Andrea Rosso, the son of fashion mogul Renzo Rosso, was never one to rest on his family’s laurels. While Diesel, the iconic brand founded by his father, continued to make waves in the fashion industry, Rosso charted his own course. His passion lay not in denim or leather, but in the intricate dance of design, aesthetics, and sustainability.
Rosso’s journey began in Milan, a city pulsating with creativity. There, he met Fabiola Di Virgilio, an artist with a penchant for blending tradition and modernity. Di Virgilio is the life partner of Rosso, the creative force behind the RedDUO design studio. Together, they’ve been shaking up the Milanese design scene. Fabiola, with a background as an artistic and design director found their shared passion for interior design. During the pandemic, they reimagined their Milan home, filling it with handcrafted pieces that became part of their daily life. This journey led to the creation of RedDUO, where they continue to blend their creativity and love for design.
FORM: Who are you and what do you do?
ROSSO: My name is Andrea Rosso. I'm the sustainability ambassador of Diesel. I also work as a creative director of Diesel Living, and I have my own passion project, MYAR. I also have the RedDuo project–a more intimate project with my partner. It’s a homeware and interior design consultancy. My partner, Fabiola, is very good in terms of aesthetics and design.
MYAR, an anagram of “Army,” stands for “My Ar,” where “Ar” represents Andrea Rosso’s initials. Rosso founded MYAR as a sustainable project that blends military, sports, and streetwear elements. The brand’s focus lies in upcycling vintage military clothing, giving it new life through tailoring, embroidery, and craftsmanship.
Each MYAR collection revolves around sustainability themes, with garments sourced from military uniform archives. The brand operates transparently, providing QR codes on each garment to share its unique story with customers. Recently, Rosso launched the “MYAR Kids” line, using leftover fabrics from the OTB group (which includes Diesel) and emphasizing Made in Italy production.
DI VIRGILO: I’m Fabiola Di Virgilio, a designer and art director. I established Redmilk Studio and co-founded RedDuo and RedDuo Studio alongside Andrea.
FORM: Considering that form and function are fundamental design principles, how do they relate to your sustainability efforts across the businesses Andrea you work at, specifically Diesel, RedDuo, and MYAR?
ROSSO: Let's say that the concept of form and function, at least for me, doesn't appeal to the world of what already exists—because it’s already formed and functional. You simply give a second life to the object being designed. Taking a creation and bringing it into a new form or aesthetic, presenting it in a new way to the market, or wearing it differently from how others might, is like comparing satellites to the satellites of form and function.
For me, incorporating function in design is most evident in my work at Diesel. When we work on Diesel Living, we really love materials and create forms based on the materials being used. However, we also have to meet consumer needs. Since we have a corporate brand, we need to appeal to a market with diverse desires. It involves continuous trial and error, from product design to growing second purchases and gaining consumer approval, until we have the perfect product to fit the need.
The need is the necessary reaction, appealing to the brand DNA and aesthetic, market demands, and commercial value—even distinguishing between showpieces and essential pieces. Some pieces people desire, while others might be artistic but not commercially viable. Essentials are products that don't even need promotion; they sell themselves. There are also iconic pieces, but it’s crucial to differentiate these products while considering the market, business, and economic sustainability—reflecting Diesel’s aesthetic DNA.
As for my work with RedDuo and MYAR, it's fascinating that when I met Fabiola (my romantic and business partner), within a year we were living together in Milano, and soon after, we had a baby. The house we created together reflects our own ritual of living, which became a business. One day, we needed a door handle for a wardrobe but couldn't find one we liked, so we made our own. This approach continued with other items, like a Palo Santo holder, because Fabiola, being somewhat of a hippie, wanted to burn it in a beautiful, aesthetically pleasing setting. Every need within our ritual of living became accessible to a wider audience, allowing us to share this experience.
Their studio, RedDUO, buzzed with energy. Andrea’s design sensibilities merged seamlessly with Fabiola’s artistic intuition. Together, they birthed furniture that blurred boundaries—chairs that seemed to float, tables that defied gravity. Their signature piece, the “Harmony Chair,” embodied their union: sleek lines intersecting, creating a delicate balance.
FORM: RedDuo began partly because, while you and your partner, both in love and business, were building a home together, you couldn't find certain items you liked. So, you decided to design items that suited your way of living. Can you describe your way of living?
ROSSO: I'm more into vintage stuff. I’m a very functional guy and am particularly driven by the 70s. I’m not a fan of the 60s, and I don't like the 80s at all, although Fabiola loves the 80s. Fabiola is an aesthetic person and believes in the necessity of aesthetics in life. I come from a technical background but love creativity as well. So, it’s two perspectives, two worlds, shared with the person with whom I share one house, one kid, and one dimension now. Sometimes we fight, but we try to listen to each other more now, because when you fight, you only listen to yourself. We have a common understanding of what each of us likes and help each other accommodate our ideas.
