Editorial photo Credits: Photographer Martina Civardi, Model Lana Goridko, Location La Quercia -Az.Agricola Tuscany
Please share a bit about your journey to embrace fashion design as a career.
I've always been a creative, full of imagination child and grew up in a family where the women were doing crochet, knitting, weaving. I spent lots of time watching my mom while she was working.
How did you learn your skills?
Absolutely everything I know is thanks to my mom. I didn’t study fashion, and never thought I would be part of this world. But you know, life can surprise you.
Who are you as a designer - aesthetic, customer, brand?
I love to think of myself as a creative, un-usual designer because I don’t see the knitwear like the normal peole do. I’m always trying to break the rules - creating pants and sweaters that look like shirts or haute couture elegant dresses.
Atelier Biologico is my soul. It brings in its capsule collections everything I learned, and everything that I am. Every single piece is designed and tought to rappresent a message for future generations. Every single piece is born from a dream : an idea that later became real, slowly through the hands of two generations.
Why did you choose to focus on sustainable fashion? What additional challenges does that create?
My work started with a deep research foucused on the yarn and how to work with it by having the lowest impact on the enviroment, and show respect for humans and all the creatures who live on our beautiful planet. We even repair, mending and modify our custmers knitwear clothes. and we made to order too.
Thanks to a collaboration with one of the first sustainable brand in Florence, I knew the ‘dark’ side of the fashion industry before I began. They opened my eyes on what happing around the world. She taught me all I know about sustainability, and with her I did my first talks, fashion shows and more.
The challenges are different, especially for a small brand like Atelier Biologico. But I’m trying to do my best and I don’t want surrender, even if sometimes things seem very hard.
What comes easiest for you as a designer? What is hardest?
The easiest part of my work ? Well probably my custmers - spending time with them talking about the fashion industry impact, about the fibers, about my work etc. Talking with them is always interesting and important for me and my work. They give me a different point of view, and sometimes even new ideas.
The hardest? Everything else. Even when I’m called to talk as a member of Slow Fashion Movement in Italy it can sometimes be difficult because of how much we talk about conscious fashion and its alternative. We still have so many people that ignore all the problems caused by the fast-fashion industry.
Where do you find inspiration for new collections? How important is colour to your design process?
Living in the country side helps me so much. I find lots of inspiration around me, even for the colors.
In fact, I recently started to dye some of my knitwear clothes and accessories with the flowers and plants that are growing seasonal around my home and studio - plants and flowers like nettle, mimosa or rose hips.
Readers would love to hear a little about the collection you will show on the runway at EFWA 2024.
Sorry but I can’t tell you so much about the collection you will see at EFWA.I just can let you know that the fibers used will be pinayarn- from pineapple leaves- and organic linen from Italy.For more, stay tuned !
What does being a member of the Slow Fashion Movement Italy involve?
I have been a memver of the Slow Fashion Movement Italy for a year and a half. Part of our voluntaree work is to educate. Usually we do this through annual campaigns, challenges and on our social page – especially me. Sometimes I do talks or workshops in international school like SRISA- Santa Reparata International School of Art in Florence, Italy. To be part of this international community is very helpful to me, and I adore sharing my knowledge with the others. especially with the future generations of consumers.
Where can readers purchase your designs?
My capsule collections are avaibility on my international website and shop at www.atelierbiologico.it.
In closing, is there anything else you'd like to share with readers?
I would love to share about my work in collaboration with a Tuscan director. I dressed the co-star. - actress Shari Fontani - throughout the film. This gave me the chance to make a difference, a change in the film industry as well. The film – The Last Fighter – by A.Baccini is now nominated for the important Davide di Donatello award.
Also, Atelier Biologico is part of Firenze Creativa, a community supporterted by Comune di Firenze that recognize us as real florentine artisans. You can check them out on their website at www.firenzecreativa.it.
Links -
Website - www.atelierbiologico.it.
Facebook - www.facebook.com/atelier.biologico
Instagram - @atelier.biologico.firenze