Interview with Claudio Silvestrin - Illustration by António Soares

01/29/2014

He believes that architecture is a form of poetry; he is able to convey emotions through space and matter. Claudio Silvestrin, the well-known designer of Giorgio Armani’s most striking stores, prefers empty space over indiscriminately filling voids, and elegance over sensationalism. He ardently upholds the principles of his art.

What are the first questions you ask yourself before starting to design the interior of a boutique?

First of all, I visualise the interior as a clear space, as a mass of air (empty, some would say). The challenge is then to preserve it, since there is a tendency to suffocate the space with clutter.

Giorgio Armani stores worldwide bear your signature. What was it like working with him?

Wonderful! With fellow creative individuals, we have fun and benefit from each other. However, it is essential to strive to communicate the same message.

Serenity and purity are words that are often used to describe you. At a time of hyperdecorating like ours, how important is it to return to basics?

In my opinion, the tendency to hyperdecorate shows cultural weakness and decline. The human spirit will always need silence, serenity and purity, yesterday, today and tomorrow. Perhaps my destiny is to be a warrior shielding the needs of the soul.

Your relationship with the client. Do top architects also need to be somewhat of a psychologist?

Definitely, and thankfully they are. But it is also useful to be good at selling yourself, and this is where I have difficulty.

What would you like to see for the future of fashion, and Italian fashion?

In the future, I think there will be a closer relationship between fashion and technology. I would like designers to be more daring, and for them to think more like architects and less like interior designers.