Andrea Grossi
JournalAndrea Grossi, born in 1996 in Reggio Emilia, has made his creative journey a journey between tradition and innovation. After studying Graphic Design in his hometown and Fashion Design at Polimoda in Florence, Grossi has honed a style that blends craftsmanship and advanced technology. Passionate about video games and technology, he transformed fashion into a canvas for futuristic explorations and nostalgic throwbacks, creating a unique visual universe.
But it’s not just aesthetics: Grossi is deeply committed to environmental sustainability, innovating with eco-friendly materials and techniques that challenge the industry status quo.
At Diesel, Grossi has found fertile ground to explore new horizons in denim, combining the brand’s heritage with Glenn Martens’ contemporary approach. The result? A perfect fusion of tradition and futuristic vision, where each garment is a manifesto of creativity and commitment to a more sustainable future in fashion.
What led you to become a designer? How did your collaboration with Tonello begin?
I decided to pursue this path at the age of 17, while attending graphic design high school. Subsequently, I enrolled at Polimoda in Florence, where I studied until 2019. After some experiences as an independent designer, including the 2020 Hyeres Festival, I embarked on a corporate path as a denim designer at Diesel.
I chose to collaborate with Tonello after seeing work done with other emerging designers and fashion designers from different schools. What fascinated me was the research and experimentation that characterizes Tonello’s designs.
How would you describe your personal design style? What are the main influences that have shaped your work?
My design has evolved a lot over the years and continues to do so, but the basic idea remains a reinterpretation of the everyday through dreams. I believe that clothing wraps our everydayness with desire and emotionality. I would like my work to make us feel that emotion of familiarity and dreaminess that we experience when we immerse ourselves in narrative universes such as music or cinema. I would like clothing, through design, to create a kind of connection between reality and desire.
How has Tonello's integration of advanced technology influenced your design processes?
Tonello’s technology allowed me to bring my ideas to life, creating a connection between a simple pair of jeans and the narrative universe I wanted to represent with my design. Thanks to these technologies, I was finally able to explore, understand, and apply innovative techniques of expression.
During my collaboration with Tonello, in fact, I gained fundamental knowledge about the low-water washes, on the incredible use of laser technology – highlighted in the recent project in collaboration with Candiani Denim and Tonello – and on earth dyes: all techniques that I have continued to experiment with in my work both with Diesel and as an independent designer.
How do you see the future of the industry? What advice would you give to young designers?
Collaborations like the one with Tonello make me realize the potential of technological innovation when combined with the right know-how. I believe that projects geared toward sustainable innovation are key to ensuring the healthy growth of the industry.
Even today, I still feel like that young designer who is trying to walk the fashion path. The main advice I would give is not to doubt your ideas and not to be afraid to ask for help. As it was for me with Tonello, you will always find someone willing to help you turn what you have in mind into reality!
Are there any upcoming or ongoing projects that you are particularly excited about that you can share with us?
Yes, I am currently focusing my energy on making the first collection of my line. After three years of waiting, I am thrilled to finally be able to bring out a project that is completely my own, beyond my collaborations with Tonello!
