Mrs Castiglioni, you rarely give interviews and generally avoid being the centre of attention. Why?

I prefer my work to speak for itself. Marni is designed with a special audience in mind, women with a certain sensibility. It’s not about age, or status, but it’s the will to use clothes to express feelings.

Who is the Marni woman?

A self-confident individual who dresses for herself. The Marni woman has a sophisticated approach to style, not necessarily fashion-driven, but based on a strong identity and a personal vision. She is curious and always happy experimenting.

Can you describe your creative process?

The creation of a collection generally starts with the research of a fabric or a material. I am fascinated by the way different textures, colours and prints can define or change a look. Colour, print and architectural shapes are central to my work, they highlight a form or give a new meaning to an item. I work intuitively, using my instinct as a design tool.

Are there any places that you return to for inspiration?

I spend my summers in the Balearic island of Formentera, where we have a house that is my refuge. I love the uncontaminated, dry, sunburnt landscapes. I love the mountains in winter as I am fond of skiing.

Does being a woman designer give you a different perspective?

The approach is more personal. I can try things on, and I actually do, testing items as we go along. As a woman designing for other women, I can tell what works and what doesn’t; I would never put something unwearable in the collection.

How has the luxury industry changed since you first launched Marni in 1994?

It has grown on a big, blown-up scale that sometimes makes things less emotional. I have the immense freedom to work in a family-run business, which gives me the possibility to create freely in a supportive and cocoon-like environment.

What’s the best part about working with family?

My husband Gianni is the CEO, my daughter Carolina is the director of Marni.com and Giovanni, my son, works in the retail department. It is very gratifying to work all together. It’s like an open dialogue fuelled on passion and attention, with everyone adding their experience and ideas. This way creativity and business can be as one.

Why the name Marni?

That is a family thing too; it is the nickname of Marina, my husband’s sister.

How will launching a fragrance help evolve the Marni brand?

The launch of the perfume will add another element to the Marni world. This new step is organic to my vision of the brand; it is the olfactory rendition of the playfulness and the unpredictability that characterises our collections. It is at once subtle, individual and bold. A perfume changes slightly from person to person and becomes truly individual. The perfume will make the Marni message truly multi-sensorial and complete the Marni aesthetic.

What is the significance of the bottle shape?

I wanted something that was at once classic and timeless, yet a bit ‘off’. I used red for the small cap as an accent, and added dots as a screen on the bottle, like a signature Marni print. I like how all these elements interact in an object that is at once familiar and new. The name, Bambolina, with its soft shape creates a quirky contrast with the clean, archetypal line of the bottle.

What vision comes to mind when you smell the Marni fragrance?

A world of contrasts, a subtle and unexpected composition of elements. The fragrance has almost a graphic appeal and just like the clothes I design, it is unpredictably feminine. I chose rose, blonde woods and red spices to be the key notes because of the olfactory dialogue they create with one another - a counterpoint of dry peaks and feminine curves.

What is your first memory of scent?

It’s the memory of the scent my mum was wearing as I was growing up in Switzerland. I can’t locate it or name it, it is just a fading idea, but a persistent one.

What is the Marni signature, in perfume and fashion?

I like to call it silent elegance.

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