MILAN — Anything can happen.
Staging a fashion show or an event, all potential issues must be taken into account as much as possible. Enter Without Production, which was founded in 1999 by Gabriella Mazzei, who has successfully executed more than 1,000 high-end events globally, collaborating with brands ranging from Gucci and Prada to Burberry.
Milan Design Week and Salone del Mobile have just wrapped up and Mazzei’s studio helped stage several events, including the stunning Es Devil installation “Library of Light” at the Pinacoteca di Brera. A structure formed by illuminated shelves containing more than 2,000 volumes donated by Italian publishing house Feltrinelli was designed with a rotating floor and illuminated surfaces, and positioned in a layout similar to that of a sundial.
Tapped by Salone del Mobile and FederlegnoArredo, Italy’s wood furnishing association, Mazzei enthused about the opportunity to work with Devlin. “It was so stimulating to be part of this very interesting project with such a talented creative,” Mazzei said in her Milan office.
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Her approach is to “accommodate the needs of the designers,” while at times steering them in the direction that allows a project to be completed, in terms of feasibility, functionality, materials and costs. At Salone, among others, Mazzei also worked with Gucci on the event to unveil the “Gucci | Bamboo Encounters” exhibition and with Brioni on the event to launch a limited edition of 18 signed crystal flacons with Lalique, each housing a parfum essence.
“After so many years, I am still passionate about my job, and this is fundamental to bring enthusiasm to the projects, which I make sure reflect the client’s brand identity while delivering memorable experiences,” she said.
Mazzei continues to be hands-on, and she admits visiting the worksites remains key to be mindful of all stages of production. While having developed strong relationships with designers ranging from Miuccia Prada and Alessandro Michele to Pierpaolo Piccioli, Christopher Bailey, Frida Giannini, Francesco Risso, Fabio Zambernardi and Rocco Iannone, to name a few, she is extremely low-key. A conversation with her is like taking a course in fashion history, as she recalls her early days working with reputed fashion show director Sergio Salerni for about eight years before venturing out on her own in 1999, opening Without Production with her then-husband Andrea Leonardi, a partner until 2023.
Mazzei caught Salerni’s attention when she was coordinating fashions shows for Valentino, Gianfranco Ferré, Versace and others for the “Donna Sotto le Stelle,” or “Women Under the Stars,” event broadcast for years on Italian national television. “Life hands you opportunities, but you have to be quick to catch them,” she said.
She recalled some of the industry’s milestone shows she produced, from Valentino’s couture fall 2022 show on Rome’s Spanish Steps and the fall 2023 couture show at Château de Chantilly with Pierpaolo Piccioli, to the first show with Alessandro Michele at Gucci in January 2015, when the set had to be reimagined in a matter of days after the exit of Frida Giannini.
She is also the partner and founder of 4 Friends Film, a video production company, since 2012.
With her mainly all-women team — except for one man — Mazzei’s key responsibilities in organizing a fashion event range from defining a concept and location in alignment with the creative director and the brand’s identity, to selecting the team and managing logistics, including guest management and backstage operations. The agency has been expanding its expertise into sectors such as automotive, food and beauty and Mazzei admitted she is “open to new, future synergies.”
Teaching at IULM University in Milan, she shares her tips for aspiring professionals, underscoring “the importance of passion and dedication, as well as the ability to work under pressure.”
