Having grown up together on the streets of Naples, Federico (born in 2003) and Marco (born in 2002) have transformed a childhood friendship into a cultural and creative project now known as South Manifesto.
More than just a collective, it’s a shared vision — a way to narrate and redefine the identity of Southern Italy through fashion, photography, art, and aesthetic research. Their journey moves across Naples, Rome, Milan, and Berlin, blending languages and styles, and bringing to light an alternative narrative of Southern youth.
South Manifesto was officially founded in 2024, but its roots go back years, through underground work and collaborations with independent brands, artists from the urban music scene like Luchè, Coco, and Vale Lambo, and forays into fashion styling. Their public debut with the South Youth collection — created in collaboration with the vintage archive Mercanzia — was an immediate success, culminating in two pop-up stores in Naples and Milan and a sold-out capsule collection.
Now, the two founders are looking ahead to a new project: a photographic book exploring the theme of death, in collaboration with the Fondazione Ipogeo dei Cristallini and featuring names like Brett Lloyd and Francesca Emilia Minà. We interviewed them to learn more about their story.
South Manifesto was born out of a deep personal bond: how important is friendship for you in building a creative project?
(M) For us, it’s everything. We grew up together and discovered our creativity together. That’s why our ideas and tastes come together effortlessly, even if different, they merge naturally.
(F) It’s not just any friendship—it’s a real bond, built on shared principles and ambitions. Marco and I complement each other creatively, and the fusion of our visions makes everything we do unique.
• Naples was your home and starting point: how has the city influenced your aesthetic and narrative imagination?
(F) At first, Naples seemed like the exact opposite of what we dreamed of as kids. But growing up—and especially leaving—we quickly realized that growing up in Naples is unlike anywhere else. Everything here is too real, there are no filters or half-measures. It’s decadence mixed with beauty, constant contradictions hitting you in the most intense way.
(M) If we hadn’t been born here, we probably would have done something else. Even though I was often inspired by what came from outside, being from Naples gave me a unique perspective. Being born here means growing up fast, and growing up fast means quickly gathering a lot of experiences—not always positive. Without those experiences, South Manifesto wouldn’t exist.
• You said the collective is “an identity that over time we realized was ours”: how would you define this identity today?
(M) Real. There’s nothing fabricated. Our main inspiration has always been to extract something from our reality and insert it into a different, broader context.
(F) Our identity is clear, and it’s based on two goals. The first is our attempt to sublimate everything—we take everything, even the “ugly,” and turn it into something powerful. The second is that we only speak when we have something real to say, no unnecessary noise.
• As teenagers, you worked as stylists and creative directors for brands and artists: how important was it to grow professionally in the field?
(F) It’s the reason why today we can express ourselves without fearing comparison. It helped us refine our taste, understand what we really liked and what we didn’t. But above all, it showed us that certain things were possible. Being around people who live for art, day and night, opened our minds and gave us the awareness that we could think big and do anything.
(M) It was fundamental. We were 15 or 16 years old but already had clear ideas. During that time, we gained a lot of experience and built many connections. It’s not common for two teenagers to be given freedom to express themselves, and I’ll always be grateful to the people who trusted us.
• South Manifesto was officially founded in 2024: what did that moment of formalization mean to you?
(M) It was like making a commitment to ourselves. As I’ve grown, I’ve realized the need to leave a concrete mark on what we do.
(F) It was a clear intent to give shape to our vision—a true beginning to writing our personal Manifesto.
• The “South Youth” capsule portrayed a southern youth beyond stereotypes: what images or messages did you want to convey with that collection?
(F) We filled a void. We couldn’t find narratives about southern kids that truly represented us, especially in Naples. So we took the opportunity to tell our truth, in all its nuances.
(M) We wanted to show our reality. In the campaign, we used our friends precisely to show that “South Youth” isn’t just what you see on TV shows, but so much more.
• How did the collaboration with Mercanzia start, and what is your relationship with archives and the concept of vintage?
(M) With Mercanzia, it all happened very naturally. We went to Sicily for three days to see their archive, and collaborating felt completely organic. It was like we had known each other for years. Archives, in any field, allow me to be inspired by places and time periods I never lived. That’s why I think they’re essential, just like vintage.
(F) With the Mercanzia team, there was immediate chemistry—we were instantly aligned in deconstructing stereotypes. For me, archives are the coolest way to dress right now. They force you into research and culture, and I’m tired of almost everything found in boutiques. But I’m talking about archives I’ve seen in Paris, London, Berlin, Miami—not in Italy. Here, except for a few like Mercanzia, there’s still a very cringe vision of vintage.
• Your next project is a photo book about death: where did this choice come from, and what does tackling such a universal topic mean to you?
(M) The project started through our collaboration with the Ipogeo dei Cristallini. It’s a place that confronts you with the “immortality” of death. The people buried there lived short lives, but their presence has remained for over two thousand years. Our goal with the book isn’t to delve deep into the topic of death—it’s too universal. What we want is to offer a different point of view on the subject.
(F) Death fascinates me. And I’m drawn to the way the Greeks faced it—so differently from how we live it today. There’s no deeper or more universal topic to explore. How can we live with the only certainty we have?
• You’ve collaborated with names like Brett Lloyd and Francesca Emilia Minà: how do you choose collaborators, and what kind of creative dialogue are you looking for?
(F) We like to collaborate with people who have an authentic view of things, who don’t fit into typical molds. And we believe Brett and Francesca, through their art, can give us a beautiful and personal translation of this theme.
(M) The selection always happens organically—there’s always a relationship first. In Brett’s case, we grew up shooting with him, and it’s an honor to work together. With Francesca, we met in Rome last year and immediately clicked. When we collaborate, we always look for people who interpret things differently than we do. That diversity is what makes every collaboration irreplicable.
• Looking ahead, what direction do you want to give South Manifesto?
(M) I want every chapter of our journey to bring out a different side of our personalities. Federico and I have many interests and inspirations—it’s hard to label us. That’s why I want South Manifesto to be the same: hard to define, unpredictable.
(F) If I gave you a precise direction, we’d lose the essence of our projects: the search. But I can tell you we have a long list of themes we definitely want to explore.
• Do you envision evolving into new artistic forms or unexplored territories?
(M) Absolutely. We’re two people who always need new stimuli. As Sorrentino wrote in one of his books, “I don’t have the intellectual stamina to fall in love with a single concept for my entire life.”
(F) I’ve noticed that, since we were kids, evolution for us isn’t optional—it’s a constant need. We’re not interested in staying where we already know. We’re always looking for what makes us feel alive, a new spark that can surprise us. Our direction doesn’t follow a fixed path—it’s more like a continuous search for what keeps us away from boredom.
Shooting by Positive Magazine
Location: Teatro Augusteo, Naples
