GUILLERMO MARIOTTO

"designer of emotions"

Creative Director of Maison Gattinoni, born in Caracas 45 years ago, Guillermo studied and graduated in the California College of Arts and Crafts in San Francisco. He travels to Europe pushed by his curiosity and desire for knowledge of art and design. He moves his first steps in Paris and London. The work with an interior design studio takes him to Milan and to the inevitable encounter with the fashion world. He becomes part of Basile's Style Office, leader of Italian fashion in the world, working for 2 years in womens pret-a-porter collections. Later he begins to work for Krizia and Dolce & Gabbana.

Art, design, color and craftsmanship are Guillermo Mariotto's chosen tools.

In 1998, in Rome, he meets Raniero Gattinoni - who was revamping the historical brand founded by Madame Fernanda Gattinoni in 1946 - and starts expressing himself in the difficult art of Couture and dress creation.

Mariotto's know-how, acquired in design, meets Maison Gattinoni's taylor tradition. Love for art and technology fused with love for the fashion world.

They debut in 1988 with Raniero Gattinoni's Haute Couture. The following collections are inspired by specific narrative ideas aiming not only to style but emotions and spirit too. After the death of Raniero Gattinoni, Guillermo Mariotto becomes Gattinoni's art director. In 1994 he greets the public with a memorable show, thanks to the collection dedicated to "Eve" who inspired the famous scene of "the naked fashion show" in Robert Altman's film "Pret a Porter". Guillermo Mariotto is behind many of Gattinoni's successful collections, in Haute Couture in Rome and Pret-a-Porter in Milan.

Guillermo Mariotto's interest for all forms of art pushed him towards the realization of costumes for Tv, film, theater and opera. Among his most notable work we remeber: “Le Ali della vita” (tv drama) directed by Stefano Reali with Sabrina Ferilli, “Soraya” (Tv series) directed by Ludovico Gasparini with Anna Valle, “Nata ieri” (theatrical performance) directed by Peppino Patroni Griffi, “ l’Angelo Azzurro” (theatrical performance) with Valeria Marini directed by Giorgio Albertazzi, “Vacanze Romane” (musical) with Serena Autieri directed by Pietro Garinei; “Madama Butterfly” in 2004 (directed by Placido Domingo, scenes by Arnaldo Pomodoro) on the commemorative centennial of Puccini's masterpiece at Torre del Lago. World preview, in San Giovanni Rotondo, “Actor Dei – l’Attore di Dio – Opera Musical” in 2007 (first musical about the life of Padre Pio directed by Giulio Costa); Scherzo Musicale “Freud Freud I love you”, music director Marco Angius, directed by Pietro Maccarinelli, music by Luca Mosca, Gianluigi Melega, premiered in Teatro Olimpico, January 15, 2009.

On sunday June 17^th 2007 Guillermo Mariotto had the honor to create the sacred vestments for His Highness Benedetto XVI during his visit to Assisi for the centenary of the St. Francis conversion. In december 2008 he realized the sculpure "L'Attesa", exposed in Assisi at St. Francis's Holy Convent.

During the Milano Moda Design event in april 2008, he presented in world premiere, the "God Chair", a chair-sculpture representing the perfect combination between design, fashion and art.

Guillermo Mariotto is careful and sensitive to social issues. Fashion becomes a tool to communicate importante messages reaching the heart of human beings. He said: "This chair is a message of hope and coexistence for all religions living in the same world". In april 2008 he is also part of the memorable parade "La Pace è di Moda" at His Excellency Gideon Meir's mansion, Israel ambassador in Italy. Here the designer presented, esclusively, a creation of peace, a tribute to the three great monotheistic religions: "Judaism, Islam and Christianity", Three dresses, three identities, three religions, three cultures together becoming One emotion to wear.

Since 2004, TV shows as "Ballando con le Stelle" and "Notti sul ghiaccio" hosted by Milly Carlucci on Rai 1, see Mariotto as a member of the jury. The participation to Miss Italia 2007 broadcasted on Rai 1, always as a jury member, made some noise, especially for his neologism, now spread worldwidly, “Lato B” (“B side”).

Miss Italia 2009 and the recent edition of 2010 feature again Mariotto as a jury member.

Guillermo Mariotto personally takes care of all the lines of Gattinoni's brand, with the cooperation of a design studio of young fashion designers and stylists.

Guillermo Mariotto - Jesùs de la Cruz - now is also a writer and author of a book named "Ballando sull'acqua" published in may 2010 by Add Editore and presented at the international Book Fair in Turin on may 13.

"This book was born from water" he sais "and in water I completely identify myself. Maybe because I feel like water, free and versatile...or because water is life. We are made of water, we need water”. The book comes from the need to explain his life and work "like climbers do as they go towards the summit of a mountain, I wanted to stop and look below and see all my life". Guillermo explains his life, from the childhood in Caracas to his adolescence in San Francisco, from his arrival in Italy and his beginnings in the fashion world.