Chat On the Couch with Mark Kohr

The director of the most iconic music videos of the 1990s spoke to us about creativity and leadership, but also about his personal story of downfalls and rebirths. Because beauty can be born even on a pile of rubble.

For anyone who was a teenager in the 1990s, a frame of the Basket Case video by Green Day has the same evocative power as Proust’s Madeleine. The orange jumpsuits and Billie Joe’s unmistakable open-legged pose while playing guitar — these images take you back in time, to afternoons spent with your nose glued to MTV and your head full of dreams.

Basket Case is just one of the music videos of the 1990s and 2000s that have become iconic for a generation of people. And many of these videos were directed by Mark Kohr. If you have never heard his name, the list of bands he has worked with – Rancid, Green Day, Alanis Morissette, No Doubt… – will be enough for you to see the scope of his work. When we met him here at Blossom, we discovered that his fame and work are only one small part of his charm and life experience. Because Mark is not “just” a Hollywood filmmaker who grew up on the set of Nightmare Before Christmas along with directors such as Spike Jonze and David Fincher: his calmness and openness spoke of an artist, a leader, a professional and a person driven by sensitivity, respect for others and a strong desire to share his experiences.

For all these reasons, the first episode of Chat On the Couch, the mini-series dedicated to conversations with artists and communicators on Blossom’s historic couch, could only be with him.

When we talk about fashion, the picture looks familiar: glossy runways, luxury collections, “sustainable” capsules. Shift the angle slightly, and a different reality comes into focus. That’s the choice Anna Fiscale made in 2013, in her twenties, when she founded Progetto Quid.

We are inside Quid’s production workshop in Verona. At a machine edging leather bags sits Bouchra, who arrived from Morocco with experience in fashion, none in leather goods, and no Italian. Here she has learned a new craft and built long-term relationships.
There is Giovanni, who at Quid has found what many look for: the chance to grow professionally without giving up his passions outside of work. And then there are faces, hands, smiles. Faces with complex stories. Hands moving confidently across the fabric. Smiles from people who, in that workshop, feel they truly belong.

What the system calls “waste” becomes a resource.

“Giving new life to people and fabrics” is not a slogan. It is how Quid operates.
Textile leftovers from other companies become high-quality raw material, available at lower cost. People pushed to the margins become trained professionals, with contracts and a horizon to work toward. The result is a supply chain that combines upcycling, design and ethically Made in Italy manufacturing – and, above all, a different idea of value: here, what the system discards is where everything starts.

Walking between the tall shelves of the fabric warehouse and the narrow aisles of the leather stockroom, it becomes clear that this is not just the story of a business model.
It is the story of a shift in perspective that changes everything it touches: the world of work, the fashion industry, and the lives of the people inside both.

Climate. Social media. AI. New generations. Crazy expectations. The landscape is shifting beneath our feet. Every innovation, every disruption, demands a reset.

But one thing never changes: the need to communicate.

From cave walls to cloud servers

Ancient hunters trading stories by firelight. History scratched into stone, painted on cave walls. Scribes inking wisdom onpapyrus. Ideas spread by mouth, messages passed by hand. From radio to television. Texts to the infinite digital world.

No matter the age or technology, communication is essential. Its survival. Human connection. Knowledge must move —or it’s lost. And so are we.

There’s a lot at stake.

Rising temperatures and melting glaciers. Catastrophic wildfires and devastating floods. Human-induced emissions that pollute the air we breathe. Issues affecting our climate and atmosphere aren’t just topics for specialists — they impact our daily lives, our health, and our collective future. Data-driven insight is key to empowerment. Awareness is the first step toward meaningful action.

The information is out there. And we all need to hear it.

So… what now?

Now we turn scientific evidence into real-world understanding. We transform data into stories. Build bridges between expertise and everyday reality.

Science isn’t just for scientists anymore. It’s for all of us. And we’re here to share the insight – with you.

See how Blossom and Copernicus are changing the conversation about our planet.

Read the case study

Milan, Via Tortona 9. It didn’t take long for Giacomo Frigerio, CEO and Founder of Blossom, to realize this was the right place. This is where we’ve moved, and this is where we invite you to join us in a new chapter of Transforming Perspectives. Watch now.

People say all sorts of things about Milan. That it’s grey and overcast, but also vibrant; international, but never enough; fast-paced, but familiar. Hard to pin down—much like those who can’t sit still and have change in their DNA. That’s Milan. Nowhere is this more true than in Tortona. 

Tortona is a fracture that refuses to heal, where fragments of the past remain embedded in the framework of the present. Once, there were factories, workshops, workers’ homes, and the Porta Genova railway as its backbone. Today, warehouses have become ateliers, old glassworks are now creative hubs, courtyards double as exhibition spaces. There are long-standing shops and concept stores, young designers and the carpenter methodically sanding his furniture, legacy fashion houses and the hardware store owner who’s always been here—each with their own perspective on the neighborhood. There’s a persistent sense of restlessness in the air. 

Blossom couldn’t have chosen anywhere else. Via Tortona 9, in a building that has kept its foundations but transformed many times over. It isn’t just an office; it’s a hub for transformation. Here, people are free to challenge themselves and each other, continually encouraged to reframe their outlook. Anything can happen: team brainstorms, the creation of new tools to rethink communication, unforgettable events and dinners. Giacomo Frigerio saw immediately that this was the right place for Blossom. Together with architects Michele Bellinzona and Alberto Fraterrigo-Garofalo, who oversaw its renovation, he leads us here—into the heart of Tortona. Where transformation happens. 

BRANDING AND STRATEGIC RESTYLING

Vert is the line of eco-detergents under the Chanteclair brand. Known for its focus on
sustainability, the range was at risk of being identified with an image that didn’t fully
communicate the strength and performance consumers expect. Blossom stepped in to lead a
strategic restyling: reinforcing the sustainable positioning while making the products’
powerful effectiveness immediately clear. The outcome is a visual identity that moves past the
compromise between green aesthetics and proven performance.

FROM GENERIC CODES TO A DISTINCTIVE MARK

A process of structured dialogue with the Real Chimica team led to a redesign, with a bolder
green palette and a visual hierarchy that highlights the product name and key benefits. The
goal: to overcome the widespread perception that “green” means less effective compared to
traditional cleaners. In this context, Vert’s new image was shaped to make its dual strength—
sustainability and cleaning power—instantly visible.

For the third consecutive year, ILO has chosen Blossom to give voice—through an official video presented at the Global Citizen Festival in Central Park—to its vision of social justice and decent work. This event brings together activism, institutions, and civil society, shining a light on the crucial issues of work, rights, and sustainability.

The ongoing partnership between ILO and Blossom is built on strategic and creative dialogue, transforming values and priorities into impactful global communication tools. The video challenges us to rethink the role of work: not just a paycheck, but the foundation of dignity, social cohesion, and inclusive development. Data, vision, and a direct call to action: renew the social contract to build a fairer future.

Watch the video and see how partnership can transform the global conversation.