Marco Rambaldi: Fashion Without Constructs – Shaping a New Generation
by Fi Porco
Marco Rambaldi is the face of a new generation of not only designers- but a new generation of youth that are willing to conquer the societal norms that have limited their expression for so long.
Rambaldi shortly after his graduation from the IUAV University of Venice in Fashion Design debuted in the Milan Fashion Calendar in February of 2014. From 2014 to 2016 he worked on the Dolce & Gabbana team in knitwear and then founded his brand in 2017 in Bologna- where he was born and raised. In his time as a designer he has won the Next Generation Award, finalized the Who Is On Next? (organized by AltaRoma and Vogue Italia), in the Milan Fashion Show, and Green Carpet Fashion Awards, and won the second edition of Lineapiù Italia (Bedussi). Ramboldi’s success as a designer thus far is in thanks to his revolutionary strides taken in gender fluidity, body inclusivity, sustainability, and a reverence for craftsmanship in his fashion. This homage for insubordination seen in his art is rooted in the strong cultural (moreover countercultural) history of his hometown, where we, the Dickinson Mosaic students of 2024, had the privilege of speaking with him.
Marco graciously agreed to meet with us on Saturday morning (thanks to our friend, fashion brand-strategist Andrea Batilla) in the Dickinson Bologna Center. He kindly sat down and was interviewed where he provided down-to-earth honest answers about himself, his designs, and his brand. For example, in responding to where he found his inspirations, he responded the importance of his grandmother and her work with crochet. This crochet (specifically doilies) influences his work as an incorporation of traditional Italian art, family tradition, and as a means to cross gender boundaries.
Marco Rambaldi utilizes his gifts in the arts to quite literally design a world which he wants not only for himself, but future generations to live in. He works to create a world in which fashion is sourced sustainably and ethically, where self-expression and the art of identity is prioritized regardless of class, gender, or age. In his world, one can truly be oneself, regardless of the constructs their society has forced upon them.