HUMANWONDER.MAG INTERVIEW / @ggtrotter @kozmolaze
HW: Can you introduce yourself?
AZ: My name is Alessandro, I am 26 years old and I am from Rome, I graduated from Aviation school because my childhood dream was to drive airplanes. I graduated but I lately understood that was not the right path for me.
I’ve been always attracted by business, having a family background developed on it. So I started working in a company where I co-managed company management, for 4 years. In those years I learned many things that then allowed me to start the project of my dreams: a space that spoke of my passions, that are: sneakers, fashion, art and everything related to the creativity and expression of the individual.
HW: How would you describe your lifestyle?
AZ: My lifestyle is quite hectic, I don’t have schedules. In fact I am always late for many things: such as meals, sleep and appointments. This happens because I often get distracted by situations, I get obsessed and I lose track of time.
I am a very active person, My mind is as well. I like how my brain explores situations to draw conclusions and experiment with new solutions.
HW: Who introduced you to the world of sneakers?
AZ: I don’t remember exactly but I once started collecting sneakers and the passion grew with me. When I was about 10 years old, I remember crying a month long to get my parents to buy me that pair of shoes that I had seen some of my classmates wearing: the Nike Total 90, the football shoes (I never practiced soccer anyways…). I remember going to Cisalfa and getting lost within the walls of exposed shoes. So little by little I got closer to that world, but at the time I still didn’t know how vast it was. It was the period of the Airmax97, of the Nike TN known as the Shark and the Shox. Growing up and doing odd jobs here and there, I began to have a little economic independence, from there I was able to cultivate this passion more and more, turning it into work.
HW: What are you obsessed with right now?
AZ: I am obsessed with hunger: I am a person who demands a lot, from himself and from others. I am not easily satisfied or rather, I always think more can be done.
HW: What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?
AZ: Maybe it’s cynical, but growing up and entering the world of work I understood the meaning of the phrase my father used to tell me when I started working: NEVER show ALL you are.
At first, I didn’t understand, but then I understood the meaning. In life we meet people who enrich us and people who deceive us, to completely show who we are make us vulnerable. I think we should all preserve our inner resources for ourselves ONLY.
HW: What do you read to stay updated about the latest collab/trends?
AZ: Additionally to my personal research, I follow Highsnobiety, Sneakernews and niche IG pages of people passionate about street-fashion culture and beyond. In my opinion nowadays, we have lost a bit the concept of paper magazines, where in reality there are many insights.
I would certainly recommend I-D Magazine, Dazed and Confused or Hypebeast Magazine.
HW: Where does Kozmo Laze come from?
AZ: Kozmo Laze was born in Rome, from the union of multiple voices in a single environment. Our main focus is the world of fashion which is actually closely connected to the artistic and musical world.
Kozmo Laze is the voice of the new generation, contaminated by a nostalgic and multicultural background, centered on the search for new evolved trends without losing its roots. We give space to emerging realities, we encourage the expression and communication of ideas by creating a shop window and a shopping experience in hand, thus allowing anyone to approach this world.
HW: What’s your best advice for someone who wants to do what you do?
AZ: DO NOT DO IT! joke.. all beautiful things are never simple. The only advice I can give is to have a lot of patience, do a lot of research, be curious and have a lot of passion. Time and effort always pay off! So never get overwhelmed by the first difficulties that will surely be found during the path. Perseverance is basic.
HW: What do you think is your biggest personal or professional success so far?
AZ: For now, the greatest success is surely having been able to transform an idea into concreteness and have had the opportunity to show it to the whole world. The road is long, but having started it is already a flag flying high!
HW: How would you describe your work?
AZ: I would describe my work as the bridge that connects the concept to consumption: interacting with brands, understanding and marrying their belief to bring it to the final consumer is a great responsibility and being able to make it appreciated is the greatest satisfaction.
HW: What is the dream?
AZ: Contribute to the creation of an international project that can make a difference in the sector.
HW: What is your biggest fear?
AZ: Can’t think anymore.
HW: What do you think of the link between psychology and art?
AZ: I think art is a mean of entering the artist’s mind and psychology and interpreting it.
