Rosanna Ocampo is a real-life firecracker. High-spirited yet warm, the designer can be likened to an infectious ball of energy that never fails to lift the atmosphere of the room. Authentic and unafraid to standout, it's this distinct signature that forges the maximalist ethos behind her designs.
Studio Rosanna Ocampo was established with go-getters and multi-hyphenates in mind, like a sartorial celebration of living life boldly and chasing your passions without fear or restraint. From graphic prints, larger than life executions, and of course, a vibrant tapestry of colors, Rosanna has embraced the "more is more" approach throughout her tenure.
To mark her special 15th year milestone, she decided to honor her designing journey, the RO woman, as well as one of her life’s greatest inspirations: Italy. ICYDK, Rosanna trained at the prestigious Istituto Marangoni and her planned one year stay quickly became five as she fell deeper in love with the country and its culture.
Read all about her very personal Amore Mio collection below!
Preview Creative Spotlight: Rosanna Ocampo on Her 15th Anniversary Collection
What was your general creative vision for your 15th anniversary collection and how is it connected to your design ethos?
"My vision for the 15th year was growth, and I'm happy to say we achieved it. One of our goals in 2023 was to target [a younger demographic and expand our market to] from 25 and up, which is why we expanded to include chains to body suits. [We also explored offering pieces] in more affordable points, but still catering to the RO girl. We were just trying to have a broader range, and we were able to do that successfully."
I'm happy to say that we were even able to go up to age 60 because of outdoor wear. We kept expanding [our reach] and we were able to target the younger crowd too, because of our jeans, our lower price body suits, and a few tops."
You mentioned that you were greatly inspired by Italy and that you wanted to translate their passion into your pieces. How did you come up with choosing the traditional and modern Italian aesthetic?
"I wanted to do a classic traditional Italian feel, which is definitely brocade. That’s the whole romance. It's the old Italy with the monochrome [colorway and the intricate patterns] like floral brocade, which is super romantic. But if I did that alone, it would feel a bit heavy and stuffy, which is why I had to integrate something new to it.
Our brand is not a classic brand. We don't focus on the classics, it's really not us. So how could I possibly make that brocade relevant to the image of my brand now?"
We integrated those modern velvet bows on new ones that have changed the look of the classic brocade. We've added fringe to the brocade mini short dress, which I named after the pioneer in social media, Chiara Ferragni, who happens to be Italian. To see the contrast between old and new, I wanted to choose a material that was ultra modern, and that was mesh."
What are the main design elements tying together your collection? Are there any specific fabrics, materials, motifs, silhouettes, or colors that defined your collection?
"If you look at it closely, they're all tied together by colors. The old and new both have a velvet element, and they're blended together with the colors I chose."
What does it mean for you to be designing for 15 years for the RO girl?
"It is the biggest privilege because I've seen them grow with me from the beginning. They've also developed their own style through the years. They've become older, more confident, and they've evolved, just like I did. A lot of the people are close in age, give or take five years. And the best thing I always say about the job is the real friends that I have made born from this industry."
Can you share any fun fact or unknown trivia about any of your pieces?
"I’m going to focus on the Timothee Blazer, the three-way blazer worn by Issa Pressman during an event. We really wanted it to be an androgynous oversized piece, and we're [glad that we were] actually able to target that."
A bit of trivia is that the flower was inspired by our laser cut flower from [our first designs]. We were doing our pom-pom from year three or four, and we stopped doing it for a long time. I thought, 'How can I bring it back?' It has to come back on this milestone year. The pom-pom was so iconic for us, so we made it into a giant super-sized flower, which is the one seen on the new blazer."
Congratulations and more power, Rosanna!
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