Archivi tag: creativity

Food

SPLENDIDO Magazin, the Food Magazin!

Galleria 14/09/2020 Donatella

“Focus on your true strength and find a niche. Don’t do it for the fame or your ego but for the matter. Convey value, ideally timeless value. Know what you’re writing about and don’t ever be seduced to become superficial or careless because the internet is quick and trashy. Be tyrannical when it comes to detail. And then: keep posting.”

Splendido Magazine, why did you start?!

Mercedes is mainly a writer, Juri is mainly a photographer. But for Splendido we switch roles all the time – sometimes Mercedes is behind the camera and Juri writes, and the next day it is the other way around. We are used to working together for years now and thats because we got to know each other while working together as freelancers for newspapers and magazines. But Juri started the blog that later became Splendido on his own at first, that was in 2015. He has always been a great cook and just started writing down what he was cooking. Since Mercedes loves cooking too and we both enjoyed cooking and eating together from the moment we first met, she got envious of his blog pretty quickly and was allowed to join. Eventually we decided to focus our magazine on Italian cuisine. Not only because it is the one cooking style we prefer and always come back to. Also it is a food culture with an almost infinite amount of local traditions, recipes and specialties to explore. Plus we have an apartment in Lombardy, Northern Italy, where we live up to about six months a year and travel a lot throughout Italy to learn more about Italian food and to find great spots to eat and shop local specialties. Pretty quickly we saw the interest for the blog grow bigger and decided to professionalize it.

How did you start and what kind of work/preparation behind Splendido?

After we decided to professionalize Splendido in 2017, we hired an agency to help us with the visual concept and the programming of a website that resembles no longer a blog but a profound magazine with a look and feel that fitted our needs and intentions. The new website went online in the end of 2018 and immediately it was well worth the hard work and money that went into it. The website is growing steadily since and by now it really became a job rather than being a nice hobby. We put a lot of work into the content of our website and work constantly on growing our audience. But it is still worth every minute of it, because a) we get to cook, eat and travel a lot and b) there is no better feeling in the world than being a creator and work on the behalf of your own business.

What’s so special in it?

A lot of people tell us they love not only our photos and recipes, but especially our writing. We try to write from a very personal perspective and we don’t just give instructions on how to cook something but always tell a little back story about a recipe too. Be it some witty or funny thought about life and cooking or some interesting fact about Italian food. Also we rarely give exact quantities in a recipe but rather encourage the reader to trust his own gut and develop his own sense and intuition for tasting and quantities.

We love the Italian principle of „quanto basta“, which means: no one can tell you how much of an ingredient you really need because you have to feel and taste for yourself whether its enough salt / flour / egg for your taste and also for the circumstances you’re working in.

How do you get inspired?

We travel a lot, read a lot, talk to people. Especially while on the road and when eating out in restaurants or visiting farmers. One of our favorite things to do is also to go for huge walks in a city like for example Milan and look at every single restaurant menu in the streets. Thats when we always come up with new recipe ideas or simply ideas for new combinations of ingredients. But inspiration can really hit you anywhere. We just launched our fashion collection (shop.splendido-magazin.de, we also ship to Italy), and therefore we collected photographs of Italian typography in the streets which we now worked with to design T-Shirts and Caps.

Where does your passion come from?

Good question. I guess we have both always loved food, loved Italy, loved traveling and look at the world and learn about traditions, cultures, design and daily human life in general, but also loved being artists and follow our talents in the fields of writing and photography. We have always been searching for some platform to combine all of these things in a fruitful and focused way so that it could also become an independent business and source of income for us.

Difficulties you had to face and goals.

The goal is definitely to grow and to be able to keep exploring Italy as well as our own capacities. We have a lot of plans for the future, our fashion collection was only the beginning.

Suggestions/advices to someone who wants to start a blog?

Focus on your true strength and find a niche. Don’t do it for the fame or your ego but for the matter. Convey value, ideally timeless value. Know what you’re writing about and don’t ever be seduced to become superficial or careless because the internet is quick and trashy. Be tyrannical when it comes to detail. And then: keep posting.

Projects for the future?

Many.

Follow Mercedes and Juri here but also in FB and Instagram

Food

OLIVOCRACY

Galleria 24/04/2020 Donatella

“The big love we have for both Italy and the UK shaped our biggest dream and gave us the motivation to turn it into reality: offer our British friends the possibility to taste the real Italian excellences at home and experience Italy like a local on a holiday to remember.”

