Matteo Pugliese was born in Milan in 1969. In 1978 his family moved to Sardinia and lived there for the next 12 years. During this time he developed a strong love for drawing and sculpture and practiced without formal education. After finishing his secondary school studies in classics in Cagliari, he returned to Milan to attend university. In 1995 he was awarded his degree in modern literature at the University of Milan with a graduation thesis on art criticism.

A couple hugs while standing near a Christmas tree made out of plastic bins and plastic hampers outside the Museum of History in Monterrey, Mexico, December 4, 2015. The humble Christmas tree has a rich history, from evergreen trees used to symbolise eternal life in Ancient Egypt to tree worship among pagan Europeans. The modern version has its origins in Germany, where the song “O Tannenbaum” is still a festive favourite. Today the traditional tree with lights and decorations appears in cities including Washington, Moscow and Beirut. Alternative constructions range from recycled rubbish in Mexico City to old window frames in Rakvere, Estonia. Whatever the shape or size, the message is the same: Merry Christmas. (Photo by Neil Hall/Reuters)

Jared Leto, holding a model of his own head, attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the “Camp: Notes on Fashion” exhibition on Monday, May 6, 2019, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP Photo)

English model Cara Delevingne attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the “In America: An Anthology of Fashion” exhibition on Monday, May 2, 2022, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP Photo)

Lea Michele attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating “Charles James: Beyond Fashion” on Monday, May 5, 2014, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP Photo)

A tourist gets an “Art Hug” from a disinfected costumed man outside the reopened Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Monday, June 1, 2020. The government takes a major step to relax the coronavirus lockdown, with bars, restaurants, cinemas and museums reopening under strict conditions. (Photo by Peter Dejong/AP Photo)

English model and actress Cara Delevingne poses at the Met Gala, an annual fundraising gala held for the benefit of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute with this year's theme “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty”, in New York City, New York, U.S., May 1, 2023. (Photo by Andrew Kelly/Reuters)

Creations by fashion designer Guo Pei, one of China's leading couture artists, are seen on display during the “Guo Pei: Fashioning Imagination” exhibition at the M+ art museum in Hong Kong on September 17, 2024. (Photo by Peter Parks/AFP Photo)