Berto for Edith Marcel: #interview
Can you recall the exact moment when you decided to become a fashion designer?

There hasn’t been a precise moment when we decided to become a designer and somehow we like to think that this is just because things had to happen this way. After secondary school, Gianluca decided to try the fashion design university test and the architecture one as second choice, while Andrea began to study architecture and only later, after various work experiences, he approached this field. However the interest in fashion has always been innate for both, from an early age.
We really appreciated the direct relationship with the company that also provides a tutoring service connected to the world of denim, and therefore a constant support that follows the entire development of the project.
What was your first project?

We like to think that our first project has been the one we first did together: our first collection, ss16 one introduced in spring 2015 at Pitti Immagine, in a space reserved for the genderless for the first time. For us it was a unique experience which contributed decisively to make ourselves known and to “present" officially our project. This first work is the first piece of our continuous study and a research in the development of our non-genre concept.

Creative process: do you work instinctively or planning each single small step? Where do your ideas come from?

We like to plan every aspect of our work, our study is filled with lists and calendars: it is crucial for us to have a mental order and a sort of roadmap, especially when we are working on multiple projects with different timing. The ideas however comes often by chance, we don’t seek for them directly: it could happen watching a movie, when we visit a supplier or in a restaurant. We have different influences, they can arrive at any time: also for this reason we need to be supported by a very streamlined planning but at the same time we need to be flexible.



What did you think when you have been contacted by Berto first?

The partnership with Berto has been a real challenge: we never used denim before, as it is a material we did not feel particularly attached to. But we are also open to unusual possibilities. It goes the same with prints: at the beginning of our project we did not know if we wanted to create a printed t-shirts capsule because prints are something far from our concept. However, later we did a collaboration with an illustrator who currently took care of this part of the collections and we found together a common language and we liked the outcome so we went further on. We can say that with Berto it has been the same way so we decided to undertake the challenge of denim too.



Which Berto’s fabrics have you been working with for your project/collection?

The first one we used was Dynasty blue dry, which represented for us the classic denim. Then we used First chosen for its rigidity and uniform color, which, however, was then enriched with contrasting embroidered polka dots. Finally Kontessa which is a denim that thanks to new technologies even if it isn’t washed it doesn’t fade.


What's the most meaningful part about this project in your opinion? What have you been able to achieve thanks to this program? 

Firstly, the fact that the plan ensures the chance to order materials without having to meet the minimum order and secondly the direct relationship with the company that also provides a tutoring service connected to the world of denim, and therefore a constant support that follows the entire development of the project.


“Less but better” could be read as an endorsement for purity in design but in fashion design too. It can also be adopted as an environmental message about reduction and sustainability. What do you think about this?

Absolutely! Our brand is gradually directing toward a sustainable fashion idea, it is a topic that is very important for us but it is not easy for economic reasons, since the finished product has higher costs. It is also necessary to raise awareness and yet having support from companies: in fact this was one of the reasons why we decided to join the project by Berto.


Is there anything you'd like to do that you haven't done yet?

Yes, going on holidays. :)

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