Christian Boaro on telling your own story and forgetting about trends
“Meet people of different ages from your own and establish relationships with them. Only in this way will you find the way to success.” So said Christian Boaro, a former Istituto Marangoni student, founder and creative director of the fashion brand CHB. He sets a great example about engaging with different generations’ views and skills, as his grandmother played a crucial role in sparking his passion for fashion.
Istituto Marangoni alumnus and fashion designer Christian Boaro, founder and creative director of CHB © CHB
When asked to lead students of the Master’s in Fashion Styling, Creative Direction & Digital Content and the Master’s in Fashion Design, it was no surprise that he didn’t hesitate to say “yes.” So, he launched his Industry Project.
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Fashion Design Master’s students will be able to demonstrate their interpretative skills to Boaro by exploring the personality of the celebs chosen by the creative director. The aim is to understand what they want and how they want to feel in different situations of their star life: day looks, press meetings, TV appearances and red-carpet events.
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Christian Boaro is like a psychologist for his clients: he interprets their points of view and analyses their egos and sense of self. The students in the Master’s programme for Styling, Creative Direction and Digital Content are also challenged to do so by working with some iconic pieces from the CHB collections and using them to create a photoshoot. The emphasis will be on freedom of choice and self-expression.
Christian Boaro, IM alumnus and founder of CHB, introducing his Industry Project at Istituto Marangoni Milano
The fashion designer inspired Istituto Marangoni students with words of wisdom, encouraging them to always look beyond their limits.
Fashion Design Master’s students and Fashion Styling, Creative Direction and Digital ContentMaster’s students attending the launch of Christian Boaro’s Industry Project at Istituto Marangoni in Milan
A big leap to find his voice
Born in 1981 in Bassano del Grappa, near Vicenza in East-Northern Italy, Christian Boaro fell in love with fashion from a young age. His grandmother, a skilled seamstress, taught him how to use tailoring tools and how fabrics and yarns can inspire countless creative ideas.
Boaro talked about his big leap from a small town to a big city like Milan to pursue his dreams. He completed his course of studies with honours at Istituto Marangoni and he quickly made a name for himself in his career, winning the international competition for Young Designer ITS, as the only Italian contestant.
Before launching his brand, he collaborated with some of the most famous Italian-rooted international fashion houses, experiencing the glamour of Versace, the baroque of Dolce & Gabbana and the elegance of Ferrè.
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In 2018, at the PlasMA Plastic Moder Art Gallery in Milan, he also inaugurated his Polaroid photographic exhibition “The Naked Truth”. Through a narration involving real people, he captured the beauty of different individuals, showcasing an aesthetic of imperfections mixed with fascination. The project even involved the former 80’s top model Simonetta Gianfelici, one of Helmut Newton’s muses.
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In 2020 he launched his fashion brand CHB, experimenting creatively with the duality between male and female style, strength and fragility, brightness and darkness.
Looks from CHB's first Manifesto collection by Christian Boaro © CHB
On treasuring a rich creative background
Christian Boaro has developed a down-to-earth vision of life. In today’s world, where everyone is ready to raise their voice, Boaro emerges calmly but with stylistic coherence and determination.
Christian Boaro at Istituto Marangoni Milano
Always referring to the importance of cultural exchange and dialogue with people, Boaro shared some beautiful memories of his past as a student at Istituto Marangoni, mentioning the professors who had a lasting impact on him and helped him pursue his passion for fashion.
He loves to teach because he strongly believes in sharing his passion and knowledge with the new generations and has emphasised this on multiple occasions.
Fashion Design Master’s students and Fashion Styling, Creative Direction and Digital ContentMaster’s students attending the launch of Christian Boaro’s Industry Project at Istituto Marangoni in Milan
He also loves to travel to discover new worlds and, as a creative, to embark on different adventures to build and expand a personal background.
The creative dilemma of engaging with trends
Boaro is not a fan of following trends and is keen to point out that his brand is not genderless because it would conform to the mass of those who abuse this term. He grew up in the golden age of clubbing and just put that concept of fluidity on paper.
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One way to demonstrate this is through using ordinary people alongside models. This choice is not simply about following a trend but rather a personal preference that allows him to maintain his unique perspective. As a result, CHB has gained popularity among celebrities in the music and entertainment industries, such as Måneskin, Achille Lauro and Chiara Ferragni.
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He can combine masculine sartorial fabrics with decidedly feminine ones, the heritage of a couture background, to celebrate individuality and uniqueness. Christian Boaro takes pride in delivering a bespoke service that breathes life into each garment, meticulously crafted to meet every customer’s unique requirements and preferences.
CHB autumn-winter 2022 collection
CHB: a fashion brand celebrating contrasts
Christian Boaro's CHB autumn-winter 22 collection
CHB teaches us that modern fashion should incorporate naturalness and simplicity while drawing from timeless classicism.
Looks from CHB's first Manifesto collection by Christian Boaro © CHB
Considering the period of the brand’s launch, amid the pandemic, the designer desired to seek light, and he found it in his palette; black is the only colour in his first Manifesto collection, except for a few touches of white. This choice was not to declare a preference for darkness but to evoke powerful feelings and sensations.
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Through his Manifesto, Boaro narrates his modern vision of fashion and beauty. He constantly explores the combination of male and female wardrobes, the interplay of strength and fragility, and a timeless elegance embodied by simple yet refined garments made from classic, fine materials, creating a delicate portrait of both genders.
Agnese Pasquinelli
Fashion Business, Digital Communication & Media student, 2nd year, Milan
