August 8, 2011 |
FROM THE VAULT (WINTER 2010)
ADAM IEZZI: FOUNDER, AI
“I met 2nd Lucy from Neighbours in line for a free concert in Melbourne… she confirmed Kylie & Jason were an item,” says Iezzi’s Twitter page. It is from such humble, starstruck beginnings that greatness springs.
WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT DO YOU DO? WHERE ARE YOU BASED? DO YOU HAVE A JOB TITLE? WHAT IS IT?
“I run a fashion PR agency based in Soho, London, called AI.”
HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN PR? WHERE DID YOU FIRST DIP YOUR TOE INTO THE WATERS OF FASHION?
“I studied in Tokyo when I was younger and the Japanese obsession with fashion rubbed off on me. When I returned to Melbourne, my hometown, I got a job as an assistant buyer. It wasn’t really buying so much as copying designers from abroad, so I moved to London. It was there that I fell into PR.”
ANY CAREER HIGHS? WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS YOUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT? PROUDEST MOMENT?
“Getting through the recession without making any of my staff redundant.”
ANY UNMITIGATED DISASTERS? WHAT WERE THEY? DETAILS PLEASE.
“I was holding my client’s BFC new designer of the year award – a large Swarovski crystal. Later, outside the V&A, I dropped it. People tried in vain to collect the shards, including editors from Vogue, and several people looked at me with disdain – it was like I’d dropped a baby.
“Also I once turned up to the dinner of a denim client in Levi’s 501s. I lost the account soon after.”
IF YOU WEREN’T YOU, WHO OR WHAT WOULD YOU BE? WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE AS A CHILD?
“I alternated between wanting to be a writer and an artist as a child. There is still time to do both later.”
DO YOU LIVE THE LIFE OF A JET-SETTER? WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY IN YOUR LIFE LOOK LIKE? WHAT DID YOU DO YESTERDAY, FOR EXAMPLE?
“Does the Eurostar count? Yesterday I was in Paris with a colleague. We met Jessica Ogden for lunch – Jessica designs APC Madras, which we represent – and we previewed her new collection – really cute. After, we chose the press collection for Repetto, which is always fun. Sadly, it was back to London the same day, but we did manage to share a bottle of champagne on the return leg.”
DO YOU HAVE A MOTTO OR A MANTRA THAT YOU REPEAT TO YOURSELF ON A DAILY BASIS?
“Currently, it’s Ain’t Got No, I Got Life by Nina Simone.”
ARE YOU A TOUGH COOKIE OR A PUSHOVER? IF WE ASKED YOUR EMPLOYEES TO DESCRIBE YOU, WHAT WOULD THEY SAY?
“In my mind I am a tough cookie, but in reality I am a complete pushover.”
WHAT’S NEXT ON THE AGENDA?
“A bigger office and more holidays.”
by Natalie Dembinska
Photograph by Maria Ziegelboek – www.mariaziegelboek.com
