As Alessandra Marchi celebrates 26 years of craft, the Italian creative director sits down with Wonderland to discuss the industry’s ever-shifting landscape, her creative upbringing, and carving out her own voice in fashion’s loudest rooms.
“As a teenager, I saw fashion as a kind of emotional armour. There were pieces of clothing that could completely transform a person’s energy, and I believe everything started from there.” A rebel at heart, Italian creative director Alessandra Marchi knows a thing or two about fashion’s transformative power. Since founding ANIYE BY in 2000 and, more recently, ANIYE RECORDS in 2023, she has spent the past 26 years forging her place within fashion’s darker, more subversive edge, building a distinct visual language rooted in the beautiful chaos of everyday life.
Her inspirations span the streets of Tokyo, London and Paris, as well as icons like David Bowie, Debbie Harry and Patti Smith – figures who embody, in her words, “a rebellious elegance”. Music pulses through every facet of her work, shaping not only her collections but the runway shows themselves, which feel less like conventional catwalks and more like live performances.
Nearly three decades into her career, Marchi has amassed no shortage of industry wisdom. Fortunately for us, she’s generous enough to share a few of those hard-earned lessons. Read on.
How are you, and what have you been up to recently?
I’m doing very well—this is a very intense and creative period. Over the past few months I’ve been working on the new collection, focusing especially on the brand’s atmosphere and identity: I wanted to create something strong, sensual, and contemporary, with dark and rock influences. I spent a lot of time on fittings, material research, and exploring music and images that could authentically express this visual and emotional world.
Walk us through your creative upbringing.
My creative path developed very naturally, through music, imagery, and fashion. I have always been drawn to anything with a strong visual identity and a distinct attitude. As I grew up, rock music and certain icons from the ’80s and ’90s had a strong influence on me, especially in the way I began to see style as a form of personal expression. From there, came the desire to transform these influences into something of my own.
Who are some of the people who inspired you in the early days and still do now?
Certainly artists who have been able to merge aesthetics and attitude. David Bowie has been particularly important to me for his expressive freedom and for the way he transformed image into a language in itself. Then there are Debbie Harry and Patti Smith, as well as Kate Moss in the ’90s, and Helmut Newton—all figures with a kind of rebellious elegance that I still deeply admire today.
Do you have a significant fashion memory from your upbringing that led you toward this path?
I clearly remember the fascination I felt in front of old leather garments, black jackets, and theatrical accessories. As a teenager, I saw fashion as a kind of emotional armor. There were pieces of clothing that could completely transform a person’s energy, and I believe that everything started from there.
What was the starting point of the collection?
The idea was to create a collection that speaks about desire and mystery in a contemporary way. I wanted something intense, almost cinematic: fitted leather, corsets, sheer fabrics, gothic details, and a strong use of black interrupted by flashes of red. A confident femininity—sensual but never predictable.
What is your favourite part of the creative process?The starting point is always instinct. I put on music, collect images, write down words, and build emotional connections. It’s the most free phase—the one where you can still make mistakes, change your mind, and surprise yourself. It’s very similar to composing a rock song: you begin with an emotion and build everything around it.
We’re about half way through the year, what goals do you have before the end of 2026?
I would like to further strengthen the brand’s identity and push it towards a more recognizable, international, and contemporary imagery. I would also be interested in collaborating with musical artists and creating experiences that go beyond the traditional runway show.
You have dressed a roster of very impressive women, who is on your vision board?
Recently, we’ve had the opportunity to work with incredible artists such as Lady Gaga, TWICE, and KATSEYE. Building on that, I would like to continue in this direction and collaborate with women who have a strong artistic and visual identity. I’m particularly drawn to artists who use fashion as an extension of their personality and their music.
Who are you listening to at the moment?
I’m currently listening to music that weaves together melancholy and energy, suspended between nostalgia and desire. Songs like Vintage by Cort and the timeless atmospheres of Paul Anka evoke fragments of lived experiences—sounds rich with memories. I love music when it manages to turn into inner imagery, leaving behind the same trace as a summer night.
Are there any newcomers to the industry on your radar?
There are a few extremely interesting people I’ve been observing. I’m drawn to projects that are still evolving, with an identity not yet fully defined—much like underground bands that started with very little, raw, almost primitive, unaware of their own potential, true rough diamonds.
Words — Abi Hazard