Daniele & Eleonora grew up in a small city in the centre of Italy, in an area called Umbria, well known for its peculiar medieval hamlets, its hilly landscape covered by vineyards and olive groves and its delicious food. A place away from the buzz of the big cities where you can savour the pleasures of a slow paced lifestyle and experience a deep connection to nature and tradition.
They have known each other forever but then they met again in London 10 years ago, where Daniele had moved for work and Eleonora was on holiday… “And here we are! The big love we have for both Italy and the UK shaped our biggest dream and gave us the motivation to turn it into reality: offer our British friends the possibility to taste the real Italian excellences at home and experience Italy like a local on a holiday to remember.”

When did you start the Olivocracy project?
We started Olivocracy four years ago, with a range of organic and biodynamic single estate extra virgin olive oils from Italian small producers and then we added Magna Mater, a range of biodynamic condiments: balsamic vinegars, apple cider vinegar, white condiment and Saba that is cooked grape must. Single estate in most cases or single origin. Mostly, pillars of traditional Italian cuisine.
We work with organic and biodynamic small to medium scale producers as they are more connected to the agronomic heritage and the rhythm of mother Nature. Two of our extra virgin olive oils come from a FAO GIAHS, a Globally Important Agronomic Heritage System, “outstanding landscapes of aesthetic beauty that combine agricultural biodiversity, resilient ecosystem and a valuable cultural heritage”.
For us there cannot be excellence without sustainability, for two main reasons: first, we believe that in a product that is considered excellent there should be no undesired substances. Second and not less important, one of the points that make a product excellent, together with an amazing sensory and chemical profile, is the impact it has on the environment.

We believe that farming can have a positive impact on the environment if farmers work in harmony with Nature, nurture biodiversity and prioritize revitalization of the soil.
We support short supply chain and maximum traceability, products straight from the farm to our customers, certified, tested in a lab and with no additives whatsoever.

Where does your passion come from?
A few factors came together: our love for Italy and London, our deep connection to nature and to tradition, a strong will to stand up for more environmentally friendly practices and a passion for discovering niche, outstanding products. We love networking, we love collaborating with like-minded people, we love waking up in the morning with a sense of scope and feeling that we are part of a constantly growing movement of people thinking and acting differently.

Difficulties.
Doing everything by ourselves, learning things we had never done before and not all listed in the famous 20% of the Pareto Principle :D, starting a business without external funds, a highly competitive market, make audience understand the real value of our products, the fact that we pay the producers more than fairly and how much this affects the final price.
However, every difficult step, led us here and we are learning a lot about business, our sector and about ourselves, as individuals, as professionals and as a couple working together. It just feels great and all this resonates so much with what we are and our values that even in the most challenging days, we know where we want to go and who we want to be.

Your goals.
Our goal is doing something we love which makes us grow as both professionals and individuals while having a positive impact on the society. Offering people the option of shopping with an eye (or both) to the environment, to their health and to real quality. Keep on learning, evolving and expanding. Having a great work-life balance and a job that is also a passion that fulfills us and gives us energy to invest with people we love. Stay present to ourselves and in connection with nature.

Be the best version of ourselves and a source of good energy for people we meet!

Advices to someone who wants to start a business.
Find out what your mission and your core values are and live accordingly. Everything will be much easier and enjoyable. Be humble and see a teacher in everyone and every situation, but at the same time be self-confident and trust your ability to do well what you already know and to learn what you don’t. Network with genuine interest with like-minded people and welcome debate. Keep on learning, reading, watching videos, listening to people, feeding your brain and soul. Try not to let the business take over your personal life, find time for yourself, meditate, exercise, do yoga or whatever you like to take care of yourself and stay healthy. Find time for your loved ones, love and life are a great source of energy and inspiration.

Projects for the future.
At some point, we would love to be flexible between London and Italy, so to have more time to enjoy our families and the Mediterranean weather that we love so much! Widen the range of products and the circle of people we collaborate with. Create more and more synergies with other sectors of sustainable manufacture. Work on connected projects. Being able to delegate and allocate our working time to that aforementioned 20% of things that we really love doing.

Our mantra
Be the change you want to see in the world.
We don’t inherit the world from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.
Keep calm… and call Batman!

Website

Instagram

Donatella

Fashion Designer

ATELIER HAAS

Galleria 10/04/2020 Donatella

The Road is Devendra

A conversation with young clothing designer Lisa Haas, 27 years old and currently based in Munich, who wants to bring back the awareness to the original hand craft and loves to create common projects as the above video.

When did you start with fashion and why?

There was no clear starting point but I always felt drawn to creating things with my hands. That started at a very early age – drawing, paper crafting, crocheting… and never stopped to this day.

It happened naturally that I ended up in this field.

