Aries founder Sofia Prantera: ‘Sexism is rife in fashion’

In case you haven’t noticed, it’s Aries season. A time for new beginnings, restarts and taking control of our futures. It’s also the perfect time for cult London streetwear label Aries to launch its 400-page book Aries Arise Archive, which takes us deep into the brand’s 15-year history.

Aries was founded in 2009 by Central Saint Martins grads Sofia Prantera and Fergus Purcell, who met while working at Shoreditch skateboard shop Slam City Skates during the 90s. Prantera then began her own skatewear brand, Holmes, before founding Silas 1998, which subsequently became one of the decade’s most sought-after streetwear labels. It wasn’t until the late 00s that Prantera and Purcell would reunite to launch Aries Arise.

Though it initially began as a little-known independent denim brand, thanks to collaborations with New Balance, Jeremy Deller, Clarks, Arsenal, Fila and Havana Club, plus campaigns from David Sims, Juergen Teller, Adrian Samson and Joshua Gordon, Aries has grown to become one of the biggest names in UK streetwear. The instantly recognisable No Problemo logo – as seen on Portia in season two of The White Lotus – became so popular that the brand relaunched it as its own independent entity.

In 2025, the brand is as popular as ever, while its founder and head designer Sofia Prantera is still effortlessly cool. When we meet over Zoom, she is lounging nonchalantly against her kitchen counter as a large dog (Nina) dashes around behind her. The Rome-born designer speaks quickly and passionately, with an Italian lilt that rises at the end of every sentence. Her ethos is honesty: she wears no make-up (and hasn’t since the 80s) and hates dressing up, hence her love for simple, comfortable, genderless streetwear. Below, Prantera tells us more about Aries’ new, must-have coffee table staple.

It’s been 15 years since you founded Aries. Does it still excite you to see people wearing the brand in public?

Sofia Prantera: It makes me want to hide. The first time it happened was with my first brand, I got onto a bus and a guy was wearing one of my caps. I remember thinking he probably has no clue that I’m the designer and that he’d be really embarrassed if I said anything. It gives me imposter syndrome. That’s why I’ve never designed under my own name, because it’s this other thing that exists outside of me. So, to answer your question, when I see people wearing Aries I hope that they don’t know I’m the designer.

Going back to when you were studying fashion, which other brands were your biggest inspirations?

Sofia Prantera: There were some really interesting brands like Chevignon, Chipie, Stone Island. I actually based my thesis on Stone Island – that’s the one that’s always been a constant. I feel like inside me there’s a teenage boy alter ego who has that sort of spirit. I also loved early Balenciaga and Nicolas Ghesquière’s work at Callaghan. I still have loads of Callaghan pieces, that was a brilliant brand.

Was there ever one item of clothing that you saved up for?

Sofia Prantera: Yes, a Vivienne Westwood sheepskin. I actually made one when I was at college. Those were always on my radar, especially the witches collection. I also had two of the Stone Island colour-changing jackets, but my ex-boyfriend stole those.

What sort of influence did the London rave scene have on you when you were at college?

Sofia Prantera: I moved to London at the end of the 80s, which was the beginning of the rave scene. I went to clubs like Shoom when Leigh Bowery and Michael Clark were there. So as soon as I arrived in London, there was a big shift between going to a club all dressed up and then people really dressing down because it was so hot and sweaty. You couldn’t wear make-up to Shoom, and I actually haven’t worn it since. I didn’t realise then that dressed-down with no make-up would be me forever, but it is. I don’t like the mask that comes with dressing up.

I think if you have your own brand and you become creative director of another brand, then your own brand will suffer

Today, you are one of very few female fashion designers at the head of a globally successful brand. Do you feel like women are often overlooked for creative director roles?

Sofia Prantera: Very much so. It’s a bit like being invited to a party and turning it down. There are fewer women in our space anyway, but there are people like Martine Rose, for example, who could really be asked to go to a big brand. I think maybe they have been asked and they’ve turned it down, but I also think that companies prefer to give those roles to men. I was never offered anything, but I wonder what I would do, and if I would turn it down. I think working for yourself is so much nicer. I think if you can achieve that success by doing your own thing, then that’s much more rewarding.

I also think, if you have your own brand and you become creative director of another brand, then your own brand will suffer. It’s difficult, but also, sexism is rife. I think you need to be a very tough person to take those jobs. You need to make sure everyone will follow your vision and you need to be able to fight.

Do you ever feel sexism in your role?

Sofia Prantera: If I’d had the same career I’ve had as a man, I probably would be more successful now. Maybe I would’ve been offered a different job. Maybe not, maybe I’d be less successful because I’d be less unique. There are a lot of weird limits too – like, you might not be invited to the pub after work. Especially in streetwear, where it’s mostly male, you might miss out on certain things, just because you’re female. People feel uncomfortable, or they think it looks like they’re trying it on with you if they invite you to the pub.

There are lots of intrinsic differences that punish us, and with Trump coming back into office, it’s just becoming more and more like that. I think there is a real fear of women in general, going all the way back to us being witches, it’s intrinsic in our society. I do think someone should say, ‘Fuck guys, let’s get it together!’ Us women should have some sort of masonic lodge.

I think there is a real fear of women in general, going all the way back to us being witches, it’s intrinsic in our society. I do think someone should say, ‘Fuck guys, let’s get it together!’ Us women should have some sort of masonic lodge

Besides putting the world to rights, we’re here to talk about your new book with Rizzoli, which spans the past decade of Aries. What have some of your highlights been?

Sofia Prantera: My favourite moment is always the Wiltshire B4 Christ collection, which we did with Jeremy Deller and David Sims. That has to be the most fun I’ve had and the most interesting project I’ve ever worked on. I love all of them, but that one was void of any commercial partnership, so we were just doing what we wanted. The Havana Club collaboration was incredible, they were an amazing partner. New Balance too and that campaign. I’m really proud of every project. Now we have so many requests that we have to turn down collaborations literally every day.

Do you have a dream collab?

Sofia Prantera: I’d like to do a car collaboration or something to do with extreme sports. I love extreme sports but I think you probably get penalised as a woman doing that – Aries might be a bit scary to certain brands.

Is there a surprising Aries fact that people might not know?

Sofia Prantera: I am not an Aries. I’m on the cusp, but I’m a Taurus. People always say, ‘I bet I know what star sign you are’, and I say ‘I bet you don’t!’

What would you say to yourself if you went back to the day you founded Aries?

Sofia Prantera: Be more sure of yourself. I look at Vetements and how Demna did that – it was genius. I think having conviction in your differences is so important. I lacked that. I have more of it now, but maybe still not as much as I should. I lacked that brazenness, to be able to say, ‘Fuck you guys if you don’t understand it’. Bravery pays off.

Aries Arise Archive is out on April 15