We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lawrence Pizzi a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Lawrence, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What do you think Corporate America gets wrong in your industry?

Corporate America is based mainly on greed and ROI (return on investment). But fashion and especially slow luxury is a sector of the economy that hurts the population and environment when ROI and greed are the driving forces. I am going to piss a lot of people off with what I am going to say, but Fashion is a European Artform, while American Fashion is true merchandising (the selling of a commodity).

Let me explain in further details. The American labels offer a white shirt, each season you can rely on that white shirt being almost identical to the last one you purchased. The quality is somewhat the same, along with the price. You buy it and wear it like you always have. To me, this is just like underwear, socks, orange juice, soap – we need it, buy it, use it till it’s done and we replace it. This cycle plays out with little influx of trends (design/cultural/economical).

On the other hand, European Fashion (although strongly influenced by the US margin gains $$$), is still more of an art form. Trends and new ideas tend to drive the market, with clients purchasing (voting) with creativity and newness being the driving force. Also, European investors approach Fashion differently. Instead of ROI, they invest with a legacy building mindset. They work to building wealth for their children, letting their money re-invest and grow.

This is what I see as the problem with US Corporations whenever they try to invest in fashion. They want a fast turn around, but fashion in an investment into the future.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am Canadian born to immigrant parents. After growing up in several cities in Europe, I finished high school in the US, just outside of Philadelphia. I chose fashion, and my parents decided that I should be trained to actually make clothes before designing them. While waiting for a spot in a Milano school to open up, I learned Specialized Fashion Merchandising in Philadelphia. Then finally I attended the Marangoni Milano school and graduated. Upon graduating, I worked for several large labels/designers in the US, Canada, Italy, France, Spain, Hong Kong, Brazil, and also smaller firms worldwide.

I was very aware of the Fashion Industry, and it’s UGLY FACE. In the 8Os I was anti-fur until I was sent to a fur trading post and say actual families sell their pelts, then use their money to buy supplies before heading back to their villages in the frozen northern tundra. The constant travel to offshore factories exposed me to inhuman working conditions, unhealthy chemicals, child labor, and below human wages. With creative solutions that didn’t affect the bottom line, I was able to implement life changing standards that are still being practiced (or at least I hope they still are).

While working for a large denim producer, I traveled to southern China’s Guangdong province and saw the Pearl River Delta completely colored dark denim blue! This along with the plastic waste along all the roads and rivers left me very unsettled and prompted me to stop contributing to all this. Since the 2010s I have been able to source recycled fabrics that helped me sleep at night, but once the Coronavirus closed down the world, I was able to develop and offer life changing fabrics. Plastic waste collected from the Pacific Ocean, Toxic Medical Plastics, cement, and even glass & mirrors are transformed into fibres that are then woven or knitted into luxury fabrics. Every component of my garments are recycled – buttons, zipper teeth, cord stops are all recycled cardboard. My mother pearl buttons are food industry waste. All the elastics and bungee cords used to be XL industrial truck tires. Even with my office supplies, I only use paper and business cards that are recycled apple cider waste.

I have created a Zero Carbon Footprint collection that could eventually become a Negative Carbon Footprint collection if only what I needed and used would be produced in NYC. I take great pride in this, not only offering beautiful well crafted garments but to also help chip away a little part of what the fashion industry has been causing worldwide. Knowing my suppliers help reassure my commitment to fair trade and actual living wages are practiced and enjoyed by everyone involved with my product.

Zero Carbon Footprint – a term I embrace proudly that actually means… My products help stop the omissions of carbon into the ecosystems of our planet. The energy (carbon) used to recycle and create the garments offsets the carbon that would have been re-introduced once they were actually dumped into a landfill, or even worst burned! A cutting edge dying and printing process using powders eliminate any chemical run off that normally occurs. I ONLY PRODUCE garments that are purchased – this eliminated any overruns and waste. All scraps from the cutting floor are collected and returned to the mills to be recycled again.

Lawrence Pizzi NYC is in the process of creating and maintaining an ID document for your garments. With proper documentation throughout the life of your garment, we can identify what was recycled from where. Who did what, AND – most importantly – we will update the end of life for all our products. This info will help you take better care of your garments and also help you dispose of it in an earth kind manner. Türkiye is well on their way to building the first multi-fibre recycling plant in the world. Once online, this will change garment recycling.

