“Erykah developed a thought in my brain into a dream.” Erykah Badu and Marni’s Francesco Risso on their creative marriage and first collaboration.

Erykah Badu and Francesco Risso are exchanging creative energy, in the most unique of ways. Growing up as one of his inspirations, the designer was mesmerised by Badu’s unique energy, neo soul and different outlook on how style encapsulates one’s energy. “Erykah was always in the back of my mind when creating.”, expressed Risso when prompted about the fateful meeting with her, how a mutual friend connected them, and the rest became history.

This collection, part of the creative chamber Marni Jam is the first instalment of a much bigger project, which aims to engage Marni's community and experiment with the artistic format, by bringing conversations and individuals together with their own unique energy. In the first instalment, Risso and Badu have joined forces together to bring creative conversations through the garments with head-strong tactility - heavy wools, bulbous sequins, hand-made leather patchworks are all the focus materials used to bring forward their ideas. In the campaign, Erykah instills the help of her closest people, friends and family all coming together in Dallas, Texas and showcasing the values that have kept her growing throughout her life and career.

Speaking to Perfect, Francesco Risso and Erykah Badu talk about the importance of getting the moment right, and how their instant connection and intuition brought them together to exchange their similar values about life and art.

Angel: Francesco and Erykah, how did this idea behind such a unique collaboration come to fruition? What was your process of creation like?

Francesco Risso: Erykah has been living in my mind forever! I don't remember the exact moment I fell in love with Erykah and I can't, because she's always been there in my mind, inspiring me. When you see something in your youth for the very first time, it feels like the most wonderful thing. I perceive Erykah as something familiar, but I can't sum up in words her presence. This to me is somebody who is a pioneer, and I was so excited when we managed to go to the Met Gala together last year. A mutual friend connected us and we decided to go together. I remember us walking right before the red carpet, and I had this idea of this collaboration in my mind, so I courageously decided to ask her if she wanted to work together, and she graciously said yes! This is how the idea of this moment started to develop further.

Erykah Badu: I wanted this marriage. I really did.

Angel: The campaign features your dearest people, being shot in Dallas, Texas, involving friends and family and bringing forward a piece of your soul. How was it for you to involve everyone together on this project with Marni?

Erykah Badu: It was everything. Not only, but this has been a dream of mine for a long time. Francesco was always there in it, somewhere in my mind. It really was a dream come true. I can't pretend that it's not something that's amazing, I'm so lucky to have worked with everyone in this way. Just at the right time, my portal was opened and I was willing to perform and participate. Inviting my family into it was very natural, because I work with my family. My whole family is my support team and my staff and my my world. So it makes sense.

Francesco Risso: This is a way to extend this sense of family I love and seek. It's hard to talk family when you're working with a brand, but it's also true that through these experiences and sharing this thinking, you can really sense how much you can love or not love what you do, or how much you can create and love. With Erykah, she developed a thought in my brain into a dream. In our industry, this is not always a given, as it can be really quite ferocious and harsh, and this can be filtered. Extending this collection with her was a demonstration that actually things can be made in a beautiful, creative set with creative, incredible intent. More importantly, this was made with love, beautiful intentions and fun, and also without the pressure of growth in numbers, just making and learning from each other.

Angel: Your collections for Marni have always touched upon the sense of immaterial human connection and emotion amongst this material world. How do you see the future of Marni Jam in connection with different artists? How will you grow next?

Francesco Risso: With this being the lead, I'm very curious who is going to top this, because it was just so perfect. I imagine even more people coming together in one project. But again, to me, it's all about the learning process - for both parties even. It's all about merging thoughts together and seeing how it goes - bringing forward the sense of instinct, which doesn't get caught up from other archetypes of needs. This project has started with Erykah, and it should move with the same intention without stomping on each other's politics.

Angel: Erykah, you have been a fashion inspiration for a really long time, and have become one of fashion’s muses with designers referencing your work in a myriad of ways. How has it been to be a collaborator and creator, compared to all other projects that you've worked across fashion so far?

Erykah Badu: I've been taken off the mood board and put on the payroll, and that's fair. I've been the researcher and mood for many stylists over the years, just by posting and collaborating with artists who are young, hungry and new, not having a lot of money, but being rich in creativity. So I feel appreciated, I feel honored, I feel humbled and I feel thankful and grateful that I am seen.

Angel: What is something that you are looking forward in fashion, and connecting your art and music with it?

Erykah Badu: I have never been in fashion. I have always loved style, and shapes and things. I hope to continue down the footsteps of brother Risso.Back in 2016 when he became the creative director and took on Marni to a psychedelic realm, it resonated with me greatly. I don't want to reinvent the wheel, but I want to add my own funk to whatever I'm allowed to be part of.

Angel: What about you Francesco?

Francesco Risso: So far, it's been an amazing journey for me, I continue learning so much. I want to continue to be able to dive into the other regions of life and extract from them. I have to say that in this phase of my life, I feel extremely attracted by education. Bringing a sense of experimentation to the beauty that we have learned in these years, I am keen to bring more of it for the next phases of my life.