Digital Cover April 2024
Written and produced by Julia Blanche Hristova
The Medicis are a champion of the everyday man. While legend portrays the family with power, wealth and royal credentials, the Medicis were first and foremost commoners. They were driven to create a life for themselves and their loved ones. The Renaissance era is the result of highlighting the everyday man’s quest to live heaven on earth. Today MBA laureate Lorenzo de’ Medici describes himself as a common man pursuing his heaven on earth through art, philanthropy and business partnerships. Julia Blanche Hristova takes up the story for Relentless magazine with an exclusive interview.
It is incredible that your ancestors have commissioned creatives like Michelangelo, Da Vinci and Botticelli, who are some of your favourite artists, can you tell me why you love them?
I love the freedom of Botticelli, I love the mathematical perfection of Leonardo da Vinci, and I love the empathy that Michelangelo has put into his work, and let’s not forget that Michelangelo has grown in the Medici Art Academy.
You are an artist yourself. what inspires you?
The love for beauty was given to me by my ancestors. My style is called “renaissance pop” and is unique with a combination: design, fashion, finance, art, colour, and a global vision all with a renaissance pop mix media. I am the ambassador of my family heritage with through the canvas.
It has been said that de Medici invented luxury. Can you tell us more about that?
Yes, luxury was Medici! Medici embodied parties, luxury it was fashion and high jewellery. Today I have a fashion jewellery line and a high-end luxury jewellery line called Medici.
Philanthropy is a big part of your life. Which charity organisations do you support and why?
My family foundation the de’ Medici family foundation is a California 501(c) (3) (non-profit) that keeps the heritage of my family active today with science, politics, and art. We contribute to stability and prosperity. We need more peace and Medici was always an equilibrium family for peace. I am supporting many more foundations such as the Saint Jude children’s hospital, with donating experiences to and play golf for this worthy cause. I am also a big supporter of the association Cavalieri di San Martino from Rome, and we preserve its art and through the church that we use as our headquarters, names the church of San Silvestro al Quirinale. The church was financed by the Medici family in the 1500’s and Michelangelo had lived there and worked for the de Medici family, building the Porta Pia, the door of Medici, the entrance of Rome. Michelangelo made all the drawings of the Sistine Chapel in this church, and I am proud to be a Great Magister of the order, and we were selected to give food to the poor with the Pope in November.
Has it been easy for you to carry the name de Medici or have you sometimes felt that you have to live up to expectations that are not as easy to meet?
It’s not easy but it is beautiful! I am blessed, but life makes you challenge your opinion, and thought process when your last name is de’ Medici.
You happen to be a chef and a culinary expert, what are some of your favourite dishes to cook?
As an Italian, pasta for sure, but my family created 33 recopies, some of the most famous we have today.
Can you reveal to us a secret recipe, or perhaps a secret ingredient your family have used to spice up their dishes?
Cinnamon, Tiramisu, onion soup, Venetian liver and more have secret ingredients that my family possess the secret recipe of.
What qualities do you admire in a man?
Honesty, perseverance, and love.
What makes you get up in the morning that makes you feel like wow …this is worth living?
That life is beautiful!
If you have the chance to relive one day of your life what would that be?
That it will be unique, special and unforgettable!
Creatives are usually big dreamers, do you catch yourself dreaming often? What does Lorenzo, the man, dream of on a personal level?
I don’t remember my dreams, but I dream. I am lucky as I have lived my life as a dream, so I think I would love to dream for a world in that lives in peace. I suffer a lot with all these wars that are going on, for the children especially.
Returning to charity, you have been involved with amfAR in the past. Tell us a little about it, what is it like collaborating with them?
I have donated €150,000 in pieces of art for the Cannes event, and is one of the most beautiful events of the year and represents a great cause.
Will you be attending the Cannes Film Festival in 2024?
I think I will be there having an event for my Medici jewellery collection.