Fabiola has a more art direction-oriented background, so she knows how to see the life of the object. I'm more into the objects themselves: how they're made, what color they are, what material they're made of, how they're shaped—the "how," rather than the environment an item can exist in. Somehow, we met and RedDuo became one word, but it signifies two reds. I am a red because Rosso is my last name, and she's a red because she ran Red Milk Magazine before. So, the two reds became one unique entity. The great thing about RedDuo is its uniqueness.
DI VIRGILO: As a dynamic family, we love hosting friends and moving around. Our house boasts an open layout—when guests arrive, we effortlessly shift from the living area to the kitchen and even our son’s “open” room. Aesthetics hold a central place in our beautiful living space, while Andrea tends to approach things more pragmatically. RedDuo is a project that celebrates craftsmanship in various forms. Our pieces are meticulously handmade by skilled craftsmen and artists (such as the blankets). We prioritize a short supply chain, and currently, everything is proudly Made in Italy.
FORM: You mentioned the differences in personality and how they influence design, aesthetics, and creativity in your work. Given that you are working on RedDuo, your personal brand MYAR, and Diesel, how do you approach the unique personalities of each brand and compartmentalize your work?
ROSSO: One important aspect is to put aside the ego. If you only work with ego, you will only see yourself and not the other person. Putting aside ego helps unify a team to accomplish a goal. By unifying my internal team—their minds and knowledge—and also that of any partner coming in to work with us, we can combine forces to realize amazing ideas. Setting aside ego to unify a team fosters organic growth.
I believe we need to grow organically by unifying and understanding each other. When team members are connected, they can become an organism, which later becomes a fully grown entity. I read a lot about plants, which is why I use these types of analogies. By sharing these ideas, I hope to plant a seed. Perhaps you could take that seed and plant another ideological seed, and so on and so forth.
The concept of sowing seeds, whether ideologically or interpersonally, is highly valuable. Given the ever-evolving nature of daily reality and the constant emergence of new challenges and successes, maintaining presence is crucial. As you engage with new individuals or embark on fresh projects, you sow seeds that have the potential to develop significantly over time, yielding unforeseen outcomes in the span of seven years.
The sense of community significantly influences the way RedDuo operates, serving as a guiding philosophy for both their personal lives and businesses.
FORM: You mentioned principles of collaboration and ego, and how they can lead to either separation or unison of ideas. In the fashion and design industries, where there is rapid mass output, there is often an odd juxtaposition with sustainability. How do you see the collaborative lines between where the fashion industry is headed and sustainability aligning organically so that they can support each other?
ROSSO: Sustainability—it's a boring word. So boring. I mean, nobody wants to hear about sustainability. Some people do, but only because they're very into that world. However, very few fashion enthusiasts or consumers care about sustainability; they want to buy without thinking about whether their purchase was made sustainably. That’s the reality.
We’re talking about differences because there’s a distinction between fashion and sustainability. Once there’s no difference or distinction, it means we’ve aligned as an industry to provide sustainably produced items that meet consumer needs.
I believe there should be a way to make production more sustainable. It’s right to say there are, and should be, pieces that, even if not entirely sustainable, are made peacefully. However, if our mentality were unified, it would be much easier for everyone in all departments to have a similar mindset. This is simply a matter of education. When you implement education toward sustainability, you don't even need to talk about it anymore. Ideally, sustainability becomes an integral part of the brand’s organism.
Part of my job is to achieve this, and if I do it well, the position will no longer need to exist. But right now, I still have a lot of work and education to do.
FORM: How do you approach designing and forming communities across the three brands you work with and have partially founded yourself?
DI VIRGILO: Community holds immense importance for us. We actively cultivate and nurture it by creating intimate moments to connect with new people and raise awareness. Our dinners and parties serve as crucial occasions for listening to our community and better understanding their needs.
ROSSO: I believe that forming a community around brands involves bridging the gap between creation, production, and consumers. For instance, with MYAR, we used to host trunk shows where we demonstrated techniques like sewing and screen printing, showing people how garments are made. Similarly, with Diesel, we are have filmed a documentary titled "Behind Denim," with three episodes already released.
Rosso and Di Virgilio, both driven by their personal philosophies and values, seamlessly integrate these principles into their collaborative work. Whether working individually or together, they exemplify unwavering commitment to creativity, sustainability, and innovative design. Their brand, RedDuo, becomes a canvas where love for each other translates into tangible creations. Through their shared vision, they demonstrate that it is not only possible but also beautiful to infuse passion into every stitch, every fabric, and every detail of their brand.
To view their work, check it out here:
https://ca.diesel.com/en/living/
Interview by: Jordyn Lasko
Written by: Soukita Morgan
