Hogan celebrates 40 years of growth and cultural and social change

‘The fast pace of fashion and the need, in a world that moves ever faster, to always look ahead often deprive us of the pleasure of reflecting on the projects we’ve built up over the years, on the people we’ve met, and on the small and big adventures we’ve embarked upon. There are, however, certain moments and people that hold a special place in my memories, and one of these is Karl Lagerfeld, who designed a capsule collection for Hogan in 2010.” Andrea Della Valle is not one for long preambles or verbose dissertations, but when recounting the first 40 years of the brand of which he is president, he appears unusually talkative and reflective at the same time, and reserves a place of honour for Lagerfeld, who passed away in February 2019: “We all forget too many things far too quickly,” adds Della Valle. “That is why it is important to make the most of milestone anniversaries, such as Hogan’s 40th, to capture a story and give it its rightful place within the history of fashion and of our group over the last few decades.”

How did the idea of entrusting Hogan’s story to four young directors come about?

I believe that cinema has, ever since its inception, been an art form capable – perhaps more than any other – of engaging the audience, of sparking reactions and emotions that become indelible memories. Gabrielle Chanel had sensed this as early as the 1930s, when cinema was taking its first steps. However, we have not chosen famous faces or well-known directors. Thanks to our collaboration with the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia in Rome, we have instead opted to involve young talents, all born at the turn of the last millennium. We have named the project ‘Made to move, born to rise’ and will be presenting it this evening in Milan. We did not want to stage a self-celebration, but rather a genuine celebration of creativity and the interplay between the arts. Fashion, as we understand it, is one such art form: it captures or anticipates people’s desires; it does not impose, but gives them the tools to express themselves and make the most of their days.

What guidance did you give to the four directors, Paoli De Luca, Nicolò Folin, Gregorio Mattiocco and Sarah Nardocci?

The aim was to let them express themselves freely, condensing the story relating to a part of Hogan’s journey into a few minutes. They created mini-films of around three minutes each which, when watched one after the other, are the length of a short film. The project includes a more informative section, featuring photos of the original shoes and many vintage models; the cinematic section is designed to inspire daydreaming rather than to reflect on the past.