What was your first project?
My first project was a small capsule collection of t-shirts (obviously) and button-up shirts covered with Japanese fabrics.
The creative process: do you work instinctively or plan every single step? Where do your ideas come from?
I usually start with fabrics. For me, everything depends on what kind of emotion I’m able to capture, see and touch using different materials. My main inspiration comes from Japan and its heritage: from food to manga, from martial arts to temples, the entire aspect of Eastern culture is involved in my creative process.
What did you think when you were first contacted by Berto?
Berto and I crossed paths several times on the roads we were traveling and finally we had the opportunity to stop and reflect a bit on our relationship. We started working together in a very natural way, since we were familiar with each other’s characteristics.
Which Berto fabrics did you use for your project and collection?
Thanks to the #berto4youngtalents program, I was able to use a lot of fabrics, taking advantage of the company’s great expertise, which always allowed me to see new fabrics and do research in their archive as well. This way I had a sort of complete package to work with. It was incredible to learn how denim can change and grow in your very hands.
What is the most significant part of this project in your opinion? What were you able to achieve thanks to this program?
The company’s vision for the future was really impressive to me. Even in difficult times, they support young designers, helping them, believing in different projects and implementing the development of different approaches in terms of knowledge and opportunities. For example, we participated together in the Denim Awards at a global level in Amsterdam and this was an incredible effort that showed me how much they believe in my brand.
“Less but better” can be read as the endorsement of a certain degree of purity in design but also in fashion design. It can also be understood as an environmental message about reduction and sustainability. What do you think?
Berto and I share the same approach: we believe in sustainability for the environment and for the people involved in the production process, keeping brands within Made in Italy, even within regional boundaries, Veneto for Berto, Tuscany for Studiopretzel. I believe that today these are probably the most critical and at the same time most important aspects that form the foundation of our work.
Is there something you would like to do that you haven’t done yet?
No. Each collection has a different story to tell, so I always want to be connected to the moment I’m living in, I want to be ready right here, in this moment, in this precise instant.
