Archivi categoria: Fashion Designer

Fashion Designer, Made in Italy

FROM OWL

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  “Your dream should be to create a new product, to express a new philosophy, to stimulate the mind of the people, to be able to bring innovation”

 

Let’s start talking about you, who are you, when did you decide to work together and to create From Owl?

I am Alberto Ziveri. Born in Parma in 1994 and now studying in Milan at Bocconi University. Filippo Tommasini is the co-founder of the From Owl with me, and we’re friends from childhood.

It all started back in 2013 when we both decided to start printing some designs we made together with Marco Gherri (Filippo’s cousin) on some t-shirts. We made 60 t-shirts and sold them all. Since that moment we understood we could make something more sophisticated, with the help of other friends who became part of the team eventually: Luca Rovelli, Luciana dal Zio, Lorenzo Maestri, Luca Marocchi and Matteo Costa.

How did you begin and where does your passion come from?

We started in the summer 2014 to learn about the process, we bought the first textiles and focused on the first ideas.

What it is important to say is that we’re not fashion designers, we’re economics students with several passions (sports, web design, photography, fashion and innovation), but practically we are not able to design as a normal skilled designer. We just brainstorm new ideas and work with our team to develop them. That’s probably our advantage: we gather ideas from our ignorance without being limited by “design dogmas”. We are very passionated about products and innovation.

Difficulties  encountered to manage the business?

There are lots of difficulties, but that is part of the game. If it was too easy, it wouldn’t be challenging. I could list shortly some of the most challenging ones:

– Creating a product that can both satisfy the team, but also your target. Creating a product whose message can be efficiently communicated and can be profitable. Sometimes we create products which are extremely beautiful, innovative, but we make mistakes in how to communicating the message. Or worse, sometimes the message is clear but not positively perceived by the customers and, consequently, they become not profitable.  To overcome these difficulties you need experience, skills but also “instinct”.
– To create perfect products when you have a low budget. Our time and resources are limited hence we can’t make everything we want in an excellent way. So it’s extremely difficult to not make compromises when you should be forced to make them.
– Communicate our philosophy in order to convince people to prefer From Owl. We would like people to understand that it’s better to buy 1 Owl product rather than 4 H&M items. It’s part of our mission to teach to customers how is possible to make more responsible purchase choices.

– To find the right suppliers. It’s the most boring activity but the most important one. We contacted over 300 potential suppliers in two years, and worked with just 20 of them. It’s very hard to find the perfect supplier.

What would you say to somebody who has a dream like yours?

Don’t start a brand/company just to produce clothes or  for the sake of earning pennies. Nowadays everyone can make a t-shirt. There’s a lot of superficiality when starting a brand. The true difference between an original brand and a superficial one stays in differentiation so… Your dream should be to create a new product, to express a new philosophy, to stimulate the mind of the people, to be able to bring innovation…“making clothes” is not enough.

I can see hundreds of brands making a printed tee and giving them to football players in the old school way, I would feel very sad if I had to make things other people have already done. However, this my own perspective.

From Owl is not a famous brand yet, and I certainly still don’t have the “privilege” to deliver advices to other people: I’ve still have a lot to learn. What I’ve done till now is just following the instinct with ideas and skills.

Do you have a place/city in which you feel more inspired and why?

London, Cape Town, Los Angeles, Lofoten Islands. They are all inspiring cities because of their landscapes, colors, the citizens’ way of living. But our first source of inspiration is Parma: our hills, our philosophy, the excellence of our companies (Barilla, Parmalat, Rosa dell’Angelo).

How do you communicate with the world/ how do you concretely express yourself?

Videos, photos, stories. We communicate with the world with these three vehicles and through years we learnt a lot about video making and photography. But, as always, you can’t have skills without ideas, that’s why when we make a video it’s not really important how we make it, but it’s fundamental what idea we want to express.

What makes your brand different?

We think we’re different from other startups for several reasons, starting from our “unique” set of skills we have: from management to photography, design and web design, which hardly you will find in one team (many of the clothing companies outsource at least one of those activities). A second reason is that we have a philosophy: we want to express emotions, to connect clothes to stories. The third reason is about quality, since profitability is not our main goal, we don’t make compromises: we always strive for perfection and we work with companies which are used to work with famous luxury companies. Our idea is precise and it is getting even more sophisticated the more we work.

Projects for the future.

We have a big mission in mind to make From Owl an international popular brand, how? With the products we’re working on, with the clear communication, with the right prices and durable quality. We strive for this goal, but we’re aware and ready to fail and learn.

Ready to shop now? Their Online Shop is waiting for your visit here at  www.fromowl.com 

You can also follow their adventures and their trips around the globe here: From Owl Facebook Fan Page

Fashion Designer

BODYBLOUSE BY PAM THOMAS

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The look of a blouse with body shaping comfort and control…

Pam Thomas studied at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in 1979, she is the creator of the Original BodyBlouse, a one of a kind body shaper featuring different styles of fashionable sleeves. Pam was the first to bring a design of this type to market.

