Like most of us, Pinko’s creative director Caterina Negra has been making the most of lockdown. From spending time with her horses to creative Zoom conferences with her team, Negra has also been spearheading the Italian fashion house in supporting those need in these unprecedented times: sending through donations, protecting communities and helping to raise funds for COVID-19 screening tests.

Supporting local communities is extremely important to the Italian fashion house, Caterina Negra explains: “I am proud of the activities that Pinko is carrying out to support the fight against COVID-19. We have launched an initiative to support local heroes through donations and commit ourselves to help those who are protecting our communities – the support of our territory is something consistent with Pinko’s philosophy as a brand.”

We caught up with the creative director, on how she is spending her quarantine.

What does a typical day in lockdown look like for you? Are you exercising, cooking, drawing/sketching? 
I plan my days to keep my habits as unaltered as possible. I mainly spend them working, video conferencing with my team and in my spare time I take care of my horses and try new recipes in the kitchen. 

Do you feel creative during this time? And if so, where do you take your inspiration from during lockdown?
Absolutely yes, inspiration comes from a variety of different things, first of all from my immersion in nature. My house is surrounded by a forest and a pasture for horses and to experience nature in particular is for me an inexhaustible source of energy and creativity. It puts me in a state of great relaxation and mental peace, a fundamental prerequisite for working on new ideas.

A sense of togetherness and community is so important right now, how are you staying connected to your friends and family?
 
I keep in touch with my family every day through Zoom and also my friends and my team, who are like my second family.

Lockdown makes you appreciate the smaller things in life, what are you most looking forward to doing when it is over? 
What I miss the most is human contact with family, friends and my team. I can’t wait, with due precautions, to be able to go back to work in the company and organize a dinner with friends and family as soon as this situation is over.

All around the world people are missing their loved one, from friends to family members. Who are you most looking forward to seeing the most when it is over? 
All my dear ones, especially my nephews.

How has working from home changed your style? What is your go-to wardrobe staple during lockdown? 
In this period, I tend to change my look according to the commitments in my agenda, I start the day wearing C-Clique – Pinko’s athleisure-inspired garments – and then mix denim and bright coloured knitwear for video conferences and the time I spend with my animals.

Pinko have been so supportive of the Covid-19 relief efforts in Italy, from donating ventilation helmets to helping raise funds for coronavirus screening tests – how proud are you to be an Italian today, and how proud are you to be a part of what Pinko is doing? 
I am very proud to be an Italian, there is a great sense of unity at the country’s heart which is being demonstrated at the moment. I am also proud of the activities that Pinko is carrying out to support the fight against Covid-19. We have launched an initiative to support local heroes through donations and commit ourselves to help those who are protecting our communities, the support of our territory is something consistent with Pinko’s philosophy as a brand.

If you could send a message to the medical services what would it be? 
I sincerely thank you and I am very grateful to all those who fight for medical care in the front line, you are true heroes.

How do you think long-term life will change once normality returns? Do you think you will do anything differently? 
I am sure that the desire for positive energy and awareness will prevail. I believe that the solution to this crisis is largely in all of us, respecting the rules and in our unity as human beings. I am always optimistic, otherwise I cannot be. I believe in the desire to start over and start again. This period was certainly useful to reflect on the importance of freedom and the simpler things that we took for granted before, things that I will appreciate most when we return to normal.