{"id":84678,"date":"2016-05-17T12:21:55","date_gmt":"2016-05-17T16:21:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/?p=84678"},"modified":"2017-10-26T11:48:54","modified_gmt":"2017-10-26T15:48:54","slug":"nicolas-nicopanda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/nicolas-nicopanda\/","title":{"rendered":"Nicola’s Nicopanda"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

Nicopanda<\/a>, the forward-thinking brainchild and sort-of-eponymous label of Diesel’s creative director Nicola Formichetti<\/a>, recently launched its third collection to its cult following’s delight. Formichetti delivered a spring line that edges further toward its bold, defiant roots courtesy of its designer’s reactionary thinking. Models.com kicks off the Nicopanda exclusive editorial photographed by Jack Waterlot<\/a> first before it goes live, and below, we speak more in-depth to the designer about his thought processes. <\/p>\n

Creative Director Nicola Formichetti<\/a> <\/p>\n

Photographed by Jack Waterlot<\/a> (De Facto<\/a>)
\nModels Alix Angjeli<\/a>, Eveline Rozing<\/a>, Nicoletta<\/a> and Huan Yang
\nStylist Ian Milan
\nHair Adam Markarian<\/a>
\nMakeup Yacine Diallo<\/a> (BRIDGE Artists<\/a>)
\nMotion effects George Redhawk<\/a><\/center><\/p>\n

All clothing Nicopanda Spring\/Summer ’16<\/center><\/p>\n

For those who don\u2019t know, what is the Nicopanda character and from where did it come?<\/strong>
\nNicopanda is a world I\u2019ve created around my alter ego, which began as a simple character named after my nickname growing up, but has since evolved into a fully developed lifestyle brand. Beyond being an idea, which represents universality and individuality, Nicopanda is a fashion brand fusing eastern and western aesthetics through clothing and accessories.<\/p>\n

\"01\"<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve heard multiple mentions of \u201cPunk Hello Kitty\u201d \u2013 what\u2019s punk to you?<\/strong>
\nPunk is finding your point of view and unapologetically sticking to it. At Nicopanda, we\u2019re unapologetically cute and less interested in following trends as we\u2019re interested in making them. <\/p>\n

\"nicopanda-shoot_redhawk_03\"<\/p>\n

Have there been any restrictions on what you can and cannot do as the brand is expanding?<\/strong>
\nWe don\u2019t respond to restrictions, we respond to possibilities. We\u2019re always obsessively looking at what\u2019s next in social technology and building Nicopanda around that exciting future. Youth culture will always help determine how we expand, so as long as we\u2019re constantly listening, potential overrides limitation any day.<\/p>\n

\"05\"<\/p>\n

How do you find harmony dividing yourself between Diesel and Nicopanda, speaking mentally and creatively?<\/strong>
\nI always prefer to be engaged with a number of different projects, especially because I love a real challenge. I\u2019m constantly pushing myself and excited about what\u2019s next\u2014figuring out how to top something I\u2019ve done before in order to endlessly evolve. I love Diesel, where I get to work on collections and projects on a large scale, while Nicopanda allows me to be more personal with my creativity and speak directly to fans. It\u2019s also important to surround yourself with a strong team that works at a similarly fast pace. My NYC home is an important place for me to come back to every few weeks. It\u2019s filled with plants and crystals\u2014very feng shui. <\/p>\n

\"nicopanda-shoot_redhawk_02\"<\/p>\n

On balance: in pushing your design and ideas, how do you find the sweet spot between too far and not far enough?<\/strong>
\nI always prefer edging toward too far, rather than not far enough. Since I speak to a community that\u2019s proud to be shamelessly and confidently themselves, their fashion is a direct reflection of this boldness. I\u2019m very serious about having fun with design, so in general, a creative space with no rules is one I prefer to think inside of. <\/p>\n

\"02\"<\/p>\n

Where do you draw inspiration from? Have you had any ah-ha! moments as far as your creative compass is concerned?<\/strong>
\nAlways technology and social media. I think it\u2019s important to stayed tuned into who or what the Internet is responding to at all times. Whether it\u2019s a skateboarder I\u2019m following on Snapchat or a choreographer, like Josh Killacky, I\u2019m following on YouTube, these people have an exciting energy that attracts and inspires me. This also gives me a global perspective, which plays especially into what we\u2019re doing at Nicopanda. <\/p>\n

\"04\"<\/p>\n

What role does casting play into the brand and its DNA?<\/strong>
\nWe\u2019ve created a community around Nicopanda, online and offline, so it\u2019s only fitting that we\u2019ve always tapped into that community for casting lookbooks, campaigns or presentations. Fashion is most often an outsiders club, so by finding new faces on say, Instagram, we\u2019re changing norm and making Nicopanda a fully inclusive brand. <\/p>\n

\"03\"<\/p>\n

What\u2019s most exciting \/ encouraging you about the changing fashion landscape?<\/strong>
\nThat it\u2019s always changing. Obsessively following and responding to those changes keeps me excited. I\u2019m always looking for new apps or developing technology and challenge myself to fit all those into fashion. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Nicola Formichetti speaks with Models.com about his Nicopanda world, with an editorial by Jack Waterlot<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":84689,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16,10354,2],"tags":[9851,9901,8806,10401,10236,3693,10404],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84678"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=84678"}],"version-history":[{"count":51,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84678\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":84768,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84678\/revisions\/84768"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/84689"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=84678"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=84678"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=84678"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}