THE STORY BEHIND

We are not focusing only on this new product but also about Pam Thomas, as an excellent example of how a creative and smart woman is able to transform her own need into a career in fashion retail capable of solving the dilemma of several women facing the same issue.1-pam-thomas-images-for-deshabille3

The idea was born in the context of a family wedding when Pam Thomas genially decided to combine harmoniously satin sleeves with a body shaping camisole. That was the moment Pam realized that she was creating “the look of a blouse with body shaping comfort and control”. The BodyBlouse was finally introduced to the public as an innovative and creative solution after years of research and perfecting the design. Brilliant!

Pam Thomas has lately returned to the market with the BodyBlouse available in 14 figure-flattering styles of spandex combined with such fabrics as chiffon and sheer lace: a body shaper that boasts the elegance of a blouse – whether worn alone or beneath an assortment of garments such as dresses, tops and vests. The ladies that choose the BodyBlouse meet endless options for graceful evening wear, they look sophisticated with the highly appreciated advantage to travel light.

INNOVATION, STYLE AND COMFORT

The BodyBlouse has been conceived to be a versatile solution to expand any woman’s wardrobe with style and intelligence. Furthermore, as a customer  you will be able to travel light without packing extra clothes and go shopping with ease thanks to Pam Thomas Designs. As said, available are different ranges of styles offering body shaping comfort and control. The styles feature Contemporary price points with designs selling between $125 and $165 retail.

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“The Original BodyBlouse transforms the look of a sleeveless dress, top or vest into a completely fresh new style by adding a unique BodyBlouse under your existing outfit.”

“The BodyBlouse adds stylish sleeves along with body shaping comfort and control under your sleeveless garment. Each one will give you a totally new look and will make any outfit look fabulous!”

WHO IS THE TARGET OF THE BODYBLOUSE?

Women of a wide range of ages can wear the BodyBlouse from young girls to middle aged women to the elderly because the BodyBlouse is so versatile and the final look depends on how it’s styled. This varies of course because many of the younger girls are in love with the BodyBlouse styles. The customer would probably be one who is sophisticated and enjoys luxury clothing as well as beautiful, high end, quality fine fabrics. Along with one who values their time, is organized and efficient and prefers a convenient lifestyle. She also would probably shop at higher end boutiques and stores. The conscious woman who is working or non-working and prefers comfort at all stages of life.

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On another demographic… The modest girl or woman would absolutely buy the BodyBlouse styles with lined sleeves and a jewel neckline as offered on the website. The BodyBlouse styles provide what this type of girl and woman is looking for.

WHY WOMEN SHOULD CHOOSE THIS ITEM?

“The customer should choose The Original BodyBlouse brand because I worked in retail for nine years and as a stylist I would speak to many women and young girls who would tell me they were looking for something that was not sleeveless or strapless. Hearing this over and over, I came up with a solution.”  

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WHAT DOES MOTIVATE YOU, PAM?

“As a designer, I am motivated by my passion and love of the fashion world. I truly love beautiful colors and fabrics and fabulous, stylish looks that bring it all full circle. This is why the BodyBlouse was created and designed. The BodyBlouse is the solution so many women have been looking for!”

HOW TO WEAR A BODYBLOUSE?

Under a sleeveless dress, top, vest, or just as a top for a slimming, elegant look! Transform your wardrobe to give you more options: one can wear it as a top or can wear it under a sleeveless dress, top, or vest. One can take a sleeveless dress, top, or vest and take several BodyBlouses and change up the look of each.

 

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If you are interested to get in touch with the brand, here are all of the details!

Website: The BodyBlouse

Fashion Designer, Made in Italy

ELISA SANNA

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“Elegance must always be the foundation of everything. Even before wearing a dress, it must be part of the attitude of a person. Only then you can give life to what you wear. My passion starts from here. From the beauty of women.”

 

Who is the young powerful lady Elisa?!

I am a young creative girl who has always done everything that was going through her head. Despite the difficulties, I have always had big dreams and big ambitions and I have always aimed for something bigger.

My passion is to create clothes, which means to me an idea to become reality, a form, a thought or emotion.

How and why did you start to work as a Fashion Designer?

It’s something that I have always had inside, that slowly took shape over time, and so has turned into this job. There is no exact timeline to which I could place my decision to become a fashion designer.

Could you imagine having a different job?!

I could adapt to everything, but I could never imagine my life doing another job. For me it is not a job, it’s a real passion to which you can assign the value in getting more work.

Where do you find your inspiration?

