Queer Fashion Beyond Aesthetics: Interviewing Lorenzo Seghezzi
Lorenzo Seghezzi presentation at Fondazione Sozzani
What makes queer fashion authentic?
Lorenzo Seghezzi is a rising voice and talent who deep-dives into the complexities of the queer scene and the lives that shape it, not only in the Italian landscape but globally. For his new seasonless collection, Lorenzo staged the presentation of Epitelio at Fondazione Sozzani for the first time during the Milan Fashion Week calendar, introducing an immersive experience into what body dysmorphia and gender dysphoria mean. It’s a story that speaks about self-perception and the discomfort faced daily by queer people, but especially transgender individuals.
Today, the transgender community is probably facing one of the most challenging times in history. In the United States, transgender people have reached a new low and are currently receiving updated passports stating their original biological gender. Most recently, the U.S. Department of Defense issued a directive to identify and separate transgender service members from the military under President Trump’s mandate. In Italy, on the other hand, there are also continuous struggles and bureaucratic blockages preventing transgender people from having a more fluid recognition of their rights. While Italian law allows transgender people to change their legal name and gender, the process requires a court ruling that can be very lengthy compared to other European countries. Likewise, access to healthcare and hormone therapy varies by region, with long waiting times and inconsistent medical support. The most unsettling part is that there is still no national law protecting against transphobic hate crimes, and workplace discrimination remains a major issue.
The silhouettes in the collection were deliberately misplaced and distorted as a way to symbolize bodies searching for a form they have yet to find. Some garments were purposely detached from the body to illustrate a sense of detachment from it. Handmade corsets play a very important role in Lorenzo Seghezzi’s vision, as they can either represent the necessity of enhancing a figure or the reality of feeling constrained within a single aesthetic and gender conformity. The juxtaposition he uses between feminine and masculine elements is very present in this collection. The representation looked so real that it makes you question why society needs to cause such an immense amount of distress rather than prioritizing the mental health and physical well-being of all people. Why does there need to be so much bureaucracy? And what does society gain from limiting transgender people’s lives?
Lorenzo Seghezzi’s collection should be seen as an attempt at an open dialogue to better understand the fluidity of being and freedom of expression. The scene for his presentation was a combination of his designs and his most treasured objects from his family—all holding beautiful memories of Lorenzo’s childhood, perhaps symbolizing his desire for the queer world and that of older generations to build an equal future together. His sharp and consistent storytelling translates into sartorial design, making it impossible not to feel goosebumps when seeing his work in person. His work not only represents a strong and resilient community but also a vision for a more positive future.
Lorenzo Seghezzi’s presentation at Fondazione Sozzani