Actual numbers and info can be found on my website www.LawrencePizzi.com along with pics and where you can see my designs. We have been offering garments for sale using what is called “A DROP”. With fabrics arriving now and then, we can cut a sample and then offer it. Once all the fabric is used up, we remove the DROP. We will start collection emails to offer limited pre-drop access to new products, as they sell fast. We offer a limited “one size fits most” with strategic elastics and cords that help control the fit and look. This email collection is not activated yet, but after reading this article, just contact me using my site and I will gladly add you.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn many of the fashion industry’s rules in production and runway presentation. Having worked for large labels, production has always been a logistics game. Ordering everything, booking the factory, shipment all the way to the stores, is a special dance that at best is almost the same every two to three weeks. The runways all ran almost the same, with venue limitations dictating variations with procedures.

Let me start with production. I now produce garments as they are sold to eliminate over production. This has me working completely outside any fashion industry norm. Even what they call as DUPS (making duplicate sample sets for showrooms and PR closets all at once), I had to learn how to find, train and keep sewings to help produce a quality product. Factory owners hear my set-up and run away because they live off of repetitious quantity. They also limit the seamstress’ potential.

With Runway norms, I was always playing with the standards. Letting my models smile, and actually have fun on the runways. My biggest “A-HA” moment happened about 6 months ago, at an event. I was scheduled to show at 7pm, with other artists displaying their artwork before and after me. Well, there were 2 artists scheduled after me, but they didn’t arrive at the venue. Just as I was about to start walking my models, I was asked to make my show last as long as I could. I walked my models slowly. As my last model stepped onto the catwalk, I was told to extend my show another 20 to 30 minutes because an artist is arriving soon. Soooo, I looked at the models and told them that we are going to play with the audience. You all walk out, clap and smile. Then go to a side of the runway and sit down. I will come out, and we take it from there.

I walked out waving and taking my bows… Then I pulled out a mic, introduced myself and my zero carbon footprint bla bla bla. I was blank faces, so I followed up with, “And what does that all mean?” Everybody laughed, and I started explaining how my garments help reduce our carbon footprint. With glazed looks staring back at me, I reached and called out, “Emily, please stand, get off the runway and stand on the regular floor.” I explained what the fibers used to be and said, “Emily, walk into the audience and let everybody feel your garments”. I then quickly announced, “Maria, now you stand…” she started walking to the audience as I talked about her garments… then one by one each model stood and walked. That was when, I understood that looking is ok, but a complete experience is what my garments needed to be understood! People asked my models about the comfort and feel. They also noticed detailed that they could not see on the runway. This has changed my approach. 3 months ago I took my collection to Italy, France and Türkiye… After learning the Eco Lingo in both Italian and French, I started creating visual aides that could be understood with little to no writing. I had a few that I created for my posts online, but now my collection is growing every day.

Can you open up about a time when you had a really close call with the business?

Hmmmm, 911. I was about to show my collection in NYFWeek, with over $1 million of production fabric under my roof, the towers came crumbling down… and so did my world. My mother’s IT company lost 12 employees in WTC, all close family friends. I has to fly to Paris to show in ParisFW and changed my show. Jean, my Parisian showroom salesman, was very worried about showing. I stripped everything back. Just the clothes, and no makeup. A white paste as applied on everybody’s heads and lots of baby powder on the shoes. They walked out to no music, just the tape of the NYPD talking after the 1st tower was hit. At the end, each model had a different country’s flag that they carried out, but placed on my shoulders to show solidarity. I CRIED THE ENTIRE SHOW, and I took my fastest bow ever.

Returning to NYC, I walked into complete disaster. Jean praised my show (along with media), but not one buyer booked an appointment. After a bit (Pres Bush announced US forces invading) every single order was cancelled. I was standing in a showroom with no income, 25 employees, and worthless fabrics. Most of my employees used to work with me, and were fired with me, so we had history. They all worked and produced every last garment as ordered. Then 3 of them proposed that we go travel down south. They already booked a trip to Mexico City, Panama City, Buenos Aires, and finally LA. We showed, sold every single garment, and even returned with orders. I continued, all because of my employees not giving up on me. They told me that I hired them when they all knew they would have never been hired anywhere else. Who would hire a 60 yr old tailor???

Jean closed his showroom. I regrouped and started selling in Pacific Asia & Europe… And my tailors retired one by one, but not after training my next generation of sewers.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.LawrencePizzi.com
• Instagram: @lawrencepizzi
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61568498724655 www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569953653092
• Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/lawrencepizzi/
• Youtube: @lawrencepizzi7067
• Other: https://pinterest.com/lawrencepizzi/