There is not an historical period or an exact event from where I find inspiration. The flair and the inspiration come from everywhere and everything and from nothing: I mean, sometimes I find it looking at someone walking on the street, from the colours that I see in the city and are parts of it… but also from a thought, or just putting together different fabrics, and the forms they create can be a source of inspiration for me. I can be really inspired from everything! The most important thing is to be able to interpret ideas and to put them into reality.

What is your philosophy? Where does your passion come from?

My philosophy is to make something beautiful into something even more beautiful, that is able to emphasize the best side of the female body. Elegance must always be the foundation of everything. Even before wearing a dress, it must be part of the attitude of a person. Only then you can give life to what you wear. My passion starts from here. From the beauty of women.

I started my journey learning the trade a few years ago in a tailor’s shop where a great seamstress was able to form me and teach me the secrets of this work. I did not attend any academy of fashion; I just did practiced in tailoring, where I started sewing simple linings. I have always been fascinated by everything around me, my ideas were born playing around with the fabric and the dressmaker’s dummy. Just the touch of high quality fabric moves me, to observe the expert hands of a seamstress that transform a design into reality, and to see my idea taking shape. I think that direct contact with the fabrics and the sewing machine is the most effective way to learn and absorb the most of everything that you need to know. It takes a great load of patience and humility, but if you have patience, passion and determination nothing can stop you from achieving your dreams.

What is the message you want to share with the colours and materials you choose?

For this collection i decided to use natural fibers, like silk, nettle, soy and hemp. I am a lover of light colors and contrasts. The colors that I like to use are beige and light peach. They are colours that are lightweight, make clean shapes and personally, for me, they represent serenity. I also like to create contrasts with these colors combining them with more nuance decided, as can be white, black, or simply create contrasts embellishing the fabric with crystals.

What are your goals for the future?

My goal for the future is surely to keep doing what I love. I would like to have a distribution and make it grow over time showing what I know and what I can do.

You are young and a woman: do you think that it is more difficult for you to be credible?

Absolutely not. I think the credibility depends on the actual capacity of a person, regardless of whether it is male or female. I think to devalue the work of a person just because she is a woman, is part of a mind perhaps a little “bigoted”. By now many women have very important roles of men and I think that we are slowly moving away from the idea of the woman like an housewife without ambitions.

Your biggest regret / failure / success / intuition!

I think it’s still early to talk about failures and successes. Definitely my success for now is to have the good fortune of being able to realize and develop my projects, in this I am very lucky. Having courage and the desire to get in the game, I consider a small success.

What would you like to change in the fashion world/ culture?

The fashion world contains within itself many diverse branches and many different tasks. People often generalize when it comes to fashion. It’s a world worked primarily by designers and tailors, from which everything is born, then around them all other tasks are developed.

There is nothing in particular that I would change… maybe I would relive in a period when the great couturier was given more importance, when we focused more on the work done by hand.

The new collection of Elisa Sanna is now available for the customers!

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Donatella

Fashion Designer, Made in Italy

Claudia Errante

Galleria

In the Spring 2013 I asked myself: “There must be a way to wear a turban with the comfort of having them already ready to wear, whenever you want, without having to tie and build them all the time!” No sooner than I thought it, I did it!

 

First of all I would like to thank you for giving me the opportunity to tell something about me in your wonderful magazine. I’m an italian fashion designer. I’m 27 years old and I am Sardinian. I live in a beautiful city, Cagliari, a place that helps me to be happy, although it’s very difficult to live here. I’m a very messy, eccentric and curious girl and I love imperfections.
In my job there are NO RULES (order, schemes and rules are not for me. I know, I’m very undisciplined!). I want to be free to live and I feel that I am really fulfilled.

In 2010 I finished my studies and graduated in Fashion Design at Istituto di Moda Burgo in Milan. Later I worked so hard, experienced and learned a lot thanks to some artists who, believing in me, allowed me to assist them in their work and teaching me the “True Life of a Craftsman”. I immediately wanted to get involved, getting more consensus on my debut, which occurred in March 2012.

From that moment I never stopped creating!

But for a moment I would like to put aside the “Claudia designer” and I want to speak to you as fashion lover. Even since I was a child, I never left my house without an accessory on my head; it could be a bow, a scarf or a hat, it did no matter, it was only important that I did not have a bare head (that’s how I feel if I don’t wear an accessory!)… this is my hallmark. Because I loved turbans, I tried often to build them in my head, and in the Spring 2013 I asked myself: “There must be a way to wear a turban with the comfort of having them already ready to wear, whenever you want, without having to tie and build them all the time!” No sooner than I thought it, I did it!

I experimented and found a perfect mixed structured line of a turban with the convenience of a real hat. Now I’m in effect THE GIRL OF TURBANS!  😀

Movie stars from the past and African women are my source of inspiration, even though they are two contrasting styles. It is an accessory that reminds me of grandmothers, the dark times that they lived and the desire to feel beautiful and stilysh, even though they could not wash or take care of their hair during the Second World War.