The passion about creating and realising your own ideas from a picture in your head until it comes alive in reality is what keeps me going. During my teenage years I started to teach myself how to sew. This resulted in designing and sewing my own graduation dress for school, although back then, I didn’t have much experience with pattern cutting. There was just this strong wish and belief to get this red dress done. And with a little help it worked out in the end.

Looking at that dress now makes me smile… but we all start somewhere. This is important.
Then things moved on from there. I did my first internship in my hometown and had the chance to do another one at Puma in London, to find out whether my wish to study fashion design after those experiences would prevail. It did.
I started with fashion because I truly love the handcraft. The ability of creating things by yourself and experiencing the whole development, every step, from start to finish causes a deep connection to what you are doing. That is a wonderful process and feeling to me. Expanding the knowledge on your craftsmanship in order to prevent it from dying out feels even more important nowadays. Actually, I prefer to say clothing design instead of fashion design, because to me that adds value to it.

Dreams.

One of my biggest dreams is to go abroad again to work with an international team in an interdisciplinary studio. The exchange between people within a team and the common work on a project towards the same goal makes me feel the special energy coming alive. Also this environment doesn’t need to be within fashion only. It is about creating the network.
At the moment, I am enticed by the opportunities of clothing design of work wear for restaurants, hotels, etc. You create clothing for real people who work there. Still, there is a minimalist and timeless design approach customized for each client, with the goal of making the uniforms personalised for every employee.
Another dream is to work as a costume designer for dance companies and music artists. I have a strong connection and love for dance, as I’ve been dancing myself for years. Here, creating clothing comes again with different challenges, this time combining customisation for each dancer while allowing optimal performance, i.e. movement.

My goal is to spread my enthusiasm with my fellow workers through the work and projects as well as the time we share together. Basically, contributing to the creative field with my work while also being able to gather people to learn and create together and thereby giving something back.

What to do to pursue goals?

Right now, I am focussing on connecting with people it would be great to work for and with. I am always open to collaborations. Currently, it feels like a transition phase. Simultaneously, I’m creating ideas and realizing outfit projects I have had in mind for a long time. I’m also working with people within the network I built up here in Munich.

Inspiration.

Stories around people and feelings that certain situations create inspire me most. This method is also how I approached my graduation collection “Time(is)less”. The concept is about the perception of time nowadays with regard to deceleration. Keywords are, amongst other things, protection and restriction. This resulted in creating some kind of ‘armour’ protecting you as a second layer. At the same time, this piece might narrow your own field of action because you wear it on top and it is not always possible to put it on fully by yourself. To me, this is a way of translating feelings into clothing. What does the wearer feel? It is my main question when creating.
Colours and textures are a source of inspiration too. Often, the fabrics are there before I really know what it is going to be. It is interesting, as sometimes the fabric just ‘tells’ what it should become. When there is a certain colour combination that attracts me, my eyes begin to sparkle. No matter where I find it… in the streets, in the landscape, in rooms, in pictures. I take photographs, sometimes some notes as well and come back to it when needed. Over time, this has resulted in some kind of photo library, a personal collection of inspiration.
Talking about this leads to another form of art that I enjoy: collages. With small cut out pictures from an existing world another new world is created. For this, I am randomly collecting newspapers and magazines to look for interesting images I can use any time later on.

Motivation.

I remind myself why I started this in the first place. It is sewing. It is gaining knowledge about the handcraft and learning within the field of aesthetics. Being capable of performing a certain task. I am also happy to spread my knowledge.
Obviously, you might reach a point in life where you rethink what you are doing right then. At that time, it may seem difficult but this hardship may bring a lot of (hidden) opportunities with it. You need to keep going, trust in yourself and listen to that inner voice. Even if the next chapter you are about to embark on isn’t clear yet.
Also, I try to reach out to other disciplines. A huge passion of mine is cycling with my racing bike. Long distance trips or climbs in the mountains always help me clear my mind and I return re-energised for new projects.

Difficulties.

What is the purpose of fashion nowadays? If you can speak of purpose… In which way do we need to produce today? These questions became more and more present over the years since the beginning of my studies.
For me, it starts with raising the perception and value of clothing in society again. There needs to be an awareness of how long it actually takes to realize a single garment, how much work and time is invested, in order to prevent it from being thrown away carelessly. The value of clothing has decreased over the years, but I also think it is slowly increasing again. We need to shift our minds and attitudes towards the worth of clothing.

My personal style is minimalistic and reduced with some details you only notice with a second, closer look. Taking inspiration from menswear and combining it with feminine shapes shows the interaction of contrasts, which I am fond of.

