Carlo Volpi wins Who is On Next? Homme 2016

By

Dominique Muret

Published
Jun 15, 2016

Originality and great creative strength were found to be winners this year at Who is On Next? Men. The 8th edition of the fashion competition for young menswear talent - organised by Pitti Uomo, AltaRoma and Vogue - crowned Carlo Volpi as this year's winner. Volpi is a specialist knitwear designer, just like Vittorio Branchizio, who took home the prize in 2015.

Special mention was given to French designer Alexia Aubert and her shoe brand Solovière.

The jury was particularly impressed by "the instinctive energy and creative vitality" of Carlo Volpi, who reinterprets - with technical skill, innovation and experimentation - traditional Italian manufacturing.

Since the previous edition of Pitti Uomo in January, the designer, selected for the young and emerging space The latest fashion buzz, has distinguished himself by his colourful pop collection featuring pink and flashy orange. "I put the collection on my website and Sara Maino from Italian Vogue (also a jury member for Who is On Next?) spotted me," recalls the 37 year old designer.

Originally from Limite sull’Arno near Florence, Carlo Volpi moved to London in 1998, aged 18, a lover of the underground music scene. "At the time, I went out a lot and I wanted to make my own clothes. I also inherited an appreciation for traditional knits from a young age from my two grandmothers, who worked in a factory and taught me how to knit," he says.

Newly arrived in London, the designer completed a textiles course at Goldsmiths College in 2007 and a Masters at the Royal College of Art in 2012, all the while working as a teacher and consultant specialising in knitwear.

Volpi is currently working for English knitwear brands Rowan and Mother of Pearl and is now collaborating with the research arm of Pitti Filati, the Pitti Immagine trade show dedicated to yarns.

"In 2014, I released my collection almost in sets. It's made completely by hand by London and Italian artisans. For the moment, my knits are only available online and my collection of scarves and accessories are sold in the London boutique Darkroom," explains Carlo Volpi, who is very happy with his win, which should help him become more known in the industry. 
 
Via her label Solovière, Alexia Aubert (34 years old) is better known, with the brand already sold across forty points of sale. The purveyor of shoes wowed the jury with a "complete and original proposal" and via the personality of her label.