What was your first project?
My brand Du Nord Projects is my first venture. The first product is a formal work denim trouser, The Zachary, and the project is called “Le Jean Du Nord”.
The creative process: do you work instinctively or plan every single step? Where do your ideas come from?
I believe every step comes from instinct. I draw inspiration from the images and styles I see on social media, on blogs, and on the street, and ultimately this mix takes shape in my mind: I try to conceive a style suited to the consumer without generalizing or stereotyping people. I believe products should be accessible to everyone and not targeted at one type of person. But, after finding the spark or instinct, I work in stages because I am a perfectionist at heart.
What did you think when Berto contacted you?
I was actually introduced to Berto after visiting Denim Boulevard in Milan in 2014. They had a booth, and Maurizio Zampollo was so energetic and passionate in explaining their work to me that I was immediately captivated by their philosophy and their fabrics. After our first meeting, I was in frequent contact with Maurizio and Arianna Morimando, and I visited the Bovolenta mill. Both Maurizio and Arianna are so proud of their work and the company’s heritage, and that is a quality I value greatly when I work.
Which Berto fabrics have you worked with for your project and collections?
For the Zachary denim trousers I used the Dandy Blu woven by Berto, a 10.6 oz cotton/elastane blend denim. The fabric was recommended to me by Arianna and proved to be perfect for my project. The quality is sublime.
What do you consider the most significant aspect of Berto for Talents? What goals have you been able to achieve through this program?
The reason I started Du Nord Projects was to build a company that could support my son in the future; this start-up was launched mainly for him. Since he lives in China with his mother, I wanted to do more for him. I believe that by pursuing this project, I will be able to give him more options in the future. In addition, it has always been one of my goals to create my own brand and develop my vision into a physical product.
“Less but better” can be interpreted as an endorsement of a certain degree of purity in design and fashion design. It can also be understood as an environmental message about reduction and sustainability. What are your thoughts on this?
I share that view. It saddens me to see how society as a whole continues to destroy the environment for personal gain. Watching world leaders in action is rather disappointing, as they do just enough to spur environmental awareness while focusing more on monetary gains than on saving our planet. Fortunately, more and more consumers are becoming aware of how to evaluate products and how to behave. I hope future generations will continue to push for a cleaner, better world in which we respect Mother Nature. Specifically, with regard to Du Nord Projects, I prefer to work primarily with natural products and to collaborate with factories and suppliers in Western Europe that produce in-house. Transparency is key, and I am pleased to say that I either know the suppliers I work with personally or they have been recommended to me by industry veterans, ensuring their quality.
Is there something you’ve never done that you’d like to accomplish?
From a design perspective, I hope Du Nord Projects will become a brand capable of continuously developing products. I would like to focus on creating a shirt, a waistcoat, and a jacket suited to contemporary denim. From a broader perspective, I hope Du Nord Projects can evolve into a platform for creativity for talented individuals, where they can connect and collaborate, as I believe such platforms are highly undervalued in the Netherlands.