Even though it’s been a couple of years since I created ‘Time(is)less‘, it is still relevant today – how are we using our time nowadays and how is it influenced by society and the system’s rules?

To carry on this thought I came back to creating a timeless wardrobe representing yourself, as I still believe that clothing is a protection for yourself and your personality, that can make you feel comfortable – because unfitted, impersonalised clothing can achieve quite the opposite. Through defining your personality and the clear vision of what you want to wear in order to feel being yourself automatically leads to buying less but selected garments of good quality that have a long term space in your wardrobe. This is what I am focusing on in my work right now. Another challenge is to only make use of all the fabrics I collected over the years.

There is a love to create an outfit for someone, be it a wedding outfit and concert outfit for a cellist. My wish is to allow people to feel like themselves when wearing their outfit, it encourages them in what they are doing because it fits perfectly and underlines their personality.

My take on these issues and the future of clothing design:

Be aware of what you have and use what is already there. I believe that personalised clothing, i.e. especially made for someone, will increase its value to the owner. The awareness of how long it actually takes to create a garment needs to be transparent to consumers again to avoid the cycle of buying cheap clothes just like that and throwing them away uncaringly as soon as there is the slightest damage that could easily be fixed by someone with the most basic knowledge of sewing. To me there is magic in repairing things. Not only clothing. It shows that you care about them. Hence, I want to share not only that magical feeling with others but also give them a means of achieving this by sharing my knowledge and experience in the field.

VIDEOS – Styling by Atelier Haas

“The Road is Devendra”
“Amy Ayanda – Visitors”

Photo credits by Isabella Hager, Manuel Nieberle, Simon Freund, Lisa Haas

Atelier Haas

Donatella

Highlights

K-LAB

Galleria 23/01/2017 Donatella

“I don’t see myself as a disabled but as a brave young man differently skilled like anyone else in doing some things well and others badly”

WHAT IS K-LAB

K-Lab is a very special differently creative laboratory, which develops high profile design and communication projects thanks to the unexpected skills of differently able young people, recognising their professional value, channelling their recourses productively toward the business world and giving their talent the dignity and economic recognition it deserves.

A project where different becomes a resource.

HOW IT STARTED

The project has emerged from a mum-designer in love with the mind and heart of her special kid, an art director with the desire of shaping a dream, plus a bunch of other sensitive people that were able to listen, to see beyond the appearances and believe in the project.

It was born from the desire to not let down and not leaving alone the families and the kids, but most of all, the will was not waste their professional talent.

THEIR GOAL

To promote the culture of the uniqueness of the individual and promote diversity as a resource. To give a voice to the rich and profound inner world of those who had been forced into silence due to different disabilities.

To economically support the activities that these special young people do: philosophy groups, publishing of their work (written with the use of the Facilitated Communication technique), theatre projects, sport activities, assisted homework and training courses. The dream is to create a social cooperative that can become a workplace worthy of these differently special young people and to give them a daily life that is full, creative and stimulating.

This projects gives back to the economy and business a new ethic soul. It is not charity nor assistance but a financial investment that is reflected in credibility and transparency. It is a working project but also a human growth path. Working alongside these kids fill the heart and the soul.

PROJECTS

All the design projects are thought of and written by K-Lab young people. They are a group of young people that can’t speak due to motor handicaps or behavioral disturbances and who are able to express themselves and tell their story only through writing thanks to FACILITATED COMMUNICATION. This is an Alphabetical Augmented Communication Language technique which allows them, after training, hard work and a lot of practice, to break their silence. A staff of designers, architects and professionals coordinates the creative management, the graphics and the projects.

HOW TO SUPPORT US AS…

A COMPANY: work with us in the production of design objects o special communication projects.

AN INDIVIDUAL: you can purchase a product, you can make a donation or become friend with K-Lab.

Ask information or send an email to: info@k-labdesign.it.

Photo credits: all the pictures are property of K-Lab

Fashion Designer, Made in Italy

Matteo Vanzolini

Galleria 09/02/2015 Donatella

“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 13^th, 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, Made in Italy

BOLLI SARTORIA CREATIVA

Galleria 25/01/2015 Donatella

“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.

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.

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:

www.bollisartoriacreativa.com

Fashion Designer

KILENZ

Galleria 29/12/2014 Donatella

“You have to be passionate in what you do, every plan needs more time than what you imagined at the beginning.“

Kilenz is Hanna and Anna’s delicate concept. It was a warm afternoon of summer when we decided to have a friendly chat with Hanna, 28 years old from Munich, in order to get to know their brand better. After 6- 7 years of studies and traineeships in several ateliers to gain experience, she pursued her dream with a friend, the other Anna, a former fellow student. In 2012 they launched Kilenz in a cellar in Munich, mainly friends and family were coming in, the main strategy was organizing parties to entertain and attract new clients and get known, was really though attracting more clients. In April 2014 they moved into the current atelier in Glockenbachviertel, since then their growth has been fast and stable.

