Runway fireworks are not only fashion-related: The alchemy that brings to life what’s essentially a performance has to do with many elements that contribute to the spectacle, be it a gargantuan production or a demure affair. As Milan Fashion Week is underway, WWD sat down with , the mastermind behind international creative agency Villa Eugénie, which opened Milan headquarters in 2022 after having cemented its reputation in New York and Paris and working with such designers as Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel, Alber Elbaz, Véronique Nichanian and . Russo established Villa Eugénie in 1997 in Brussels, his hometown, after modeling for Van Noten.
Soon thereafter he solidified a creative partnership with the Antwerp-based designer, who was charmed by Russo’s multidisciplinary approach to event production and boundless curiosity. By the time Paris Fashion Week wraps on Oct. 1 Russo will have handled 15 shows between the French capital and Milan.
In the latter city, Russo’s gigs include the Boss show, to be held at the Palazzo del Senato venue on Wednesday. “It always starts from the point of view of the collection. That sometimes gives us a direction.
And sometimes we leave the point of view of the collection to come back to it a bit later,” Russo said in discussing the creative process. “It’s about taking all the elements, as disparate as they can be, and blend them in to bring the collection concept to life via a mix of set design, music, lighting, seat arrangement,�.