Written by Vicky Layton in Icons of Style on the 19th March 2019

Marcelo Burlon has caught the attention of millions of millennials with his latest iconic Mohammed Ali collection. But his approach to fashion has captured a new audience ever since he burst onto the scene in 2012. Even his harshest critics can’t ignore his awe-inspiring glow-up. Previously he’d been DJ-ing for fashion shows, and now just a few years later he’s creating them. Burlon was actually born in Argentina, but after his family relocated to Italy when he was just 14, his love affair with fashion begun to blossom. After moving to Milan to pursue his own DJ-ing ambitions, he decided to launch a streetwear brand: Marcelo Burlon County of Milan. Not exactly a name that rolls off the tongue, but a name that’s allowed him to establish himself as an industry leader.

A Social Media Star 

Burlon himself credits social media for allowing him to expand his career. In an interview with Forbes, he discussed just how much it’s helped his brand, “My personal network was already big, but it grew with the social media - back when I was one of the first ones to use Facebook for fashion-related PRs. Everywhere I was DJ-ing there was such a loving following that I just thought to turn the experience I was serving in places into something physical.” He explains that he started by selling T-shirts at the very beginning, before growing his brand into something worthy of releasing full-on collections. Burlon also considers his location to be an advantage in competitive streetwear brands as nobody else at the time in Milan was solely focusing on streetwear fashion, in his opinion.

Grunge Sportswear 

The phrase ‘grunge sportswear’ could also be considered an oxymoron, but it’s something that adventurous Burlon decided was needed. His Fall/Winter 2018 collection offered a plethora of classic sports clothing with a grungy, dark twist. Originally unveiled at Milan Fashion Week, the designer’s range used edgy graphics, distorted patterns and motifs to create his masterpieces. Some highlights included his black varsity wool jackets with NBA branding (he’s a basketball fan), vibrant hoodies embellished with a skull and technical cargo pants. 

Marcelo Burlon x Muhammed Ali 

A collection that nobody knew they needed, Burlon’s collaboration with Muhammed Ali is one for the history books. In his most recent release, Burlon has referenced Ali’s famous catchphrases to create a dynamic, disruptive collection. As part of the Resort 2019 collection, everything from T-shirts to tracksuits has been created as an ode to Ali. The graphic tees read; 'Float like a butterfly, stings like a bee' with iconic photos of the boxer, activist and philanthropist. His photographs have even been used as motifs on distressed knitwear hoodies, gym bags and shorts.

His Artistic Presence  

Not many designers can claim to have risen the ranks quite as quickly as Burlon. His suave yet laidback demeanour teamed with his rule-breaking intuition has framed him as a star of his generation. He’s been the inspiration behind many new fashion brands all looking to get a slice of the action by targeting a specific niche (see luxury belts brands and eyewear-only designers). His network is forever growing as he continues his passion for DJ-ing across the globe at industry insider parties and events for the crème de la crème of the high-fashion world. Because, whatever it is that Marcelo Burlon turns his hand to, you best believe it’s going to be executed in a way that nobody else can replicate; and that makes him a man who’s very much in demand.

With a recent Grunge Sportswear collection and a previous collaboration with Muhammed Ali, we feature Marcelo Burlon as an Icon of Style.