Currently Hanna Wolf is leading Kilenz alone since Anna Hinterdobler left the business at the end of last year.

Let us talk about your marketing strategy.

The promotion of the brand happens most of the time by word of mouth, people have a look at the windows and come in, sometimes we produce small handouts and other times we throw nice parties so that our clients may have a drink, get to know the place, being intrigued by the product, the downside of this strategy is the small budget available, it is not easy to do everything we’d like to.

Second of all, it would be great to be a green company, regrettably it’s really expensive. More important: it’s hard to get the desired materials in organic or fair trade quality. The fact is that I really care about this issue, my mother who had an organic shop had a significant influence on me this is why environment is important to me.

How did you start to work together with Anna?

We started working in different companies but the fashion world is not an easy world, that’s why we decided to try to push ourselves beyond our limits and create something together. We spent half year thinking and discussing about the project, in January we started and in April the opening occurred presenting our first collection. Usually we work independently, each one of us on its own, in a second step we merge the ideas and it is definitely thrilling how they always fit.

Why the name Kilenz?

It means 9 in Hungarian: we started 9 years ago, me and Anna met 9 years ago. We changed the name a little bit, “Lenz” in German means Spring, we also tried to find a combination of different things that makes the name sound original.

Generally you opt for a static photo shoot, why?

I prefer to keep it simple and easy. I love it pure and straight, it shouldn’t be too much.

What are the people in Munich looking for?

Some people don’t know what they are looking for and most of the them don’t know what they’ll find by us. They come because they need a dress for a special day so we try to give them what they need, we showcase several options, starting from the colors for instance. We can customize everything or just details but we always stick to our style. We usually need around 6 weeks to realize a dress, but of course it depends on the specific case.

Do clients really realize how long it takes to make a dress?!

Usually they try to get earlier what they want! The first appointment is just to decide what the final desired product should be, after that my research focuses on the fabrics needed and eventually their purchase. In the following phase they come in to wear it on so we can start to make the right adjustments. Around 2-3 appointments are necessary to get the job done.

Which kind of customers come here?

They are so different: it could happen to be my neighbor or a princess!

It’s always exciting to find out the result of the combination of our style and their style. At the end of the day what matters is that we have both to be happy. If I think that the dress is not suitable for the customer, I just say it and we proceed only to produce something that both we appreciate. It is a collaboration; if I do something that I don’t sincerely approve to be worthy, then at the end of the day nobody will be content.

From which fashion designer are you inspired?

I really love Dries van Noten. He is still independent and I think that this is great, he is really cool and successful. The whole concept is good, you can always notice when the clothes are from him.

How do you think you can inspire somebody?

“Less is More”, I want to show that simple things can be the right option. Fashion is often too much, too overloaded. A lot of people would look better if they rather choose the “Less”. I try to suggest to some of my friends for example, by telling them what they could try on, sometimes a person doesn’t understand alone what look is better for itself.

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

You have to be passionate in what you do, every plan needs more time than what you imagined at the beginning. Work very hard for a long time and later maybe you’ll get famous. I think that you need at least 4 or 5 years to see some results. It’s always a risk but you have to try. If you have a lot of money it can be easier, but otherwise you need a lot of creativity and work.

Our families strongly supported us, not financially but by doing for us everything they can, all the way until now they did everything necessary to make our dream happen.

What do the people say of your job?

Most of the time they only see the brightest side: they think that our job is amazing, they envy the fact we are able to spend our time doing something so creative, but they don’t realize the downside: for example, the struggle with the money, at the end of the month we have to count every penny because we don’t have a real salary, we need time and patience to get there.

Do you have time to travel? Where do you get your inspiration?

Unfortunately I don’t have so much time to do it as often as I would like. I often take my inspiration from the daily life, my environment and the people. Traveling is a way to get more and more inspiration, but anyway what I design is what I would like to wear and what my customer could actually wear in the daily life.

Any project for the future?

I would like to expand the brand and take the basic collection in more cities but what it is important for me is to lose not the contact with the reality, we like the glamour of the international world of fashion, yes, but our main goal is to have always real people wearing our clothes, I won’t ever sacrifice the connection with our regular customer.

To get more information, please visit: http://kilenz.com

The shop is in Jahnstraße 52, Munich.

Donatella

Déshabillé Magazine