Eklektika March 2021

CONTENTS

eklektika

FASHION FOR CHANGE

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Editorial

A NEW BEGINNING

How Polish women fight for the right to their bodies

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THE HOMEWEAR ERA

14

GENDERLESS FASHION

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SOUTH-CULTURE

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FASHION & TECH

50

FORGOTTEN HISTORY

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How our closets changed after 2020

If we all have the same rights, why should we follow different rules of style?

Southern Italy offers so much more than just the Mediterranean glam

An exploration of how technology is shaping fashion

The evolution of traditional dresses in the Philippines and Turkey

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FEDERICO CINA Back to the roots

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our team Editor in Chief Karolina Kustusz

Creative and Art Director Laura Taglialatela Creative Team Naima El Khatteeb Ingrid Frederichi Assinnata Mattia Maietti Helena Kourakis

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Contributors Mattia Maietti Marianna Romano Aleksandra Pawłowska Antonio Rubio Severo Capoquian Pelin Burcu Öztürk Irene Lopez Manuela Sapia Ishita Roy Aakriti Mishra Nadya Chesanova Angeliki Stefani Rashmi Khairnar Priyanka Gaikwad New Talent: Spotlight on ALBERTO MICELI

FRESCO AGENCY

How a Brazilian entrepreneur built a fully remote agency model in Italy amid Covid-19

Sponsored by

47 2021 Horoscope

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EDITOR’S LETTER As we have entered the second year of the pandemic, the notion of a new beginning is what keeps us afloat.

2020 was most certainly a challenging year, but when we look past all the hardship and difficulties, what we also see is people at their best. We see change. This past year has been undoubtedly difficult, but it was also defined by movements, charity and empathy.

Eklektika was born in lockdown. Our first edition was created fully remotely, by people from all over the world. This second edition was our chance to build upon this integral part of what Eklektika is - an outlet to give a voice to students from around the globe, to tell their countries’ and cultures’ stories through fashion and art. Again, this year’s team is as culturally diverse as our global reality. But we got to actually meet, work together and it’s what makes this edition even more special. It is the epitome of a new beginning.

The stories we tell in this edition are a reflection of what we’ve been through and where we’re headed. We look at how our wardrobes have changed in 2020. By the same token, we discuss how 2020 has given way to fashion that is genderless, and spoke to designers who embrace this movement in their collections. We look at a future of fashion that is marked by technology. As we have seen during last year’s fashion weeks, mostly held digitally, fashion and tech have become more intertwined than ever. We tell the story of a young entrepreneur, who could actually leverage the changes 2020 has brought upon us. We spoke to women in Poland, who use fashion and creative expression to fight for their rights. With Eklektika at its core being a cultural fashion magazine, we also look at Italy, at Turkey and travel all the way to the Philippines to shed a light on their cultural fashion and what it will mean in a post-Covid era. All the while we hold on to the notion of a new beginning that we can see on the horizon of 2021. The pandemic has certainly changed the way we think, dress, do our work and live our lives. But it’s not all bad.

We enter a year in which we are ready to fight, embrace the challenges, and wake up from the nightmare that was 2020. We might look different. We might feel different. But if anything, 2020 has given us the opportunity to slow down, take a good look at our lives and change them for the better.

We are phoenixes who rise from the ashes. And Eklektika, again, epitomizes this fight; the common drive and passion that a group of students share, willing to express themselves through their art and the stories they tell to install some hope in a world that has been shaken to its core.

I am grateful for my team who together brought an edition to life that screams - we are here! We won’t let this thing put us down. We fight, we rise and we will succeed. And through each and every one of our stories we want to share this hope with our readers.

Here’s to a new beginning.

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Karolina Kustusz

“ A NEW BEGINNING The story of perseverance

by Karolina Kustusz and Laura Taglialatela

We woke up and, all of a sudden, just as in a dream the whole world and everything we knew before was gone.

Destroyed, lost forever.

So here we are, building the future from scratch.

“

Laura Taglialatela

Rome, like no other place in this world, tells the story of endurance. We chose the Parco degli Acquedotti to shoot this year’s editorial, because it symbolizes the ruins that a lot of people certainly feel their lives are after 2020. This year’s edition is about hope and a bright, optimistic outlook on the future. We are waking up from a nightmare. We might have forgotten how to dress appropriately for the outside world, but that is not at all bad. The lines between homewear and outerwear are blurred. We might want to take our comforter out, because it’s been our companion this past year, and - why not? All is fair game in 2021.

While we adapt to our new reality, we have taken a long look at our lives and have come out stronger. The story we tell in a new beginning represents exactly that. A group of young people who have just woken up from the longest year of their lives. They’re ready to take on all that lies ahead. And where better to do this than in a place like the ruin park just outside Rome’s historic center. It has been there for thousands of years, worn out by weather conditions. The place itself beautifully captures the story of perseverance. When this magical site catches the first rays of daylight, right at the dawn of a new day, its ruined majesty gloriously rises despite all that it has endured.