The woman, in general, is for me a source of inspiration, such as the many and strong women who fight against a disease, who need and want to feel beautiful despite fighting constantly with a monster trying to spoil their beauty. It is a kind of gift for them, a moment of being carefree and frivolous.

I allow them to combine helpful with pleasure.

Where does it happen?! Almost never in my city, because I always looking for high quality, rare or vintage fabrics and less popular, special prints and colors. I rely very often on a company that works also online, but of course my favourite stores are the markets organized in the city. There you can find many treasures, such as fine tablecloths, perfect to created one or more turbans, very old fabrics disused belonging to old seamstresses, the kind that makes you admire its textures and patterns, and makes you want to say the classic but true sentence: “There aren’t any more beautiful fabrics like in the past!”

I work alone, drawing, designing, sewing, advertising, organizing, selling, delivering and I also take care of everything that revolves around my brand. I’m also a waitress every night in a restaurant. That’s because I’m messy, undisciplined and disorganized! To be ble to have a person who works for me is the next step. Unfortunately until now I do not have the financial ability to hold up the expense of an assistant. I hope that things will get better and above all that the brand is able to fly, to afford to live only by my passion and give work to some greatly talented guys who are unfortunatly unemployed.

Social networks have given me the opportunity to have costumers from all over the world and a lot of visibility. Many American girls find my products via hashtag that I post on Intagram. Believe me, I did not think that social networks had all this power and this big utility!

Much of the credit of my success definitly goes to “Amazing*Us”, a cultural association that organizes events in my town dedicated to art and artisanship. They supported me, by allowing me to share my products at their events, that hosts Sardinian curious, but also with many tourists, giving them the opportunity to learn our local products.

Well, thanks to these events, I have expanded my costumers and now I regularly have lots of Russian, Spanish and English girls that have discovered my items and my brand during their vacation in Cagliari. Isn’t it cool?!?

Thank you so much dear Deshabille, it was an honor and a pleasure to chat with you!

Claudia Errante Fashion Designer

Website

Donatella

Fashion Designer, Made in Italy

ISULA DESIGN

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“Sometime ago I was forced, for health reasons, to stay locked up in hospitals for a long time and from there I realized the importance of being alive and staying in the open air, watching the colors of a sunrise or a sunset, feel the wind that caresses your face just for a minute and enjoying the scents that only the nature of this land can give you, even from a window.”

 

Tell us something about you and Isula Design!

My name is Francesca, I live and work in a small seaside village in the district of Sassari (in the North Sardinia). I like everything that has color, form and tradition. I am a nature and animals lover, I live with the fact that I love my dog Sunshine, who taught me to love his world!

I love to walk by the sea as well as in the countryside and  I like stars, the moon, the sun, but also rain and melancholy. I consider myself a very (perhaps too) sensitive and emotional person, full of life. I like to smile and the smile on the face of the people I come close to sends me endless positivity! I am a natural and colorful food lover, as fruit and vegetables are. I think that in life there is always a lot to learn from other people, with humility and respect.

I graduated two years ago as a seamstress / modeler at the School of Art and Fashion in Sassari, for me a dream that came true and I want to continue creating with my style “SardAfrican”, because every woman wants externalize what’s inside, being free to feel colors and by being unique!

Can you tell us more about the ISULA PROJECT?

The project Isula design and the choice of the name was born out of this land, Sardinia, that is very close to me. It is my island that commands my heart, which offers different colors and shapes, but also distant Africa, which is also close in a sense!

Where do you find the inspiration?

The design of the clothes like the colors chosen for the fabrics are a reflection of a deep sense of belonging to my island, endless source of my inspiration. In each piece I try to interpret, with great respect and modernity, the ancient traditions of Sardinia and the bright colors and distinctive landscapes that this land gives to me. Mixing my Sardinians immense passion with the ancient soul and freedom of the African continent, the wonderful and colorful countrywomen, my collection becomes a perfect combination of ancient traditions and modernity, memories of deserts and unreachable mountains, open seas and splendid colors.

Each dress is the story of a mood, each color a feeling. Each collection is an old music.

Where was your passion born?

The passion for the art began as a child, growing quickly with a strong aesthetic sense towards clothing. As a teenager, I began to wish for a look that could fully represent my personality. Finding no garment that reflected my desires, exploded in me the urge to create by myself the wardrobe of my dreams.

Without ever having sewn, driven by a lively inspiration, I bought my first piece of cloth and alone, with the sewing machine of a dear friend, I created my first skirt. Driven by this magical inspiration, I created a garment after the other, with no experience, no pattern, just by looking, touching the fabric and getting carried away by instinct. My friends, affected by the visionary forms and evocative colors, asked me to create dresses for commission.

As if I had done nothing all my life long, I began to study by myself all methods to tailor, to improve day by day the quality of my clothes.

