For Carla Sozzani and Sara Maino Sozzani, finding new creative talent has been lifelong work. For Carla, it began when she worked at Vogue Italia with her sister and legendary editor Franca Sozzani in the 1980s, introducing readers to the concept of ready-to-wear from modern labels like Valentino and Prada. It continued when she struck out on her own to launch Italian Elle in 1987, and later, in 1991, when she opened concept store 10 Corso Como, where she proudly stocked up-and-coming labels alongside established ones such as Balenciaga and Comme des Garçons.
“Of course, Martin Margiela was ‘up and coming’ then,” Carla smiles. “It was a different time. But supporting new talents was always one of the most important points of my research; finding something new that people have not seen.”