Alessandro Squarzi
Founder & Creative Director, Fortela
Italian entrepreneur, style icon and vintage collector, Alessandro Squarzi has spent a lifetime building a wardrobe and a philosophy on his own terms. Through Fortela he makes garments the way they used to be made — and the watches on his wrist follow the same instinct: personal, lived-in, never chosen to please anyone else.
Your style has become instantly recognisable in contemporary men’s and women’s fashion. How would you describe the relationship between clothing and identity in your life?
Ever since I was a child, I’ve never followed trends or paid attention to how other people dressed. Partly because I had friends who could afford certain things that I couldn’t. As a result, I’ve always dressed the way I wanted to.
The relationship between clothing and identity has always been something deeply personal to me.
At home in Fortela
Fortela seems rooted in memory, history and permanence rather than trends. Much of your work celebrates garments that age gracefully and develop character over time. Why is that?
Because we make products exactly as they used to be made.
In the past, clothes were made to last: to work in, to go out in during the evening, to really live in. In fact, often there wasn’t even a fabric composition label, because it was simply taken for granted that the materials used were of the highest quality.
Fortela is nothing more than that: making things the way they used to be made.
Watches often reveal something deeply personal about the people who wear them. You have an extraordinary collection, which we also get to see on social media. How did it begin? What role have watches played in your life? What do you look for when choosing your next watch?
My collection began when I was a child and desperately wanted a watch. When I received one for my First Communion, it was already broken after a day and a half. That’s where my love for this extraordinary object began.
The truth is, it’s a collection that I love. I never do anything to please other people. I always try to do things that bring me personal satisfaction.
Watches are a passion of mine, and I’m very happy that my daughter shares that passion too.
Generally, I don’t go looking for a particular watch to add to the collection. When I see something I really like, and I can afford it, I buy it.
The collection, worn daily
Could you tell us which five watches you would most like to own today, if you could choose absolutely anything?
The truth is, I already own all the watches I’ve ever wanted. Today, quite honestly, there’s nothing, particularly among new watches, that really makes my heart race.
Everyday carry
Who do you admire, or where do you draw your inspiration from?
First and foremost, my father. He has always been my mentor and my inspiration.
Then, of course, cinema. When we were young, we didn’t have Instagram. We had films. Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Marcello Mastroianni…
Cinema has profoundly influenced the style I have today.
We know from personal experience that Fortela garments are of exceptional quality and that the welcome in Fortela boutiques is impeccable. How do you manage not only to achieve these standards, but also to maintain them over time?
We built the brand on these very foundations.
When someone walks into Fortela, they’re not simply entering a shop or a boutique. They’re entering a sanctuary, a club, a home.
The welcome should be the same as you would give someone coming to your house for lunch or dinner: making them feel at home. That’s our philosophy.
Fatto a mano — the Fortela boutique
Italian couture has always had a unique relationship with elegance and craftsmanship. How do you think Italian style complements the other influences in your aesthetic, such as American and Japanese interpretations of heritage fashion?
Ever since I was little, I used to borrow my father’s jackets and coats. He had everything made by a tailor. I would then combine them with pieces I found at vintage markets.
Today, Fortela is exactly that mix: Italian tailoring and attention to detail blended with America.
Your influences range from military history to motorcycles, denim to jewellery, tailoring to travel. Which experiences or passions outside fashion have most influenced your outlook on life?
Travel has opened my mind. Cinema introduced me to a whole world when I was young.
I remember seeing Top Gun for the first time and spotting the Porsche Speedster. I told myself that one day I would own one. And that’s exactly what happened.
Reading, travelling and watching films have given me the opportunity to interpret all these different influences.
Motorcycles were another enormous passion of mine, but I put that aside when my daughter was born. I was rather reckless on a motorcycle, so I decided it was time to stop.
The Porsche Speedster he promised himself
Looking back, which moments in your professional or personal journey have been the most defining in shaping your creative development?
When I look back, I think about where I started: with nothing.
I remember moments when I would sit in my car crying because I didn’t have enough money for petrol to get home, or even to buy cigarettes.
My creativity grew out of those very difficulties. From never taking anything for granted and learning to appreciate and value everything I gradually managed to achieve and acquire.
And every day, I’m grateful for that.
What continues to inspire or excite you today in the same way it did twenty or thirty years ago?
Passion. The love I have for what I do and what I believe in.
I believe that working with love is the greatest driving force behind continuing to do what you love.
I could never do something that felt forced or that wasn’t truly part of who I am. Passion is what drives me.
Beyond fashion and business, what would you like to be remembered for?
It would be wonderful if, one day, just as we now have images of Steve McQueen or Paul Newman, recognised as icons, I could leave behind something similar.
And I think it would be an advantage for my daughter too. If one day she decides to auction off my watches, clothes or cars, at least I’ll know I haven’t left her with a problem.
With his daughter
What is your next challenge?
There are several… but I’m not telling you.
Why did you decide to give us this interview? After all, you didn’t really need to. You can be honest…
I’ve always believed in new initiatives and new projects.
If I can make even a small contribution, why not?
Mulholland Watch Club · Interviews