A comprehensive, illustrated biography of the iconic Carla Sozzani, a pivotal figure and inspiration in the international fashion, art and design scenes.
As an ex-editor-in-chief, gallerist, art enthusiast and entrepreneur, Carla Sozzani’s drive and passion for art and fashion is like no other. After almost 20 years of experience in editing, collecting art and pioneering the first fashion concept store, Sozzani is widely recognised as an influential visionary in the creative industry.
The book Art, Life, Fashion, written by Louise Baring, is based on interviews with Carla Sozzani herself. It begins with Sozzani’s childhood in Milan, where she discovers her passion for design and fashion at a young age. The narrative then follows her career in editing from her role as founding editor-in-chief for Italian Vogue, leading Vogue Italia special editions, launching the Italian publication of Elle, and being appointed American Vogue’s editor-at-large for Italy.
Aside from her editorial career, the book also explores Carla Sozzani’s broader interests, in particular her appeal to photography, resulting in close relationships with renowned photographers like Bruce Weber, Herb Ritts, Paolo Roversi and Helmut Newton, among others. With the support of Weber and Ritts, Sozzani established the Galleria Carla Sozzani, an exhibition space that focuses on photography, contemporary art and design. This further triggered the founding of Fondazione Sozzani and the opening of 10 Corso Como; a space where visitors can immerse themselves in art, design, music, or simply enjoy a cup of coffee and a bite to eat.
In an interview Sozzani once compared her Galleria and 10 Corso Como to an Italian piazza, envisioning it as a place where people could connect, converse and merely take in each other’s company and the art surrounding them. With the help of her life-partner and in-house designer Kris Ruhs, 10 Corso Como can be seen as one of the first fashion concept stores, later expanding to locations in Tokyo, Seoul, Shanghai, Beijing and New York.
Louise Baring further explores Carla Sozzani’s special relationship with designer Azzedine Alaïa, a partnership defined by both professional collaboration and personal friendship. Due to their shared visions in art, fashion and culture, the two often worked together and continuously supported each other’s projects. After Alaïa’s passing in 2017, Sozzani continued to celebrate his legacy in her cultural spaces, showing exhibitions and publications that highlighted his life’s work.
The book offers a behind-the-scenes look at the creation and the realisation of Carla Sozzani’s projects, delving into her thought process and the connections she has made along the way. Louise Baring captures, in meticulous detail, Sozzani’s inspiring vision on art, culture and fashion, making this illustrative biography both an interesting read and an aesthetically pleasing work.
