate by sight. «I don't predict anything, I don't have any kind of future vision. I've always done that - it's intuition, instinct», he tells me. «If it was enough for the last ten years it will be enough for the next ten», I answer. «I hope not», he replies, shaking his head. «That's a long ten years. I don't want to be 55 years old and still be running on the catwalk».

The most noticeable thing, however, net of ten years in the fashion scene, at the center of its changes, is that Marcelo is too fulfilled with his life to be seduced by an industry he already has the satisfaction of having changed: «We imposed ourselves, we built our own rules without standing by the rules of the market. We were the ones who at some point decided how things work - at least in our group. And it worked, and our model was taken by other companies, who realized that it worked». After all, with New Guards Group, with streetwear, the history of fashion was written: «We do not stand at a distance from the public but are part of the public. This started with us. Before, designers were untouchable, unreachable. [...] We entered head-on into a world that was old, that was dated. People were asking, "Who is behind Marcelo? How does he do it? How does this strategy work?" But there is no strategy whatsoever, because I was just living my life as it was, targeting a niche audience that became popular with the brand. And as a result we pioneered a lot of things like using social to promote both our events and our brands. There was a wave that turned the whole thing upside down. The industry has adapted to us».