Nicola Formichetti

Biography: Nicola Formichetti is among the most prolific and widely accomplished creatives of his generation. He is an award-winning and acclaimed fashion designer, creative director, stylist, and editor, responsible for well-known cultural flashpoints including Lady Gaga’s “meat dress” and boundary-pushing visual campaigns. Nicola has held top design roles at Uniqlo, Diesel, Mugler, and Haus of Gaga. He has imagined visual collaborations with Pepsi, Nike, MAC, Barney’s, and H&M and had editor positions at Vogue Japan Hommes, Dazed and Confused, V, Another Magazine, Arena Homme +, and Harper's Bazaar. Nicola is also the creator of Nicopanda, a gender-neutral high-concept streetwear brand, modeled after Nicola’s own image. Underpinning all of Nicola’s creative endeavors is his unique connection and understanding of youth, street, nightlife, and international culture, drawing on his Japanese-Italian upbringing and early adulthood as a fixture in London’s club culture. Nicola uses emerging storytelling platforms to inspire and guide the next generation of free thinkers, often using emerging platforms and technology to connect with his global audience. He seamlessly bridges the gap between innovation, commercialism, and art, breathing new life into both brands and those that are inspired by his work. Nicola’s work has won international accolades. He has been twice named to Business Of Fashion’s BoF 500 list, awarded the Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator, been recognized with a Clio award, named a Fashion Innovator at Elle Style Awards, and earned three Hermes awards. For his work in the LGBTQIA+ community, Nicola was recognized as a 2018 Queero by Them magazine and honored at the 2018 Emery Awards by the Hetrick-Martin Institute.