At Home With Nicola Formichetti

When you imagine the man behind Lady Gaga's meat dress and back-to-back V Magazine cover looks, your fantasy is probably very different from the reality. Nicola Formichetti, Mother Monster's former fashion guru and the current creative director at Diesel, is neither outlandish nor flamboyant in his dress. When we meet at his apartment, he's wearing a simple uniform of black jeans, a black tee, and plain black sneaks. Formichetti is soft-spoken, down-to-earth, and instantly welcoming. His home, however, is a little more in line with our creative daydreams of where Gaga's style pro should reside. Chock-full of colorful knick-knacks, from Harajuku-themed pillows to dinosaur statues and oh-so many houseplants, it's bright, inspiring, and just a bit over the top.

Formichetti, who has also held the position of creative director at Mugler, is clearly at ease with who he is and what he loves. The campaign for his inaugural Diesel collection, for example, was shot exclusively on an iPhone by British fashion photog Nick Knight (who also directed Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" video). You see, Formichetti doesn't mean to ruffle so many feathers, telling the world they better jump on board the digital movement (as he's done so quickly at his new gig). He's just the calm in the eye of the storm, pushing the industry forward.

We are endlessly inspired by the visionary designer, stylist, and creative director and our one-on-one interview only confirmed our crush. Ahead, honest talk about all things leather and denim, Gaga's genius, and, of course, why he's dying to style Miley.