Salvatore Piccione’s designs encapsulate the simple vitality, joy and passion of youth, where enchanting prints in silk and cotton and hand embroidery speak to a world of whimsey, magic and fairy tales.

Drawing inspiration from natural forms, such as the sinuous flow and curves of plants and flowers found in the traditions of Art Nouveau, the structural patterns and architectural forms found in both the natural and man-made worlds, with a splash of the pop sensibilities of contemporary design, Salvatore’s creative vision is both highly personal and universal, casual and also eclectic, effortless and yet sophisticated and intricate, evoking a dreamy kaleidoscopic otherworldliness with its eccentric touches. His conscious clashes of colour create a sense of beautiful chaos that is both playful and elegant.

In his relatively short career, Salvatore has achieved significant milestones in an industry known for being relentless and highly competitive.

Salvatore was born into a modest farming family near the historic and picturesque hilltop city of Ragusa in southeast Sicily, in the winter of 1986. Defined by grandeur, drama, curvaceousness, and an often-dizzying array of rich bright colours and illusory, vividly painted ceilings, the region’s traditional Sicilian Baroque architecture, and a childhood surrounded by the light, colour and vibrancy of the Mediterranean world, have had a lasting impact on Salvatore’s creative aesthetic.

Graduating with a Bachelors of Fashion Design from the highly reputable Istituto Europeo Di Design (IED) in Rome in 2008, Salvatore went on that year to win two coveted national fashion competitions with Vogue Italia and Cameramoda, catapulting the young Sicilian designer into the Italian fashion limelight. The Vogue Italia prize included the life-changing opportunity to bring his first full collection to life and have it immortalized in the pages of this iconic fashion bible, a remarkable achievement for any designer.

Soon after graduating, Salvatore moved from Rome to Milan, arguably the fashion capital of Italy, taking up his first experiences in the fashion industry. In 2010, as the global recession hit virtually every industry, Salvatore moved to London, commencing a role with London-based Greek designer Mary Katrantzou as a print designer and working on special projects, including Katrantzou’s collaborations with Swarovski, Top Shop, Longchamp and Pablo Bronstein production of Sketches for Regency Living at the Tate Modern. This time with Katrantzou had a significant impact on Salvatore and further reinforced his love of printed and ornamental embellishment.

2012 was a watershed year for Salvatore which included a freelance role with Celine as a print designer for their pre-fall collection, with some of Salvatore’s designs later worn by Anna Wintor, Natalia Vodianova, featured in Vogue USA, and Karen Helson, featured in Vogue UK, as well as the commencement of a two-year role with luxury women’s clothing brand Hobbs, working on several collections. 2012 also marked the establishment of Salvatore’s own company, Piccione.Piccione, where he designed his first full collection under his own brand for Spring/Summer 2012, with buyers from more than 35 global boutiques and department stores purchasing the collection.

The period between 2012 and 2014 saw Salvatore doubling his customer base for Piccione Piccione, with the brand by then available at over 100 top stores and department stores worldwide, and in 2014 Salvatore won the prestigious fashion talent-scouting competition “Who Is On Next?”, co-sponsored by Vogue Italia and Rome’s haute couture show AltaRoma, providing immense exposure and awareness for Salvatore’s creative vision. Salvatore’s close association with Vogue Italia continued in 2014 with an exclusive invitation to showcase a collection at the global Vogue Fashion Dubai Experience event along with eight other designers at Dubai Mall’s world-famous Fashion Avenue.

2015 was also another milestone year for Salvatore, which included showcasing a new collection for AltaRoma and Vogue Italia, as well as an opportunity to design a one-off costume as part of Vogue Italia’s Barbie Global Beauty Design, an initiative involving the new generation of designers – 10 established and 10 promising designers – in a project that sought to express the global appeal of Barbie’s beauty. That year also included an invitation for Salvatore to participate as a special guest at the exclusive White Milano show. Considered one of the most eagerly awaited events of Milan Fashion Week, White Milano is the marketplace where new trends for the Fall/Winter season are introduced to buyers from all over the world.

2015 was capped-off with signing a two-year collaboration with global tissue brand Tempo, where Salvatore created a limited-edition box design to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the arrival of Tempo tissues in Italy, with distribution extending into Spain, Italy and France and promoted during Salone del Mobile and Vogue Fashion Night Out.