Why New York? With Stefano Giussani
The Big Apple backpack that started it all.
Stefano Giussani joined Lissoni & Partners Milan in 2004, becoming part of the design team for projects both in Italy and abroad. In 2015, Stefano moved to New York to head the new office of Lissoni New York and oversee projects spanning the Americas from Canada and the United States to Brazil to the Caribbean. This year, he’s also teaching Hospitality Design at Parsons, The New School of Design. After 7 years of calling New York home, we sat down with Stefano to answer the question…
Why New York?
It was meant to be. My first backpack at the age of 7 was the “Big Apple”, but I really didn’t know what New York was. I guess it was Destiny! When my parents brought me here at the age of 10 years old, it was to the TWA terminal (before it was a hotel!) and I LOVED it. There was even a Greyhound bus outside the terminal. It was totally love at first sight.
Years later, the iconic building is back in business as the TWA hotel.
What were you looking forward to? Looking back 7 years, was it as you expected? If not, what was different?
Everything started together. Piero Lissoni and I were in San Francisco, talking about the US and it was a dream for both of us to be here. When I came to open the office, Piero was seeing the dream starting for me – it was doubly exciting! Since then it’s been piece by piece. Originally, I saw New York in one way, then slowly the image became clear and yet it always is changing. One thing being here for me never changes: the sense of freedom. I had that from the first time I landed at JFK “free to conquer the world”.
Now, it’s a bit different, less a dream and more pragmatic. I still feel I can do anything but I know I have to work hard to get it. In the 7 years I’ve been here, the world has changed. And now, this is home to me. Before I was a traveler here, surrounded by stereotypes of New York. Now I’m a part of the city, seeing it with different eyes. Now the city is smaller; less infinite than before; I know its boundaries. Before it was kind of a mystery place to me – now I know it! Best is that it always evolves and is never boring.
I teach Hospitality Design at the Parsons School of Design twice a week and every time I leave the school, I take a picture of the Empire State Building. I must have 1000 pictures!
Sometimes I plan to go out of the city with my family, then I just want to get back to it. I have transformed!
What makes you happy; what makes you afraid?
Happy? Waking up every day and seeing the city differently each day – like a movie. The color, the sounds the people. This is essential to me. It fulfills my need to be happy to be here doing what I do and having my family.
Afraid? In general, professionally “The Big Stop” – that the joy I’m having in my work, my life, and in New York could disappear. But I’m positive in my approach to life. This is my life and the fear is mostly gone – in the past two years there is always something new and exciting.
What haven’t I asked about you? What question should I ask you?
What is my favorite thing… My family. I didn’t come alone. I came with my wife and my son. We had so much luggage and a big car was needed to take us to our place – it was like the movie “Coming to America!” We still live there, but when we came we had only a borrowed blow-up inflatable bed and a light that we put on top of the luggage like a table. My son woke up the first night and said, “I want to go home!” We were like virgins in this country. But we were ready to do anything. We did so many things in these 7 years – even had a baby – a girl- so she’s American. We went from eating pasta to pastrami and frankfurters. The four of us learned the excitement of Thanksgiving and every year we go to the parade. We learned new traditions, new people, new life and it’s much simpler. I love my country but the US is straightforward. It has more time to enjoy. Yesterday, I took my son to Yankee Stadium. We saw the players, and the game, and even had a foot-long hot dog! We bought Yankee hats. And, when I asked my son what he liked the most, he said: “Staying with you, Daddy.” I love New York!