The requests came from people like me, who wanted to wear one of my dresses, out from the usual style, and they increase more and more and at some point it came natural the creation of a brand that identifies perfectly with my style.

I had the impression that nature plays a really important role in your world and for your fashion…

Oh yeah, I love to talk and listen to nature! Sometime ago I was forced, for health reasons, to stay locked up in hospitals for a long time and from there I realized the importance of being alive and stay in the open air, watching the colors of a sunrise or a sunset, feel the wind that caresses your face just for a minute and enjoying the scents that only the nature of this land can give you, even from a window. I think there is no better place to take photos for my clothes and feel in tune with it!

What does your logo represents?

The logo represents for me eternal freedom.

In fact the inspiration comes from the Egyptian key of life, which is also known as the Ankh, or the Egyptian cross Ankh. It is a T cross crowned by a circle, an oval and in some representations, by a snake that twists (the serpent is the symbol of wisdom and if chasing its tail forming a circle is a symbol of eternity). The form of the ankh remembers a key and that is also the reason why it is called “Key of Life” or “Key of the Nile”. Symbolic representation of life and survival after death, but it has been interpreted as a free butterfly, with Sardinian spikes.

The message is therefore to feel free, colorful, feminine, rich in tradition, but above all unique and special wearing my dresses!

ISULA DESIGN

FRANCESCA COLOMBINO

Donatella

Fashion Designer, Made in Italy

LILLE FERRARO MAISON

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“We have a whole life to draw beautiful clothes and to sell them. But we have only a few moments to sew and print our emotions on them.”

 

Let’s discover more about LILLE FERRARO MAISON and the project behind it, above all about Luana Ferraro, the brain and fashion designer of it.

“I could write for hours about it, I really love to write and maybe it depends on my genetic (there is a poet in my family!) but time is running out, that is why I will try to describe myself in a few words. I am curious, stubborn, capable, and ingenious.
I live my life full of passion: I strongly believe that the work in this sector has improved myself and elevated my spirit, giving me the opportunity to develop many and different points of views and thousands artistic sides.

At this stage in my career, commitments are many, but the thing that I continue to love the most is to sit on the lawn of the Place des Vosges in Paris with pencil in the hand and a breathtaking view, just me and my art. Yes, I love Paris, it leaves me breathless every time.”

How was the idea of LILLE FERRARO MAISON born?

It is a concept of different ideas that encompasses the brand of Lille Ferraro Maison and Lille Ferraro “Fatto in Italia”. For me, advising as a wardrobe consultant was only a little hobby and a great passion that later became a beautiful and challenging job. I created outfits for my clients, and through email, social media and the website, they can send their requests and budget. It is incredible how with a small budget you can still create a wonderful outfit! 

Do you remember when you had the flash of inspiration and you thought that your dream could become true?

I did not understand it exactly, but I think that it was always inside me.

My brand has an identity or leitmotiv, if we want call it that, and it is well-structured and clear for the final consumer. A minimalist style and bohemian at the same time: because I am a lover of fabrics, I prefer and choose only natural fibers and plants, my collections are small treasures of haute couture guarded throughout time. My woman smells of lavender flowers and cotton, keeps her hair natural, and wears silk, cashmere and angora socks. It’s a strong woman, sensitive, cosmopolitan who has taste and style and likes to mix vintage pieces with clothes from Lille Ferraro.

How to you find the inspiration?

Part of my inspiration comes from deep within me and from nature, traveling, colors and a thousand shades of everyday life.

What is your philosophy?

The brand was born from the creative mind and the pencil of Luana Ferraro – fashion stylist and wardrobe consultant, creator of the company “Lille Ferraro Maison” and designer of it. The brand embodies sophistication and attention to everything that is natural.

The strength of the brand is the authenticity of the materials used in the creation of every collections. Plant materials and organic fibers make this label a perfect combination of art and passion for fashion. Completely handmade in Italy, the Lille Ferraro relies on the expert hands of artisans and competent professionals for the realization of each piece.

The extreme attention to detail combined with the creativity makes the brand up- to- date, sophisticated and “Ecologically Friendly”.

What are the biggest difficulties that you found on your way?

Unfortunately there are many difficulties: first of all the market, which because of the crisis became divided in two categories, luxury and commercial products of low-end. For creative talents and emerging designers the road is very rough. But I am pleased to have found my niche.

What do people like most of your job?

I think first and foremost the quality, extreme attention to details, high fashion with regard to the brand Lille Ferraro.

My clients say that I am able to understand savvy their tastes: I have a lot of patience, I love to listen to women and girls who need help to rebuild their wardrobe, but underlying it is all about the great love and effort that I put into making my work.

Do you want to spread a message with your art?

“WE HAVE A WHOLE LIFE TO DRAW BEAUTIFUL CLOTHES AND TO SELL THEM, BUT WE HAVE ONLY A FEW MOMENTS TO SEW AND PRINT OUR EMOTIONS ON THEM.”

