The Art Of Authenticity: Alexandre Mattiussi Makes His Mark On Miami

ALEXANDRE MATTIUSSI HAS ALWAYS BEEN A DREAMER. In fact, that’s exactly how he found his footing in the fashion industry. Recently returned from his childhood home in the quaint French countryside of Normandy, Mattiussi marveled at how he could dream so big at such a young age and in such a small bedroom. It’s a common perspective we share that as you grow older and re-see childhood fixtures through a mature lens, everything seems so small. Yet, “small” was never in Mattiussi’s vocabulary growing up — he lived for the big show.

Mattiussi spent his younger years as a ballet dancer, on and off the stage. “I loved the idea of getting on the stage and just dancing. [But] I danced everywhere, from school to work and back to my house — I was always dancing in the streets. I was really into this world,” he says. When Mattiussi became a teenager and began to let go of dance, he clung to the one idea he loved about it: “le spectacle.”

“I wondered how I could keep the thing I loved most about dance in my life, which was the moment when the curtains opened, and music started. So fashion seemed to be the natural extension of the world where I could be at ease and happy,” Mattiussi confesses.

And so, he dreamt again.

When Mattiussi stepped into the dynamic world of fashion, it was the height of the industry in the ’90s. In France, designers like Jean Paul Gaultier and Thierry Mugler dominated the scene — a time when those in the industry were passionate and creative like never before, drawing Mattiussi in. He arrived in Paris in 1997 at just 17 years old. He would soon land his first job at the House of Dior in 2000, then Givenchy in 2004, and finally at Marc Jacobs, where he worked globally across the world’s biggest fashion capitals — New York, Milan, and Paris — in menswear.

Photo Credit: Luc Braquet

Then, on his pivotal 30th birthday, Mattiussi was ready to, as he put it, “sauter dans la piscine,” or dive in head first. “When I turned 30 years old, I was ready to go for it,” he admits. “It was going to be hard, but I knew this was the only way for me; I did not have a plan B, only a plan A. So, in 2011, AMI was born.”

Built on the Parisian “je ne sais quois,” AMI is the quintessential French brand. “In Paris, we have a very natural approach to fashion,” explains Mattiussi. “I always say I am not a revolutionary designer nor a conceptual designer. I love beautiful clothes. For me, clothing is something you’re going to wear and live your life in; it doesn’t need to be a fashion show every morning.”

Just as AMI is the ultimate French brand, Mattiussi is the epitome of a French man; his style is simple, and his swagger is unmatched yet palpable. “Less is more is definitely my mood right now,” Mattiussi reveals about his style. “There is this ‘Parisian chic’ identity I don’t know how to describe,” he adds. Fortunately for him, AMI describes it perfectly.

It was the extravagance of his early career that led Mattiussi to create a modern, minimalist brand. “Back in the day, even 15 years ago, menswear fashion was a niche,” he says. “At the big design houses, I felt very disconnected in the design; it was too creative, too out of this world, or too expensive. Even as a designer in-house, it was hard to connect with the clothes as I did not see myself wearing them. My early design ethos was — since the day I was able to design things for myself and my brand — I will need to wear it myself,” he explains. “I was and still am the first customer. So I had a very sincere, authentic approach to being the designer of a brand I would wear, and I love simple things.”

Mattiussi dreams of his collections — quite literally. “I have my eyes open 24 hours a day,” he explains. “I dream my collection by night a lot. When I close my eyes, I create the collections and the inspirations, and I wake up taking voice notes at night to remember.” Mattiussi has dreamt of a world where he and his inner circle of friends are the main characters wearing sharp, tailored pieces and classic silhouettes reinterpreted through a fresh (and incredibly French) perspective.

In fact, the French word “ami” translates to “friend” in English. “The translation of AMI was the purpose of everything in the beginning,” Mattiussi explains. “I wanted to see my friends in the clothes and eventually my friends’ friends in the clothes. I want to be connected to the clients and their desires. And while it’s always evolving, my taste and the things I love remain. The authenticity of the pure connection is where I feel most comfortable.”

The admirable beauty of Mattiussi and the AMI brand is though it remains true to its mission and namesake, it is intimately growing on a global scale. “Now AMI is on the map, and people know the brand better.” Yet, Mattiussi approaches the growth of the business similarly to his personal style of “less is more,” with his next city focus being on Miami.

Photo Credit: Luc BraquetPhoto Credit: Luc Braquet