Nicola Paparusso, an Italian academic, author, and cultural strategist whose career has spanned politics, diplomacy, and media, is using fashion as an unexpected yet powerful tool to break down social barriers and foster dialogue across continents.
Once a legislative adviser in Italy’s 15th Legislature, where he worked closely with Senator Sergio De Gregorio, then President of the Senate’s Defence Committee, and later contributed to the Italian Delegation at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Paparusso has shifted his focus from the rigid corridors of politics to the fluid stage of culture.
Today, his energy is invested in African Fashion Gate, a nonprofit he founded to promote equity, diversity, and representation in the global fashion industry.
Its flagship initiative, Fashion Wears Peace, is more than a slogan, it is an ongoing programme of runway shows, exhibitions, and public forums aimed at using the visual language of style to spark conversations that transcend race, nationality, and ideology.
“Fashion can open doors or it can build walls,” Paparusso said in an interview. “It depends on who’s designing the narrative. Our work is about ensuring that narrative is inclusive, forward-looking, and humane.”
Paparusso’s move into cultural advocacy was not, he insists, a rejection of his political past but an expansion of it. His years in public service taught him how institutions think and, more importantly, where they fail to listen — lessons that have shaped his approach to bridging policy and culture.
“Politics, culture, and style are not separate worlds,” he explained. “If you understand one, you begin to see how power moves. Culture is where the deepest battles are fought, and fashion is one of its most visible arenas.”
In parallel with his advocacy work, Paparusso has carved a respected place in academia. He teaches fashion sociology at the University of Seville, where his lectures dissect the intersection of style, identity, and economics. He also serves on the Scientific Council for the Master in Management programme at the University of Turin, contributing to curriculum design that links theoretical frameworks to practical application.
“If you can’t connect cultural concepts to lived experience, the theory stays locked in the classroom,” he said. “I want my students to leave understanding not just ideas, but how to act on them.”
His philosophy blends intellectual rigour with real-world urgency, grounded in the belief that the next generation of cultural leaders must be equipped to navigate — and shape — the forces that define our societies. By positioning fashion as both a mirror and a megaphone, Paparusso is reframing it as a serious instrument for social change.
“Culture is the true battlefield,” he said. “And education is how we prepare people to fight for a better future, one that is fairer, more open, and more connected.”