My personal impression? At the moment Luana is talking as you’re listening, you can think that you now know something about her, but she is already taking steps forward; she is continuously changing and evolving. Today we learned something about her… lets see how she will surprise us down- the- line!

LILLE FERRARO handmade collections, made with heart, in Italy (Reggio Emilia, Emilia Romagna)

If you want to get more information you can have a look here:

LILLE FERRARO OFFICIAL WEBSITE

LILLE FERRARO FACEBOOK PAGE

Donatella

Fashion Designer, Made in Italy

CARLOTTINA LAB

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“If I have to use only an adjective to describe myself I would say that I am a very dynamic person: I can’t stand losing time without doing something useful. I always have to make plans, to design, or at least fantasize.“

 

Carlottina Lab is the creative result of a project by Carlotta, the fashion designer and owner of it.

Tell us something about you Carlotta: who you are, where are you from, what do you like… and everything you want us to know! 

My name is Carlotta Franzini, I am 28 years old, I was born in Cagliari where I also grow up, but at the moment I live in a small village of the district with my partner and my little child Giovanni.

I have studied architecture and have been always passionated about design. If I have to use only an adjective to describe myself I would say that I am a very dynamic person: I can’t stand losing time without doing something useful. I always have to make plans, to design or, at least, fantasize.

How was your project CARLOTTINA LAB born and what makes it special?

The real project started in 2009 but I actually started to sew bags since I was 16. It is the result of my passion together with the ability to manufacture and create handmade designs. I was looking for a different and more personal dimension of the work, with a tempo and rhythm more compatible with my needs.

Simply put, I wanted to turn around the factory work situation and find a new dimension that would go back to your own abilities to create and organize. I think that this is exactly what is so special about it: You can find this spirit in every bag I produce! Another important aspect is the special and direct relationship with customers: they have the ability to follow the whole process of the creation of the bag they choose, right from the beginning.

In regard to customers, what role do they play? Does the client decide everything or can we define it as “team work”? Are you usually strongly influenced by advices from people who want to customise their “carlottina”? 

Usually I always start with an interview of the customer, askying them how would they like the bag, what they are planning to use it for, and what kind of sensations they want to transfer through it: for instance, I ask if they want a stiff bag, that can communicate solidity, or on the other hand, a soft bag can fit with the body). Finally, I ask about the colour, what they want to put inside and so on… Starting with this information I draw a model that I will later show to the customer: they tell me then what they like about it or what they would prefer to change.

At this stage I begin the phase of fulfillment. That is why I describe them as “customised bags with a soul”, because it is like getting a custom- tailored dress. Often a bag is not just a bag, it has a meaning more than a dress: you wear it most of your time, it is coming with you everywhere and it has to represent you and your style: it has to be comfortable or useful, it depends on what kind of person you are!

When did you realize that this passion could become your job?

For many years I was sewing bags just as a hobby, but then at some point I decided to invest in my passion, both ideally and economically, and at that point I became an artisan.

Probably my decision was the result of a period of deep crisis in the society; it was no longer possible to yearn for a permanent job and I really wanted to create something personal in which I could put my energy and that could express my feelings and my personality.

Where do you find the inspiration?

Truth be told everywhere, I like to look around me and discover small details that can become a central idea to manufacture new bags, sometimes whole collections.

What is your philosophy? where does this passion come from?!

The philosophy which leads my work is mostly my wish to bring back together in a single product all my experience and all the values I believe in.

Which kind of values you mean?

There are many virtues that are really meaningful for me: the first of all is intellectual honesty but also the iron will to built something original and that can represent me. Furthermore the seriousness associated with that fact that I am not taking myself too seriously it always helps to enjoy life!

What is the connection between the nature and your bags?

It is a relationship that follows the pre- industrial period, a relationship where aspects like the personal material choice, the attention to wastefulness and, whenever possible, the use of recyclable materials. These are important components of my work.

What do people like most about your work?

I think that they really appreciate the direct and informal relationship that I establish with them, as well as the willingness to create accessories that correspond exactly to their expectations. It is not unusual that, when customers come to my home (which is also my workshop) to order or to pick up their product, they suddenly find themselves drinking a tee in my living room or playing with my son! I love that they can feel like they’re at home with me.

Do you want to spread a message with your art?

I try to communicate to people all the passion that I put into everything I make. I strongly believe that people have to go back to believing in workmanship; they should buy products made from small retailers rather than big companies as much as possible. Handcraft can become the new motivation power of the world economy.

You can find Carlottina Lab in Via Palermo 43, Sant’Anna Arresi 09010 Carbonia- Iglesias (Italy)

Donatella

Fashion Designer, Made in Italy

Matteo Vanzolini

Galleria

 “A one-of-a -kind talent in fashion design inflamed by the fires of creativity.”

 

Matteo Vanzolini, born and trained in Rimini in 1983.

