Reading time: 4 minutes
Some drawings show us a city. Carlo Stanga’s invite us to step inside. Between facades, windows and glimpses of everyday life, the streets come alive. The architect and illustrator has worked with international brands such as Cartier, Mercedes-Benz and Missoni. In this interview, he talks about how his fascination with cities shapes his illustrations – and what happens when they find a new life in textiles.
What can an illustration bring to a room that colour, texture or pattern alone cannot?
An illustration can bring another world into a room. It introduces places, stories and small mysteries that invite us to look more closely. Someone might recognise a city they love; someone else might imagine a journey they have never made. I like this meeting between the artist’s imagination and the personal memories of the person living with the image. A room becomes more intimate when it contains something that speaks to us. An illustration is like a window to imagination.
Looking ahead, where do you see new opportunities for illustrators and the textile industry to work together?
I would love to see illustrators involved earlier in the creative process, helping to imagine a collection together with textile designers and manufacturers. There is so much to explore in the relationship between a drawing, a weave, light and movement.
I see exciting possibilities in homes, hotels and public spaces, where textiles can tell stories connected to a particular place. An illustrator can bring a very personal vision to these environments. My hope is to create things people form an attachment to: objects they enjoy using and keep discovering over time.
Cover image: MTA Station. “I am New York” – Moleskine & Princeton Architectural Press © Carlo Stanga
