Redefining Inclusivity: Media Representation and Art Direction in the Works of Rambaldi and Magliano.

The work of Marco Rambaldi and Luca Magliano presents itself as a project that redefines the boundaries of contemporary Italian fashion, proposing a radically inclusive and affective vision of the body and identity. Rambaldi draws inspiration from the imagery of the 1970s and 1980s, recalling the birth in Bologna of the Cassero LGBTI+ centre and the music scene comprising artists such as Lucio Dalla. Magliano, on the other hand, takes inspiration from Bologna’s underground scene and subcultures. Both construct a visual narrative that fuses artisanal knitwear with a critical discourse against binary subdivision, using political slogans on clothes and accessories and non-standard bodies, in a symbolic system that celebrates diversity as a founding element (Evans, 2003; Entwistle, 2015). The contribution aims to analyse the production of both designers, focusing in particular on the practices of creative direction and communication. This is made possible by a series of semi-structured interviews with the art directors operating within the two realities. The investigation provides an opportunity to explore theoretical aspects of inclusive fashion, with a focus on the intersection of gender, class, and aesthetics (Crenshaw, 1991; Ahmed, 2017). The research focuses on fashion shows, campaigns, and digital communication strategies, interpreting the work of the two designers as a practice of visual activism that challenges the dominant imaginaries of the fashion system (Steele, 1997; Rocamora, 2009). Furthermore, particular attention is paid to the active participation of the queer community in representative processes, not only as subjects but as co-authors of meaning. This is a key element in the proposal of an ethical, collective and effectively engaging fashion language (Butler, 1990; Hooks, 1992). Through an interdisciplinary approach that crosses visual studies, gender studies and fashion theory, the article intends to demonstrate how Rambaldi and Magliano’s design practices not only activate reflection, but actively produce an idea of inclusivity that goes beyond aesthetics to touch the political and social (Bruzzi & Gibson, 2000; Gill, 2007, Brajato, 2023). The contribution also seeks to understand whether the two brands are sincerely committed to raising awareness of queer issues, contributing to the socio-cultural debate, or whether it is more trivially an alignment with issues demanded by the market itself.