A one-of-a -kind talent in fashion design inflamed by the fires of creativity, Matteo gives birth over and over again to shoes, bags and skirts created with an unique and precious Italian touch and a keen aesthetic sense for women.

An Artistic High School diploma followed by the graduation at C.E.R.C.A.L. – Centro Ricerca e Scuola Internazionale Calzaturiera – in one of the most relevant shoe industrial districts left him with experience in practice and technical supervision, and a strong passion for stylistic learning. The importance of meeting with the designer Diego Dolcini, as personal assistant for the main line was undeniable. This experience was essential for a more overall technical and stylistic training; with the style office he worked on the capsule collections for the brand Scholl, Scholl Fashion and Scholl Luxury. After years of collaboration, in 2011 Matteo decided to create his own brand “diMètiu”, starting a new personal path always and exclusively oriented to women shoes.

“The idea to have my personal creative space was born in 2012, I felt the necessity to express myself and find a meeting point for all the ladies who desired diMetiu creations, and study with them custom-tailored items on demand. With the creative support of Gotti & Mascia studio, Studio of interior design and Corporate Identity, in only 4 months, on April  13th, 2013 I inaugurated Atelier diMetiu, in downtown Rimini.”

“The venue is what I always dreamt about; warm and cozy, intimate, a refined parlor inspired to the 50s, where the client could feel comfortable to sit and sip a cup of tea, free to wear the shoes and make a final decision in hush. My biggest ambition would be to place my creations to other dealers outside my city, I am already moving in this direction, I am taking into consideration the opening of a second shop where I can place all the unsold stocks.”

In his city, he is called “the boy who makes pretty shoes” because his classic and refined imprint meets the need of the young lady and the one of the mid age woman that desires a shoe of excellent quality that no one else possesses. The segment of the market Matteo has chosen is a medium-high target, his footwear are artisan productions, created from wise handicraftsman in a limited edition, unique pieces with special fabrics and refinements.

“My specialty, besides the utilization of classic leather such as nappa leather, suede, and python leader, I use High fashion precious fabrics. My research goes among local vintage markets and warehouses where I get lost with my curiosity to find the most particular and intriguing fabric. I love using Tartan in every color, and in the winter collection 2014- 2015 I have used six different types.”

Matteo told us that once a client entered his shop and told him these words: “I wanted to thank you on behalf of all the women because you make us dream with these shoes and your marvelous shop windows”, that comment really moved me and this is a joy for me. Beside the difficult crisis we are living through in Italy, I am strongly motivated, I won’t give up.

“My passion for footwear was born several years ago, my mum and my grandmother used to take me with them touring different factory outlets in San Mauro Pascoli, and I guess that is when my passion started, seeing those incredible shoes worn by my mother. My professional career started after Artistic High school, in the private school C.E.R.C.A.L. for the moment I am totally concentrated in the women universe, but it happened that some men asked me if I would produce a men’s collection.

In my atelier you can find not only shoes but a complete line of high fashion skirts with a cut from the 50s, made with the same fabrics as the shoes to combine them and integrate also clutch bags strictly handmade in a mix of colors.”

www.facebook.com/dimetiushoes/photos_albums

www.dimetiu.com

Via Serpieri 17, Rimini (Italy)

Fashion Designer

NOH NEE, Dirndl à l’ Africaine

Galleria

In Munich, Glockenbackviertel is the most famous neighborhood where many fashion designers and artists in general are based. Historically the favourite location of gays (which is often still a synonymous with creativity!) it is nowadays the best place to find new trends and enlightenment.

Now, imagine the colour and power of Africa, mixed with the deep tradition of Germany: this is Noh Nee[1], a shop close to Sendlinger Tor (Sendling Gate), in the south of the historic old town area of the city.

When we met in Glockenback to talk about Noh Nee, we were overwhelmed by the passion and energy of Rahmée Wetterich, one of the founders of this business. She started to tell us about a new App for tourists in which also Noh Nee is involved, and went on talking about the amazing recent experience in Brussels (Ethno Tendance Fashion Weekend Brussels 2014). Noh Nee is also in the “Museum der Kulturen” in Basel until 2019[2].

So, Noh Nee is really everywhere, or better said, in every place it should be.

The project is more than clothes, it is more about the mix of cultures and the passion for fashion, the influence of Africa with the lightness of the improvisation: we can say it because Noh Nee was somehow achieved by chance, the result of a great passion for creation, in particular for fashion.

The heart and head of the project is Marie Darouiche, the one who designs the clothes, since she has always been dealing with fashion, the person who decides to melt the tradition of the dirndl with the style from the ’50. This was made possible and started through the project of “Colour Mix of Africa”, an idea (and an exposition) that comes from Rahmée, her sister (as she explained us, it has nothing really to do with colours but about the influence of different cultures).

