Angelo's passion for design and fashion took shape after the death of his father. The designer, who also worked as a broker for Fideuram, devoted himself to his passion and fashion became a real business, which he ran from his apartment, Interno no. 8 (apartment no. 8) of a building in a well-off neighbourhood in Rome, which was home to the city's prestigious residents. At the end of the 1980s, Angelo started getting moving by approaching professionals who had little free time. A team of 20 girls dressed in the men’s ‘Interno 8’ creations assisted him in selling but above all promoting and gathering feedback on the new product. In 1990, the first 'Interno 8' store, which measured just 14 m2, opened in Rome's Parioli with the first collection to have a big impact and break the rules of traditional patterns yet with high quality tailoring. It was a major financial undertaking for a young self-made entrepreneur, and the public that had shown so much appreciation for Angelo's creations were nowhere to be found. Angelo thought that he had been overambitious and too off-the-wall with his style, and therefore decided to sell off everything and go back to creating simpler, yet less distinctive lines.
After the big sell-off and with the new design, Angelo instantly noticed that his more loyal customers began to ask for the original Interno 8 lines. Only the absent new items were appreciated, not the new items that was present. Psychologically the customer wants to be led, but without being made aware of it. The customer must have everything on a silver platter.
From then on, Interno 8 became a phenomenon, with 80 stores located in Italy's main cities and small towns. The phenomenon was so widespread that in the 1990’s there was not a teenager, university student, professional or even simple office worker in Italy who did not have one of Angelo’s shirts in their wardrobe.
Angelo created the exclusive 'Polso Orologio' ('Watch cuff'). It was so successful, that the design was displayed at the Design Museum in London and that the Financial Times dubbed Angelo 'The Da Vinci of Shirts'. It was inspired by one of the symbols of Italian production, the Chairman of Fiat Gianni Agnelli, known in Italy as 'the Lawyer', who due to an allergy was forced to wear his watch over his shirt cuff. And this made Angelo see that fashion is a combination of trends and needs.
'Interno 8' kept on growing, becoming influential throughout the whole of Italy. Its success captured a vast audience. Gianni Agnelli thanked Angelo Galasso personally after receiving a set of the famous shirts that enabled him to wear his treasured watch with elegance and style. Countless celebrities began wearing his creations: sports stars, businessmen, actors, singers and figures from the entertainment world.
In 2000, Angelo's desire to explore new horizons was strong. He was keen to seek new sources of inspiration that he could act on. The feeling that caused him to move to Rome resurfaced, pushing him towards England. London, the capital of fashion and tailoring, became his new headquarters, a choice that brought the Angelo Galasso brand major success, thanks to front-line, cosmopolitan customers.
Television and lifestyle magazines such as GQ, Esquire and FT lavished pages and attention on him. Angelo was recognised as the creator of a unique men's style that is never predictable. The constant desire to astonish and innovate, and the inspiration that only London can provide led him to take a new step in his life, one that further revolutionised the concept of men's fashion. In fact, in 2005, with the first genuine high fashion collection created exclusively for men in conjunction with Flavio Briatore, an Interno 8 customer came Billionaire Italian Couture, a new line with an innovative and original design that made Angelo one of the most talented designers on the international fashion scene.
The choice of high quality raw materials, which are 100% made in Italy, the exclusive Italian artisanal production of each garment and the love that is put into making every single item are the ingredients with which Angelo Galasso realised his new dream: the dream of creating a luxury men's range that reflected his identity and passion for bespoke tailoring.
Thus, in 2009, the first single-brand AG store was opened in Knightsbridge, London. Following the opening of the flagship store in Great Britain, AG opened in Milan, Moscow, New York and Los Angeles.
It is common to bump into Angelo Galasso walking through the streets of the great cities, with a casual air, cheerful yet curious, looking for ways and styles to transform with his unmistakable touch. You might see him laughing his infectious, cheeky laugh. You can tell that he enjoys it. Like when he stands in front of the Design Museum that houses his famous ‘Polso Orologio’ Shirt in honour of Agnelli, which public opinion calls "the best piece in the world".
In the beginning, it was just a game, then it became a passion, now it is FASHION. And he will keep on doing it, and having fun with it too. |
