IN DIALOGUE WITH ALYSI : A conversation on why Curiosity is an Attitude

“When in Rome, do as the Romans do”, or maybe not quite. Striving for more, going further, Alysi is curiosity slicing through; in a fast paced industry it takes its time, not rushing after trends, but flowing in its own current, taking risks and anticipating, but making everything unmistakably Alysi. When asked about the language of the brand, and what the Alysi DNA is at its essence, Valentina Celata, head designer and creative director, explained: “I want to make my clothes communicate the research of the non-banal, which doesn’t absolutely mean eccentricity or something unusual, unexpected, but rather something that is not obvious […] what we put in our collections is the continuous research of contrasts, a continuous contrast between what is very masculine and the very feminine, the materials and their contrasts”. As an aesthetic the roman maison is somewhat hard to pinpoint, it almost seems to be minimal and essential to the core, but at the same time it evades that label, presenting itself with playful, rich, and imposing details that transform the garments, shining across the generally neutral palette that expresses the love for the nudes and neutral tones.

Born in Rome in 1996, Alysi still stands under the management of the Impiombato family, founder of the brand. Federico Impiombato, current CEO and son of the founder, when asked about the intricacies of working with family stressed two key points: “I can’t say that is easy, that would be a lie, but I must say that there are two things that can help with this. The first one is that all family members involved overlook a distinct sector of the company, making everyone responsible for their own department, and mainly, everybody here cares so much about the company, we all want the best for it. The second thing is, at least for us, we don’t bring work home; trying to keep work from 8:30 to 19:30 closed in here, and you know everybody says it, but here we actually do it”. After the opening of the Via Borgognona 42 flagship store in Rome in 2015, and the Milan boutique in Via Ponte Vetero 6 in 2018, it was time for a bigger step. Having opened to a broader public thanks to the Milanese store the brand needed to jump to the highest level possible of recognition in the world of fashion; in 2025 Alysi opened a boutique in Paris, in Rue de Grenelle 13 inside the Saint Germain des Prés district, the heart of the fashion capital of the world. Although not free from challenges, the Parisian venture revealed itself as a rewarding challenge, a huge achievement for a brand that has always looked beyond the Italian borders in search of inspiration for a new collection.

Made together with Studiopepe, a Milanese architecture studio, the Parisian store became the coronation of a dream, both the store itself as an entity and the process leading up to its opening. “We always dreamed of a collaboration with them […] We share the same aesthetic language” Celata said, recalling the journey shared with Studiopepe, spanning several years and encompassing major projects such as the Milan store and the Showroom, adding how the milanese architect duo evolved with them through time and projects, insisting on the shared devotion to details and their similarities in matters of color pairings and contrasts. A meeting clearly destined to be, as the result of the joint venture was even featured in the November issue of Elle Decor Italia, showing how a family owned, rooted-to-the-ground, company can, through a decisive encounter, find its way to the top.

Following the mantra of Curiosity is an Attitude, Alysi paints a world enriched by more than just clothes, too broad of a vision to be fulfilled alone, the brand has struck more collaboration than just the Studiopepe one. Fragrances, pottery and athleisure are all products of partnerships struck with third parties that are present within the stores, “we like pairing our brand, our aesthetic, to worlds that speak our language, but that also are something more niche in a sense, additional and complementary to us” commented Valentina. Nothing better embodies this than ‘The Skin I Live In’, sofas designed by Studiopepe and realised by Saba with the fabrics used for the latest A/W Alysi collection. A creative dialogue showcased during the Milan Design Week in the Garden House, Alysi’s showroom, in the fitting Via Tortona, in the center of the Milanese design scene. Such a connection between garments, design and architecture is very dear to the creative director, so much so that when asked about who the ideal Alysi woman is, she said: “To me the Alysi woman is very well defined, and it always has been in all these years. I like to associate the Alysi woman to the word of architecture and design. Probably because those interested in design as a more general concept, not only in apparel, also appreciate our way of doing things. I don’t think a fashion purist is our perfect client, who has broader references in the design world, on the other hand, can appreciate more what we do.” Exploration beyond the strictly fashionable, experiencing volumes of architectural taste, too discreet maybe, known too, but there is no point in trying to reinvent the wheel when you can just make it work for you. The motto of ‘curiosity is an attitude’ doesn’t mean constant and relentless research, it doesn’t mean to simply be curious to the point of extravagance, but it signifies wanting to take that step, going a little further and not stopping at the first rendition you stumble upon. Maybe as simple as adding a detail, adding some color, a splash of Alysi pink, powdery and reflective, that makes the garment a little more special, a little more curated. Giving to the client the opportunity to appreciate buying something that was thought out.

Both Impiombato and Celata expressed the importance of connecting with the client through the physical shopping experience. How the client feels from when they enter the store to when they leave it is crucial in the Alysi philosophy. The careful thought put into the physical aspect like the architecture of the store or in the garments, has a non-physical counterpart too. The presence of a vending machine in the Milan store, and of a Claw Machine in the Paris store, hints at a more interactive and playful experience, emphasising the human aspect of what would otherwise be a simple exchange. The costumer experience is also build upon how things are run at the retail level, “ not having a store manager has helped a lot […] we have three store managers, we gave them that type of range and independence, and they feel it, it makes them feel the store a little bit more theirs” explained Federico. By not tying themselves to an institutionalised figure as the store manager might be, they created an even ground on which sales assistants can collaborate at their best, contributing to a more welcoming space and boosting bottom-up decision taken on field experience.

During the interview the topic of sustainability came up, and the answer was, although slightly surprising, raw and genuine. The thing is, Alysi doesn’t particularly address sustainability in its collections, nor does it take showy extra measures, what it does is staying concrete. Extremely limited production, re-use of dead stock materials, and certified suppliers all guarantee a quietly sustainable approach. The issue of necessarily shouting how green you are didn’t sit right with them said Impiombato, with Celata adding how the overproduction of “green clothes”, however sustainable they might be, fills up landfills across the globe, still resulting in environmental damage.

The value that Alysi brings to the table is how much attention is behind every single aspect of the company, but while some details can fall flat when not understood or known by the customer, there is one which almost never fails, the Made in Italy label. Having 95% of the production line located in the brand’s homeland is a huge selling point and a great pride for the company, being the label synonymous with quality labour and a high end product. Made in Italy has become a brand that you either trust or not, though luckily it has the trust of most, and stands out when present.

The whole process of the interview took place in the Alysi main offices in Rome; before the actual interview I was taken for a visit around the place, where all the key points of the Alysi philosophy could be felt. The familiar feeling and the informal mood ease you into a well curated office space, from the design furniture and the architecture and color of the building, to the plant collection scattered across all the spaces, the Roman house showed an attitude for taking pleasure in the un-standardisation of the corporation-banal we all grew too used to.

In conclusion, what are you most proud of?

Federico:

“My personal pick is having been able to expand our market abroad, cementing our presence within high-end multi-brand boutiques, and hopefully it’s not stopping here. Having someone tell me ‘ah you know I’ve been in Spain and I saw Alysi, I’ve been to the US and I saw Alysi’, that is something that gives me so much joy.”

Valentina

“Something that makes me very proud it’s when someone tells us that Alysi doesn’t look like an Italian brand. Now why would you say that is something to be proud of? Because that means all the international influence that we do put in the research for the collections shows. To be an international brand it means, or at least that’s how I see it, being more open, having a broader sense of aesthetic, having broader views.”