Now, just try to imagine an expensive kitchen and some multicolored dresses spread everywhere and the feeling you have everytime you bump into something completely stranger: you become curious and you get excited. That is how I imagine the reaction of the people who were there and met for the first time (without knowing it) at NOH NEE. It was 2010.

Since 2011, Cornelia Hobbhahn also became part of the project. At the moment Noh Nee does not mean only dirndl, but also slacks, shoes, coats and more… The manufactoring is in Passau (the “Three Rivers City”), Bavaria.

The magic of the dirndl is that it does not matter how big or tall people are, a dirndl fits everyone! It is easy to realize it just by looking at the many photos that Rahmée keeps in the shop; pictures sent by people who got married with a Noh Nee creation, or went to a gala, or simply to Oktoberfest…

Let’s talk about textile. Maybe some people think, as myself, that they come from Africa… it is not really true! I mean, they are african samples but most of them come from Holland. More than 100 years ago  the first prints came from Indonesia to Europe and since then they are constantly edited: some themes are already 150 years old. There are circa 270 colours.

The fabric is really special, hard and difficult to work, unlike what we see, for example, everywhere.
Often many of them come from China, and are not original (Rahmée gave us a tiny tipp: you can recognize the original one because it is printed on both sides. The colour, in a manner of speaking, goes through the textile).

Furthermore, they revisit the textile they buy from them to create new designs through a process of development. Marie always has to find new ideas and patterns to match everything.
As Rahmée said, when they go to purchase the textile, in the same moment she has one in her hands she already knows if it has potential, and what it can be used for.
She talks about “visualize”, a kind of seer who can see into the future of fabrics.

Everything is special and privileged, also the wonderful pieces that they found are limited… and that is also another reason why they are so unique.

Explanation for such big success? It’s the right solution for people who are looking for a new fashion style to wear again, or for the first time, such a traditional dress like a dirndl.

The format of Noh Nee is different because it is new, powerful, multicultural and gives emancipation to this bavarian (but not only) costume.

But, above all, it worked because of the passion they put in it: to hear Rahmée  is like seeing a ball of fire, not only because of her enthusiasm and competence, but because she loves the project and she puts extraordinary effort in it.

It is easy to be infected from the feeling of love she feels when she talks about Noh Nee!

Noh Nee, literally “a godsend”, is also engaged with a project called: “Education for Girls in Benin“.

The shop is in Hans-Sachs-Straße 2, Munich.

[1] http://www.nohnee.com/

[2] https://www.dropbox.com/s/pwpl8e2q3nrpr02/0143_VideoNohNee_FinalCut-DEF_1.mp4?dl=0

Fashion Designer, Made in Italy

BOLLI SARTORIA CREATIVA

Galleria

“Actually, we never followed the rules of the world of fashion, we chose to follow our passion which bloomed from our love for the handmade…“

 

We are Giulia and Caterina, born in the city of Arezzo under the Cancer sign.

Actually, we never followed the rules of the world of fashion, we chose to follow our passion, which bloomed from our love for the handmade and the small world we shape on ourselves, a universe made of pure craftsmanship. Bolli Sartoria Creativa was born officially on 10th March 2007, after 7 long years on working our way up. Copy of thinktwice (2)

We believe deeply in the freedom of expression and we are fascinated by how clothing contribute in being part of an identity. Thinking about what you are wearing is a choice; you chose the way  you want to feel with yourself and with your body. We are similar to “sponges” that’s why we get inspiration from anything that surround us. It could be a trip, a book, an art exhibition, a fabric… our purpose is to create only unique items!

Our customer base does not have an age limit, we serve children with a delicious collection for kids and ladies with trendy dresses. Most of our customers are Italian but we have also sold items to a Spanish shop in Barcelona, and thanks to wonderful friends around the world, we reached and we are appreciated also abroad.

We started our brand by producing hoodies, and till today they represent the primary product of our brand. The production increased and we enriched the collections with more sport clothing, and also elegant options: blazers and coats characterized as cold white winter season and, as previously said, the children collection. Beside our general offer we always give the chance to create a customized item chosen and selected from our clients, with a wide disposal of our fabrics.

Through the years we overcame difficult moments. Being sisters has been a positive experience, allowing us to have a connection that goes far beyond words, and most of all creativity. Rivers of words flow with no restraints when we have to confront each other or come to a final decision on something, we reach some points when we have to listen like we never knew each other.

thinktwice (23)

We had to make hard choices that ultimately proved to be precious for our professional growth, invigorating us. In the beginning the decision to open the shop in Arezzo was a challenge, we put more time and efforts on the creative side and to the improvement of the product quality. Italy is not known to assists businesses, nor the youngest in their entrepreneur path, especially if you are like us and chose the hard way of an artisan job. We are happy and proud to do what we love everyday and we strongly recommend whoever believes in this career to try.
Our website will soon be here where you can shop online: