Meet Emanuele Paglioni

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Emanuele Paglioni. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Emanuele, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?

I think resilience is the only path to success. You have to understand that this isn’t a sprint, it’s not about who runs the 100 meters first, but who reaches the finish line, and that’s not after 100 meters. I once heard a phrase that stuck with me, and I think it perfectly describes the concept of resilience: “If you really care, the last time you try will always be the second to last.” Besides understanding that resilience is the right path to follow, another feeling that drives me to be resilient is revenge: I have to get where I want to get to prove to everyone who didn’t believe in me, to everyone who didn’t believe in me, that I actually can do it, and I will. Precisely because people, even those closest to me, didn’t believe in me, I began to ask myself “why?” Then, after a long journey within myself, I realized something: I am different. I’ve always felt this way, at home, at school, in sports. I always looked where others were afraid to look, where others were even afraid to imagine. So I started this project, Umor Nero. I learned over time that being different is actually a blessing, and I treasured it, starting to use it in my work. Now people respect me because I’m different, now people remember me because I’m different, but there was a time when I didn’t feel comfortable… now I’m proud of it! And I keep repeating that if a project or a path is different, it’s not wrong, it’s just different. Always be yourself, even if it means making others turn up their noses, even if it means being different, and use the bad experiences of your life as fuel; transform darkness into light, don’t be afraid to do it, because it’s possible.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

Umor Nero is an emerging phenomenon, yet different and innovative. The name itself suggests what we want to convey… During a dark period in my life, I began a case study with myself as a patient, trying to understand what was wrong with me. I began researching online, eventually discovering Hippocrates. He had written this fascinating theory about the human body, the four humors: The human body, according to humoral theory, contains four essential fluids: blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile. Health depended on the balance of these humors. An excess of black bile was believed to be the main cause of a melancholic temperament, associated with sadness, anxiety, and deep reflection. Those affected by this excess of black bile suffered from melancholy, and consequently had a “umor nero” (Black Humor). Fascinated by all this, I decided to transform my black humor into something beyond my sadness/depression—in fact, to use it as fuel. Passionate about the world of fashion, I combined my fuel, this study of Hippocrates with my passion for fashion, thus creating Umor Nero. This project has many meanings, one of which is that from darkness you can always reach the light, even when it seems impossible. Over time, I realized that this project went beyond the simple concept of “fashion,” also because, frankly, I never understood anything about it. So from there, I realized that… Umor Nero is not fashion! It’s a message, an introspective journey within yourself, a mirror… Look inside yourself, find in my pain, a part of yours. We manage to transform this beautiful concept from words into something concrete during our runway, because they are not runway. They are performances that create a union between two completely different art forms: fashion and dance, accompanied by classical music that reaches deep inside you and speaks directly to the heart. After my fashion shows, I’ve received comments like: “You made me cry,” and in my opinion, that is worth much more than likes and followers. Interactions with other people’s emotions will always remain the loudest applause.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

There aren’t three best qualities to have or develop; only one matters: obsession. You have to be obsessed with your goal; you can’t think about anything else. To get where you want to go, you have to set a goal that seems impossible, and start building, brick by brick.
“You have to eat the dream
You have to sleep the dream
You have to dream the dream
You gotta touch
You have to see it when nobody else sees it
You have to feel it when it’s not tangible
You have to believe it when you cannot see it
You gotta be possessed with the dream.”
And I’d like to emphasize that you can have all the talent in the world, but obsession will always beat talent.

Do you think it’s better to go all in on our strengths or to try to be more well-rounded by investing effort on improving areas you aren’t as strong in?

I had the perfect experience to tell this story on this topic.
I recently finished my first real collection; 10 tailored pieces, with innovative details, like the pant closure featuring the brand’s initials “U.N.” Made of steel, it interlocks and closes the pants. This collection cost me everything I had. Once it was produced, my supplier and mentor, Matteo Cesarotti, who also owns a Chronos Corps brand, asked me a simple but sensible question: “If you’ve invested all your money in producing the garments, how will you sponsor them?” I hadn’t thought about it. I was broke, without any money, and with no idea how to succeed. This “hitting rock bottom” put me in a position where either I had to find a way to get noticed, or I would fail… Thus began the “All In” project, where you’re not allowed to be afraid to ask, or afraid to do, or afraid to take risks. You don’t have time to think, or be afraid. You just have to do it. With this approach, I created the performance that now distinguishes me, my signature style. If I hadn’t taken risks, I wouldn’t have had to find a way to excel, to hold my head up, to be the black sheep. I’m very much in favor of the “All In” philosophy. Remember, life is one, take risks, don’t be afraid. Memento Mori…

Contact Info:

• Website: https://umornero.it
• Instagram: @umor.nero / @emanuele.paglioni

Image Credits

@albelascala @brigham.media @jth.ph @findingxelle @rasco_sc