How Adriana Hot Couture Brought Her Radical Style to Milanese Pride
When Vogue first met Adriana Hot Couture, the young designer was just getting started, making waves on Instagram with her glittering accessories. Now, her pieces have been worn by Rihanna and Jared Leto, and she’s become something of a mainstream success at home in Milan and abroad. What remains, however, is the deep-seated desire to represent her beautifully diverse community of friends and creatives. At Milan’s Pride Parade this past weekend, Adriana and her collaborators decorated a flatbed float and took to the streets to preach their mission of acceptance and inclusivity—all while dressed in their best AHC looks. Here, the designer and her friends share their stories of pride.
Why did you want to participate in Milan’s Pride parade?
Adriana: It’s quite a tough time for LGBTQ+ rights in Italy, with constant attacks from institutions and in the streets, with prominent members of the current government such as Lorenzo Fontana, minister for family and disability, declaring things like “LGBT families don’t exist.” In this climate of intolerance, I really thought it was important to take a stand and be vocal. Fashion is a powerful tool, and using it to celebrate love and diversity is not only a prerogative of big brands with big budgets. I collaborated with the Mindstream Collective and we did everything ourselves, working day and night.
It was kind of like taking back, in the hands of the new generations, the power of fashion, and I think there’s a new wind coming from Milan. In Adriana Hot Couture’s case, it’s pink and glittery, but there’s much going on in terms of “fashion grassroots initiatives.” Also, in a time of self-obsession, we thought it was important that this project wasn’t only about me, it was about putting all egos aside and coming together as a community for a larger cause, all while demonstrating with facts a kind of fashion that’s not exclusive—everyone’s invited to the party.
How would you describe the LGBTQ scene in Milan?
Adriana: I asked some of the people that participated in the project and that live every day the reality of the Milanese LGBTQ scene to answer this question.
La Persia, designer and drag star: I think we have made a lot of progress to make Milan a more queer and open-minded city, but there’s still a long way to go. Many people are still afraid to get out of their comfort zone (Instagram or clubs). I try to live my queerness in my daily life, trying to be an inspiration for people who do not have the courage to wear makeup or put on a skirt in the morning. It is only for these people that I try to be as faithful as possible to myself, not caring about prejudices and opinions.
Leonardo Persico, stylist and doorman at Plastic, one of the oldest and more famous queer-friendly clubs in Milan: It’s a good moment for Milan, with many changes in the LGBTQ+ movement. It’s like we went back to the club-kids period but with a lot more freedom, with no fear, much more knowledge, and less stigmas.
Maria Plastik Doll, DJ and event organizer: Milan has fought and in the last 20 years become one of the strongest LGBTQ+ European communities. Even nightlife-wise it opened up to everyone, defeating segregation, and spreading values of tolerance. We are one of the only cities to have a district dedicated to the LGBTQ+ community, Porta Venezia, where the whole neighborhood came together in fighting prejudices.
What was the process of designing the float like? How did you choose what to do with it?
Adriana: I think when you have a clear vision and taste, you just tend to imbue it in everything you do, so the float customization just came as natural as designing a pair of gloves. I think there’s an Italian word that summarizes what I like, puccioso, which is like the Italian version of kawaii, that cuteness overload feeling, which in my case is mashed up with a rougher, handmade, punkish aesthetic. And of course, now that I collaborate steadily with the Mindstream Collective, everything is so much easier. We all work toward the same goals.
Tell me about the outfits everyone is wearing—did you design them all?
Adriana: Yes. It’s a mix of new and archival work. I wanted each outfit to tell the story of the person wearing it, underlining what made them special. I started with Sagg Napoli, because she was the fairy godmother of my first installation in Milan—when I booked and costumed a window in the gritty Duomo underground Metro station during Fashion Week—and I fell in love with her carefree attitude. So she was my Adriana’s Secret Angel, with kitschy flowery wings and a micro bikini. My other muse was La Persia, who I dress often for her performances in the Plastic club. For me, she was a huge, vibrant flower taking over half of the float because that’s just who she is: She takes over the whole scene, but in a kind, gentle way. From these outfits, I developed the other looks: Mother Nature, the Bow Girl, the three fairies, the butterflies, the alien, the cat lady. There was such a beautiful, diverse mix of people.
What was the best part of being in Milan Pride?
Adriana: I think the best person to answer this question is Luca, the photographer who captured the vibe of our Milan pride, but I also wanted to quote the dad of one of the girls in the float who was there as a legal representative. He’s 75, this was his first gay pride, and he sent us a thank-you e-mail that made me cry. He said he could never imagine an event like this when he was young, where everyone came together to just show love and set aside every prejudice: “I just saw so many people out there dancing, having fun and just wanting to make the world a better place. I am looking forward with joy to the next Gay Pride.”
Luca Anzalone, photographer: Sometimes you keep looking for something, and then suddenly you realize everything you need is just a step away from you. All that genuine sense of freedom that fills the gaps—there were so many unique souls that were almost addictive to be around with. For a moment I just left aside any thoughts, fears, or worries about the past or the future, and I let myself sink into that present moment of happiness surrounding me. When you’re around people so special and confident about who they are, you just can’t help but feel inspired.
Inspired to be brave, to dare, to let your imagination finally connect with your inner self and then rest. I felt like being home that day; I felt there was a will to be part of a bigger ideal that could liberate our voices from stereotypes and limits of expressions. Everywhere I looked at just seemed the most alive subject matter I could ever wish to photograph. It was emotional, not sterile, not just pretending to be. It was, it really was. The Milan pride has been one of the most intense shootings I have ever done because you feel the pressure of the emotions rolling, but in a way you hold on, and then the magic happens.
Originally Appeared on Vogue
