Model, turned designer Yannik Zamboni is the finalist and the winner of 1 million US dollars from Amazon Fashion in the Prime Video's Making the Cut season 3. Zamboni is a graduate of University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Northwester Switzerland who just showed his latest collection during New York Fashion Week. We caught up with Yannik to talk about it all.

Giulia: Congratulations on your win in Making the Cut and two released collections now available on Amazon? What are you feeling right now?

Yannik: Thank you so much, I am still very overwhelmed. I never had the funds to go into production with fashion and now I have two collections available on Amazon my retail brand "maison blanche" and my Amazon co-brand "rare/self". It's all still very crazy.

Giulia: What was the most difficult aspect of making the finals of Making the Cut, how did you overcome it? What was your thinking process?

Yannik: I kept doubting myself a bit, the further I got the more I wondered "am I just good for the show & to entertain?" or do they really like what I am doing? And then I won episode 7 and I thought they won't have the same winner for semifinals & finals.... And then all of a sudden I was standing there next to Rafael and I heard a little bit of criticism about his collection and then a little light went on in my head that said, maybe you are the winner! And I did it, how unreal is that?!

Giulia: Did you always know you were going to be a fashion designer?

Yannik: No I have been searching for my way for a long time. Always knew that I wanted to be creative, but I have only dared to change something at 28 years. To throw my job and risk everything to be successful with fashion.

Giulia: Where do you look for creative inspiration?

Yannik: I am extremely influenced by socio-political issues. Everything that I consider unfair fosters a fire in me and makes me design. I believe with fashion to have a platform and the possibility to change something in our society. Be it on a human level but also on a sustainable level. I firmly believe in the four pillars of sustainability; socio-political one, ethical-moral one, ecological one and economic one.

Giulia: Are there any famous designers whose work you admire, if so, who are they and why?

Yannik: I think at the top of the list are Martin Margiela and Rey Kawakubo. They have managed to build an empire with fashion that is different, that does not meet expectations and yet successful.

Giulia:You are debuting the "Back" collection at NYFW,. What is the collection about? Any particular message you want to convey?

Yannik: The digital invitation is a pack of anti baby pills. The physical invitation is a positive pregnancy test. At the latest when the selection of models runs backwards down the catwalk it should be clear that the whole concept is about the current debate of abortion rights. In addition, we have integrated the color green, since this stands in South America for the protests for women's rights and abortion rights (pro choice!). We live in a society in which contraception is almost completely attributed to people with a uterus and if it comes to a pregnancy, then politics and society should decide what happens? Decide about someone else's body? I think we need to realize what fatal consequences this has, how unsafe we make abortions and how much life we destroy!

Giulia: Do you feel like in today's world it's harder to be innovative in fashion?

Yannik: No, I don't think so. We have so many possibilities and there is new technology all the time. The market for sustainable materials is improving every day, and many things are not yet on the market. There are opportunities to innovate every day.

Giulia: Who would be your dream celebrity to style and dress?

Yannik: I would like to dress Lil Nas X period. But to be honest, I've grown quite fond of Heidi (she is just such an amazing person) and it would be an honour to create a couture piece just for her!

Giulia: How do you feel about meta digital fashion? Would you be open to design for digital fashion marketplaces?

Yannik: What I like most about my job is touching and completing a vision for real life. Nevertheless, the future is digital and since I'm already designing digitally, that shouldn't be a problem for digital marketplaces. I am ready.

Giulia: What would be your advice to designers who apply for the next season of Making the Cut and those who will participate in the next show?

Yannik: Keep your eye on the ball and never give up. Use the casting process to prepare, be ready for the show so you can make decisions quickly. Have patterns and new looks ready to blow the jury away.

Giulia: What is next for Yannik?

Yannik: I am just saying NYFW baby 🙃

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