Alessandro Dell'Acqua on the Naples heritage that still inspires

"I spend most of the day drawing at my desk, which is covered in sheets of paper and fashion magazines," says Alessandro Dell'Acqua of his day-to-day routine as creative director of both N°21 – the brand he launched in 2010 – and the storied Parisian house Rochas.

Dell'Acqua was born in Naples in 1962 and left for Milan aged just 18, but while the northern part of the boot offered greater opportunities in fashion, his southern Italian hometown has remained an influence throughout his career. "I remember all the women of my family in their black-and-nude lace slip dresses, cooking together in the kitchen on a Sunday morning," he says. "Those dresses still inspire so many looks."

Still only in his early 50s, Dell'Acqua has held prestigious roles at many of Italy's most reputable houses, including Malo, Brioni and Max Mara; in addition to this, he helmed his own label from 1996 to 2009.

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As a boy, Dell'Acqua dreamt of a career in lights. He was introduced to the films of Visconti and Fellini by his grandfather, who would take him on frequent trips to his local picture house as a youngster.

"My dream was to become an actor, but I was too shy and film school was too expensive," he says.

Unhampered by this disappointment, a teenage Dell'Acqua apprenticed with a local dressmaker and enrolled at Naples' Accademia di Belle Arti before leaving for Milan. His first job was with stilista Enrica Massei, who he calls "one of the most visionary Italian designers at the time".

At just 23, Dell'Acqua was appointed creative director of Genny; a few years later, he held the same title at knitwear specialist Peter Pianforini, before taking on a variety of highbrow consultancy roles. He branched out on his own in his mid-30s, presenting his first eponymous collection during Milan Fashion Week in 1996.

Over the ensuing decade, Dell'Acqua built one of Italy's most successful contemporary brands, noted for his masterly use of singular fabrics, draped and cut to create feminine silhouettes. The business expanded globally, adding menswear, accessories and a fragrance to its portfolio. But as it grew, Dell'Acqua's command over the creative identity of the label was overshadowed by that of his investors. "When I was drawing the Alessandro Dell'Acqua line, I was asked to draw just evening gowns and chiffon dresses," he says. "I drew them, but I was going against myself. My idea of femininity was different." In 2009, Dell'Acqua subsequently decided to cut ties with the label that continues to carry his name.

Undeterred, he ploughed his energy into his youthful new brand, N°21, which launched with a womenswear collection in 2010. "It was about starting again with a completely new mindset," Dell'Acqua says of the brand, which was named after his birthday, 21 December. "It represents a new life."

For N°21, he authors an everyday wardrobe, ennobled with the use of prestige fabrics and expert craftsmanship. The line "mixes my experience as designer, especially in knitwear, with a new approach to [creating] a contemporary and wearable ready-to-wear collection," he says.

Dell'Acqua added yet another feather to his cap in 2013, when he was appointed creative director of Rochas. Launched in 1925 by Marcel Rochas, the house is historically known for its youthful haute couture creations. A perfect illustration of its heritage and cachet is the 1948 black beaded silk Siren dress – inspired by the curvilinear lines of an amphora – that hangs on display at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art.

"The Rochas woman is more eccentric: the finest and richest fabrics, which belong to a couture heritage, are worn with an easy-wear attitude," says Dell'Acqua, comparing his collections for the French house with those of N°21. He creates both with the same team: "I switch my mind and my days in two sides," he says.

Dell'Acqua is all too aware of the changing tempo of the fashion industry. "Once, it was all about the perfect show and dream clothes. Today, you win if you sell. Everything is faster. Soon after the show, you are already working on the next pre-collection." Rather than lamenting this commercial acceleration, the designer has embraced it by blurring the lines between collections; since 2014, the N°21 men's shows have included womenswear looks and cast masculine fits in non-traditional fabrics. For AW16, these include intricate lace, pink satin and mohair knits woven in animal prints. The idea of a modern shared wardrobe was recently taken a step further with the launch of N°21 Petite Taille, which translates the Italian's designs for men into women's sizes.

"It is all about atmospheres and sensations, real women and their attitude," says Dell'Acqua, the cinema-loving designer who continues to push his leading ladies forward.