Radical, imaginative: choices, sources of inspiration, addresses of designer Francesco Risso

A double-breasted black leather coat with a contrasting red lining. A garment that as creative director of Marni I designed many years ago and wear often (marni.com).

Un abito intessuto intagliato di MARNI.

The WORK OF ART THAT INSPIRES ME

Vincent van Gogh's Sunflowers, because they convey contrasting emotions to me: calm and passion at the same time. A work of extraordinary visual power in which the simplicity of the subject is enhanced by the complexity of the painting technique. I could spend hours admiring them (until 9/6 at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, the master's works are for the first time side by side with those of Anselm Kiefer in the exhibition Anselm Kiefer - Sag mir wo die Blumen sind, vangoghmuseum.nl).

The BEST SOUVENIR I HAVE TAKEN HOME FROM A TRIP

A leather mask reproducing the features of a raccoon. I bought it many years ago in Mexico, in Oaxaca de Juárez, one of my favourite places. Mexico and South America are an inexhaustible source of inspiration for me. I love the landscapes, the colours, the energy (Casa Silencio in Oaxaca, rooms from EUR 1,040 per night with a tour of the Mezcal distillery, casasilencio.com).

LAST ADDED TO THE GUARDAROBE .

Two pony skin jackets, one brown and the other black and white, scouted in a clothing and interior design shop in Brick Lane, London.

And THAT TO BE TRANSMITTED

Last November, in a charity sale, the proceeds of which were donated to support relief efforts for the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon, I put on sale my entire personal archive: clothes and accessories that I have collected over more than 30 years. The one garment that I jealously guard and would like to one day give to my partner is an ivory canvas shirt with lilac graphics, which belonged to Pablo Picasso.

LAST MEAL THAT IMPRESSED ME

At Marchesi, I tasted a French toast made with panettone and mascarpone cheese and topped with maple syrup. An unusual way to eat this traditional Milanese dessert (marchesi1824.com).

Una vetrina della pasticceria Marchesi in Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, a Milano. ©Agostino Osio

IN MY Fridge NEVER LACKS .

The cooked ham, a bottle of Fiuggi natural water and cauliflower to be served raw, seasoned with oil and salt (cooked ham from Villani Salumi, a company operating since 1886 in the province of Modena, 40 euro per kilo, from eataly.net).

My favourite room in my home .

I have just moved into my new house, a former cheese factory that I converted. Unfortunately, the renovation is taking longer than expected and I find myself forced to spend all my time in the bedroom, which has also become my study.

LAST MUSIC I DOWNLOADED.

I recently collaborated on a music project for the London radio network NTS together with artists Mimi Xu, Jack Peñate and Cari. While choosing tracks to include in a playlist, I discovered a strand of 1970s funk music that I was not familiar with and immediately downloaded all the music by William Onyeabor, Steve Monite and Benis Cletin (open.spotify.com).

La cover dell’album“Wondrous Strange”, di Jack Peñate.

my favourite sites and apps .

Radiooooo, a French platform that allows me to listen to the world's best music selection and discover unknown tracks and artists (app.radiooooo.com).

A PLEASURE I WOULD NEVER GIVE UP.

Eating. My favourite dish is my mother's aubergine parmigiana. No restaurant can beat them.

An UNFORGETTABLE PLACE WHERE I HAVE TRAVELED RECENTLY

In November, I returned to Japan: Tokyo and then Kyoto, a city I found beautiful. Instead of staying in a hotel, I preferred to relax at Shiraume, a small ryokan far from the noise and bustle of the centre, to immerse myself in the slow rhythms of the Japanese philosophy of life (rooms for two from 630 euros per night, dinner included, shiraume-kyoto.jp).

L’ingresso del ryokan Shiraume, a Kyoto. ©Courtesy Shiraume Ryokan

THE HOTELS I LOVE MOST

Without doubt the San Pietro in Positano, on the Amalfi Coast. An oasis of peace between sky and sea where time seems to stand still (rooms from 750 euro per night, ilsanpietro.com).

Carpaccio di seppie con funghi porcini, crema di finocchi, perle di melograne e pane all’olio di prezzemolo dello chef Alois Vanlangenaeker, al ristorante Zass dell’hotel San Pietro di Positano.

A RECENT DISCOVERY

I met up with singer and producer Jack Peñate, a multifaceted artist who loves to fuse musical genres as diverse as folk, jazz and rockabilly. I like his charisma, style and talent (open.spotify.com; @jackpenate).

LAST OBJECT I PURCHASED AND LOVED .

An air fryer that I use to cook vegetables in a healthy way, without using oil or fat (Airfryer Series 7000 by Philips, 400 euro, philips.co.uk).

And THE NEXT ONE I'M TAKING

I am having a craftsman make a wooden sofa following Enzo Mari's self-design manual, a radical and very topical idea in which the designer encourages people to make their own furniture, using only basic materials such as raw wood and plywood (Autoprogettazione? by Enzo Mari, 22 euros, at corraini.com).

The BEST GIFT I HAVE GIVEN .

Ginza, the Rhodesian puppy I gave to my mum a year ago and who now lives with me.

And WHAT I RECEIVED

A box of oil pastels by Sennelier. This summer, after many years, I decided to take up painting again and spent my holidays in an artist residence in London in the company of Soldier and Slawn, two independent artists with whom I realised a creative project, a fairy tale, which I will present shortly and of which I am very proud (box of 36 oil pastels by Sennelier, EUR 119, at sennelier.co.uk; @olaoluslawn, @soldierboyfriend).

Scatola di pastelli a olio, SENNELIER (119 €).

If I HAD TO LIMIT MY SHOPPING TO A CITY DISTRICT, I WOULD CHOOSE

Koenji, in Tokyo. I love getting lost in its streets, stopping at an izakaya, the typical Japanese eatery, and shopping in vintage shops: my favourite is Whistler (ameblo.jp/whistler-and-chart).

The ARTIST I WOULD COLLECT IF I COULD .

Although for me, works of art should only be exhibited in museums, not in private homes, I like to support young creatives on the contemporary scene such as Flaminia Veronesi, for example, whose visionary intuition I appreciate and with whom I have been collaborating for years (@flami_veronesi; simondi.gallery).

“Chimera” (2024), di Flaminia Veronesi, presentata ad Artissima 2024 da Simóndi Gallery, che rappresenta l’artista. Courtesy Flaminia Veronesi e Simóndi Gallery, ph © Alberto Strada

The WORK OF ART I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO CREATE .

Yayoi Kusama's The Grand Orgy to Awaken the Dead at MoMA, a performance art piece deemed scandalous for the time, which was really only meant to raise awareness of contemporary art and its performers (davidzwirner.com; moma.org).

“Dancing Pumpkin”(2020), di Yayoi Kusama, esposta al NGV di Melbourne. ©Sean Fennessy

If I DID NOT LIVE IN MILAN, I WOULD LIVE...

In the countryside, I like to immerse myself in nature, observe its transformations, smell its scents.