Living with Piers Atkinson is great, I come home and the house is always full of exciting new hats. Here are the latest headband / veil combo's, made for a store run by Alan Journo in Milan, modelled by Piers, me, Reuben (my assistant), Franky and Ivy (part of Piers' sweatshop team). Some of Piers' most exciting 'made-to-order' orders have been for Alan Journo, which made me want to know more about this man and his eponymous store - so I interviewed him - enjoy!!
Tell me about yourself.
I was born in Tripoli, Libia in 1950. In 1967 I moved to Rome. It all started when as a teenager; I took a trip to London in 1968 when the city was really swinging and the music and fashion seen was really strong: the revolution. I freaked out and ended up distributing british labels in shops in Rome and Milano.
I opened my first store in Rome in Piazza di Spagna on 3 floors naming it “Camomilla” in 1972, at the age of 22, selling the most hip labels from all over the world and it was an immediate success. I then opened in Milano the first “Thierry Mugler” store in Italy in 1982 in Via della Spiga, far from being the street that is today. Then is 1986 I opened a shop called “Michelle Mabelle Milano Monamour” in Milano, also in Via della Spiga next door to the Mugler one. At the same time I also opened a “Michelle Mabelle Milano Monamour” showroom above the shop, distributing British, French and American hip designers that I was selling in my shop to lots of Italian and European boutiques.
Finally in 1996 I opened the “Alan Journo” shop.
How would you describe your store? A factory of ideas!
Who do you stock? Many young talented designers from all over the world and few established too, of course.
How do you select these designers? By immediate instinct.
Who would you say is your customer? Anybody that has humour, who is not afraid of showing off, who has style and a touch of R&R attitude.
Piers Atkinson designs a specific collection exclusively for your store, is this something you do with every designer? Not with every designer, but with few.
Who's been your most memorable customer? Sorry but I am not a name dropper!
Are there any other designers you would love to work with? I am constantly looking for new designers.
What is the future for the Alan Journo store? R&R for ever!
TEL +39 02 76001309
EMAIL: alanjourno@alanjourno.com
great headpieces. strawberries are so fun!
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