What’s inside of a walk-in closet? Dresses, accessories, shoes.

What’s actually inside of a walk-in closet? Memories, passions, emotions.

A walk-in closet, in other words, represents us and amplifies our personality. And it’s something that Alessandra Pellegrino [Digital Deputy Editor in Chief of AD Italia and Traveller Italia] knows very well: she immediately understood, even when her style was underground, the importance of fashion and sociology related to it. These elements, combined with a great passion, have influenced her look over the years up to nowadays, leading her to embrace colors, the animalier print, and the now inevitable blazers.

Even though her signature look and her fashion concept have changed over time, while hoping that the golden age of new and sustainable values is truly and finally at the doorstep, Alessandra has never forgotten that what makes a look unique is the person who wears it, and everything that represents them: from travel to moments of connection, from habits to choices which make what seems to be a simple gesture, such as getting dressed, a universe to be discovered.

Not only she told us about this, but she also showed us, opening the doors of her closet for us and describing those pieces of clothing and accessories that make her signature look.

How was your style/closet while growing up? And how has it changed over the years?

Until I was 18, my style ranged from grunge, rock, punk to dark. Leather, total black, velvet, combat boots, and so on. That was my uniform. I’ve always loved underground subcultures, I played bass in a band and this kind of look was commonplace. It was precisely the passion for subcultures and sociology related to fashion, and for writing obviously, that made me enter this field. Over the years, I’ve always kept that rock touch in the look but it’s part of a more minimal, refined, and mix and matched style. And above all, I added colors in my wardrobe. 

How would you describe your relationship with fashion?

A love story definitely, in all its implications. Fashion fascinates me, it intrigues me, it is the mirror of the times and of what we are, and, in some ways, it is also therapeutic. Every morning the first thing we do before leaving the house is getting dressed. Behind this simple gesture, there is a whole world, a universe made of gestures, habits, context, and more or less aware choices. 

“It was precisely the passion for subcultures and sociology related to fashion, and for writing obviously, that made me enter this field.” 

What are the clothes/accessories that best represent your style?

The blazer, for sure, I couldn’t live without it. Over the years, that has also changed: slim-fit or XXL, with slip or super structured shoulders, in all possible fabrics. I think it’s a generational passe-partout. And then the denim; it has overcome eras and trends as well, but it’s still standing and it has been able to reinvent itself. Blazer, denim, pumps, and a T-shirt. I’d say this has become my uniform over the years.

What’s your everyday look?

As mentioned above, alternating with flat shoes (slipper or low sandals) and a white shirt. During winter, I love leather jackets and cocoon coats.  

Have you ever had a fashion or wardrobe-related epic fail?

Many. The most critical moment was the transition from rock to glamorous style. After years of total black, I could not match the colors, I showed off impossible combinations. Even when it comes to shoes. 

What is the item or accessory that deserves a wardrobe of its own?

The blazer. 

What’s the piece of clothing you should get rid of, but you can’t?

An old ‘90s gold bomber jacket. I’ll never use it, but it’s a kind of heirloom from a past era. 

If you could wear only one brand from now on, which one would you choose and why?

Gucci. It has everything: visionariness, contemporaneity, mix and match, art, culture, and the right rock/underground touch that cannot miss in my wardrobe. 

You have a last-minute event, and you’re not at home: where would you go for an emergency shopping session?

To Rinascente, they have everything. 

What do you have too many of in your wardrobe?

Everything. But maybe I have an excess of colorful check shirts that I will never wear. 

What’s your “special” bag? 

The Zumi bag with strawberries by Gucci. 

Sneakers or heels? 

Heels, but strictly midi.

Your must-have accessory.

Spallanzani Jewels’ lucky pendant, I even sleep with it on.

Color block or black?

Black. 

“The Zumi bag with strawberries by Gucci”.

How often do you reorganize your wardrobe?

I try to do it every three months. 

Is your wardrobe a sacred place or do you let other people in, besides us?

It’s democratic, everyone has free access. I share (almost) everything.

What’s on top of your fashion wish-list right now?

Bottega Veneta and Jacquemus.

Describe your wardrobe in a word.

Eclectic, chaotic.

The book on your bedside table right now.

“Febbre” by Jonathan Bazzi. 

Your closet’s superpower (The one you have or you wish you had).

The power of automatic reordering. To get rid of all the superfluous after two years without having to think about it. 

“Il potere del riordino automatico“.

What will the future of fashion and communication look like in your opinion?

I am sure that the fast fashion era is over. This pandemic has made us rediscover the value of the things that matter. Fashion will live a new golden age made of zero waste, durable and quality clothes, the so-called “fashion investments” that last forever and that with a few touches pass from generation to generation. Few but good. It had become a bulimic world, very fast, soulless. Sustainability, ethics, traceability, quality. These are the values that fashion brands will have to revise and rethink, from every point of view. And some of them are already doing it. 

What are your next projects?

With AD we are working on a beautiful “sharing” project called #ADLovesSharing; it is a viral campaign that invites everyone to share a picture of their homes with their “community.” We all want to be (safely) reunited, to gather around a table with friends, relatives, spouses. Life goes on, and without sharing, you go nowhere. 

“It had become a bulimic world, very fast, soulless.”

“Sustainability, ethics, traceability, quality. These are the values that fashion brands will have to revise and rethink, from every point of view.”

The next destination you’d like to visit and one you’ve been to that owns your heart.

I love India so much, I go there often. I’ll be back as soon as possible. But another dream of mine is a trip to Bhutan.

Your travel outfit.

On a plane, it consists of leggings, a t-shirt, hoodie, jacket, sneakers.

What do you always carry with you when you travel? And what do you look for in the places you visit instead?

Sunscreen, hat, earplugs, antihistamines, and cortisone. I don’t have the body, but I love to travel. I am looking for a break from everything and everyone. Sunsets and sunrises that will remain in my heart, faces, and smiles that I will remember forever. Landscapes that take your breath away. 

How does the perfect walk-in closet look like for you?

I made mine tailor-made according to my clothes. Customizing is the best choice.

Your next project?

Go back to traveling, as before and more than before. 

Photos & Video by Johnny Carrano.

Follow Alessandra here.