When you were growing up in Italy in streetwear what was the influence?

The influence of streetwear when I was 15or 16 was definitely Stussy. There used to be a lot of graffiti artists that used to make lines and the over sized way of wearing the clothing was there. But [it was] all coming from the US.

What were you picking up?

American things. A lot of American...especially baseball and football sweatshirts and tee shirts.

Did your friends in Italy think you were crazy?

No, my friends were like this too. But a lot of people, yes of course, their acceptance at that time was so much lower than what it is today. Coming from a small town you definitely have judgmental people, you know, that throw you some words. But it was okay for me. Today kids in Italy they wear more or less the same clothing that there is here [the U.S.]. The only thing that is different is the styling here is so much more free, there it's a little bit still restricted to one mentality.

Traveling as much as you do what city do you feel is really getting it as far as fashion is concerned?

Tokyo. It's the best, the most futuristic market and also they really get it.They know how to dress. They're very much informed. I think in Japan there is not so much prejudice so they are very, very, very free.

It seems that the Japanese tend to grab a movement not so much because it has any sort of connection to a scene or for them trying to be real but more so because its just fashion and people will accept that.In the United States it is almost the opposite. Do you find that to be true?

That is true, its crazy huh? Like here[the] hip hop culture and people on the street they really are like this and thats the reality of things [for them]. While if you go to Japan you are missing that because its just kind of trend or aesthetic.I like the reality. That's why I think that streetwear in the U.S. is definitly the most real.

Can we talk a little bit about the upcoming spring line? The inspiration or the theme for the new season?

This season we went to San Francisco and we got a lot of the hippie vibe there. Which was very nice and trippy ya know? So we put some of the elemnts of San Francisco in the collection. That's why a lot of the graphic are very spacey, other worldy, and sort of like...taking a mushroom and then designing the collection.

Do you ever see any pieces from the 55 line from back in the day showing up?

Yea, actually for the 15th Anniversary we did an old collection from past pieces.

When is that going to be available?

Next spring.

Thank you to Andrea for sitting down with Highsnobiety and speaking to candidly about the 55DSL brand and the market.

We now present you with select images from the 55DSL Spring 2009 15 Year Anniversary Collection.

Thanks to Adriana Mancuso-Moniz for contributing to this story.