Massimo Cantini Parrini, the Florentine costume designer winner of the David di Donatello 2025 for best costumes

Our interview with the designer whose art tells stories through clothes

Costume and couture, illusion and reality, past and present, this and much more coexists in the universe of Massimo Cantini Parrini, an internationally renowned costume designer who gives life to incredible characters and worlds through his clothes. Just think of masterpieces such as Il racconto dei racconti, Pinocchio and Dogman all three directed by Matteo Garrone, Joe Wright's Cyrano and, speaking of recent releases, Maria, starring a magnificent Angelina Jolie, and Le Déluge, with which he won the David di Donatello 2025 for best costumes. He recently announced an important collaboration with Polimoda in Florence, where he will return as a mentor for a master's degree in Costume Design. Among the many awards, five David di Donatello awards have already been won by Massimo Cantini Parrini, five Nastri d'Argento and one European Film Award. Two Oscar nominations. We spoke with him about the magic of costumes and cinema.

Massimo Cantini Parrini, best costume award (ph. Luca Dammicco, Accademia del Cinema Italiano)

Let's start at the beginning, how did your love for fashion start?

Ever since I was a child, I was fascinated by the beauty and transformation that a simple garment could arouse, like a game of illusion and reality. It was never a superficial love, but a deep passion, linked to culture and the ability of a garment to tell the story of a human being, art, an era. Thus, already at the age of thirteen, I started a collection of antique clothes that today counts more than 4,000 pieces.

What about falling in love with film costumes?

Always. The cinema, with its magic and ability to create worlds, has always represented an ideal place for me, where fashion merges with narrative. The film costume, for me, is the language through which a character comes to life and, at the same time, is a tribute to years of creativity and study.

An actor or actress you would love to dress?

Those from the past... But looking at the present, I think of figures like Cate Blanchett, for her depth and versatility, or Timothée Chalamet, who has such a natural and authentic elegance. I am fascinated by actors or actresses who have a strong personality and who, through their costumes, are able to express a complex and multifaceted identity.

Il racconto dei racconti

In Maria, how did you mix the elegance of two icons like Callas and Angelina Jolie?

Maria Callas and Angelina Jolie are figures of extraordinary elegance, but with two completely different worlds and languages. The challenge was to capture the essence of Callas, her greatness, her theatricality, and mix it with the delicacy, strength and modernity of Angelina, creating costumes that would express her unique and contemporary character, without renouncing historical refinement. A dialogue between eras that I wanted to make visible and sensitive.

And in Le Déluge, how did you recreate the famous Marie Antoinette, here told in her days of captivity?

I wanted to show a woman who was not only queen, but also human, fragile, restless, before her tragic end. The costumes became a symbol of an aristocratic femininity, but also of an inner revolution. I tried to mix elements of luxury with a growing feeling of unease.

Le Déluge, a film with which she won for best costumes at the David di Donatello 2025

The most difficult challenge faced so far?

The most difficult challenge is always to maintain a perfect coherence between the aesthetic vision and the practical functionality of the costumes, in situations where the preparation time and the conditions of filming put a strain on creativity.

Enrolments have recently opened for a master's degree in Costume Design to be held in 2026 in collaboration with a major Italian institution, Polimoda in Florence.

The collaboration with Polimoda is a wonderful opportunity for comparison and growth. Polimoda represents excellence in the training of new generations of fashion talent in the world. Sharing my experience with young people, helping them to understand the synergy between creativity and craftsmanship, is a source of enormous satisfaction for me.

Massimo Cantini Parrini will mentor a master's course in collaboration with Polimoda (ph. Claudia Gori)

Can you tell us the places where you go for inspiration and fabrics?

I like to wander around the small workshops, the historical workshops where you can breathe in the passion for textiles, but especially in the large industries in Prato such as O.B. Stock, Gori Tessuti, Lyria, Beste, Marini Industrie, Manteco, Francioni Fa. But, in addition to physical places, I also like to take inspiration from art, nature, and the images that run through my mind.

Do you also have a special relationship with the Prato Textile Museum?

I feel at home. The Prato Textile Museum is an invaluable treasure for me, with whom I have been collaborating for years. In addition to my work, wonderful friendships have been established with everyone, especially with director Filippo Guarini and curators Daniela Degl'Innocenti and Arianna Sarti. They hosted an exhibition of my costumes from the film Pinocchio in the museum and we have not left each other since.