Nikki Di Nello can cook, draw, design, and so much more! She is full of talent and takes huge inspiration from her Italian family. Let’s hear what she has to say about her upcoming collection for the Illinois State Fashion Show on April 13th!
Her Campus: Have you always been a fashion major?
Nikki Di Nello: No, I applied for the fashion program my sophomore year but knew since I was a little girl that it was my number one passion.
HC: Why do you love fashion?
Nikki: Fashion is so much fun. It is nonverbal communication, you can tell people who you are without even opening your mouth. You can never stop learning in this field. Two styles may be similar but no two styles are exactly the same and that is what I love about fashion.
HC: What do you like to do in your free time?
Nikki: My favorite thing to do in my free time is to cook. I am pretty sure my recipe board on Pinterest is my biggest. I rarely eat frozen food because I actually enjoy the process of cooking and the presentation, obviously.
HC: What is the inspiration behind your collection?
Nikki: The inspiration behind my Legacy collection is my ancestors and relatives. Family is the single most important thing to me in my life and my family is very close regardless of distance. With them being immigrants and coming from a big Italian family, my cooking reflects the colors and patterns of Italy with a modern twist. four of my great grandparents were tailors and two even had their own tailoring school, and I really want my collection to reflect our similarities even after many generations apart.
HC: What is something interesting about yourself that sets your apart from other designers?
Nikki: Something I would say about myself that differentiates me from most designers is my artwork. I do not let many people see my artwork and when it comes to my designs, I am very to private. I have dozens and dozens of notebooks with inspiration and designs and I have probably let a total of five people see fifteen percent of it.
HC: Who is your biggest fashion inspiration?
Nikki: I have many but I will only name a few because I can’t pick just one. A few people who inspire me are Steven Meisel, Riccardo Tisci, Jonathan Anderson, Paulo Almeida & Marta Marques and Clare Waight Keller. I love them all for very different reasons.
HC: Give us a little idea about what we can expect to see in your collection.
Nikki: You can expect lots of colors, patterns like stripes and florals, graphics and Italian street wear. Honestly, you can expect to be confused, but it is all cohesive I promise.
HC: I am obsessed with street wear and I know that your designs are going to be beautiful!