Just like us. see the full spread on page 16 >>

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@elizavetta_ivanchenko portrayed by @nataliakuligowska MUA @kamiiilamakeup

FAS

CH

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“ Hell of Women”

to the woman’s health, rape or incest. What is happening in Poland right now is not the first manifestation against highly severe regulations. In October 2016, after the government officially supported a campaign called “Stop Abortion”, people in over 150 cities across the country, and abroad, demonstrated their protest by wearing black clothes on the so-called “Black Monday”. Since then, the color black has been used by Polish feminists on several occasions, becoming the ‘official’ shade in the fight for women’s rights. Together with a red lightning bolt drawn as a symbol on posters and bodies, the combination represents strength and serves as a warning that nobody will give up liberty for free.

What really caught my attention last fall was women’s explicit display of female bodies on social media. Nudity that wasn’t directly related to sex or vulgarity, but rather nudity as a sign of strength and awareness, nudity that provokes emotion and thought. They were the kind of photos that you cannot pass by indifferently. Perhaps the most prominent of these images was chosen for the cover of Vogue Poland in December 2020: Polish model, Anja Rubik, completely naked with a red flare in her hand. It didn’t start, or stop, there. Polish women took to Instagram and started posting images of themselves, either completely naked or rather explicitly posed, that from a cultural perspective had been unseen thus far. Among them was Natalia Kuligowska (@nataliakuligowska) on her Instagram profile. She explained her motivation behind the image citing, “What happened in our country in November shook me and masses of other people in Poland. As a young mother I felt like our government slapped me in the face. The Constitutional Court’s ruling not only destroyed women’s rights but contaminated my right to be my own woman, broke mine and my family’s future. I was torn by many different emotions:

by Aleksandra Pawłowska anger, fury, sadness, uncertainty and fear. Being at the protests, I felt that I have to let go of these emotions in the photos, because that is the form of communication that I practice”. While it might seem that the 21st Century is a time of freedom and common tolerance, women still encounter negative and lewd comments under revealing pictures. But thanks to them, and to the conversation around them, we can actually be part of the change towards a common consciousness. A great change needs a great revolution behind it. is one of the slogans used during women’s protests, taking place all over Poland since October 22nd 2020. This was the date the Constitutional Court announced abortion chosen due to fetal defects was deemed unconstitutional.

Within hours after the decision was made, women were on the streets fighting for their rights, despite a raging pandemic and a strict ban of public gatherings. A week later, marches took place in cities all over the country and abroad, including in London, Rome and Barcelona. It is estimated that in Warsaw, Poland’s capital, between 80 and 100 thousand people protested. Some analysts claim that it may have been the biggest revolt in Polish history.

Even before the court’s recent ruling, Polish pregnancy termination law was among the strictest in Europe; since 1997, a woman could only undergo the procedure in one of these cases: fetal defects, risk

SHION

HANGE

FOR

Supermodel Lesley “Twiggy” Lawson.

Source vintag.es

When looking at the evolution of female self-representation, women have come a long way.

With admiration and pride, we remember women over a hundred years ago, who fought for the right to wear a skirt that would reveal their ankles.

They started a conversation, a revolution that one might believe had brought equality by now.

Yet after all their accomplishments and having arrived in a liberal 21st Century we, as women, still have to fight for the right to our own bodies.

The fight is far from over.

SO WHAT HAPPENED? 19th Century

Since the 19th Century, where women’s wardrobes were dominated by long dresses and corsets, women started using fashion to emancipate themselves. It was when Amelia Bloomer introduced ‘bloomers’, the first trousers for women, previously unknown in Western society. Long and wide, extremely conservative considering today’s standards, they caused a great controversy. Unfortunately, being something completely new, the bloomers were a big distraction from their initial aim: to liberate girls from uncomfortable garments. Even though the pioneer trousers did not make it to the High Street, feminists managed to introduce a less disputed symbol around the same time; they started dressing in a value-laden tricolor palette: purple, green and white. Purple stood for loyalty and dignity, green for hope, and white was a sign of purity. A wardrobe revolution appeared on the horizon, but the big change was yet to come.

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20th Century

The first designer who really transformed the world of feminine fashion was Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel. She succeeded in liberating the female world from corsets and long dresses, as well as, introducing a well-fitted suit for a woman’s body. The shorter skirt, or a pair of trousers, that came with the fitted jacked were another controversial innovation in fashion. But this time it stuck. Clothing became more practical and comfortable, which was justified by the circumstances of this period: The First World War. The apparel revolution came with an immense social change as the war forced women to take responsibility not only for the house, but also for the economical situation of the family as men were out on the battlefield. Women during this period started working in jobs that previously were mostly left to their husbands, such as factory production. Chanel sensed a drastic shift and defined the “modern woman look”, which was a juxtaposition to the sweet ‘dolly look’ of the previous century. Instead it was brave and fierce just like the women who wore it.

Chanel’s innovative clothing inspired women all over the world in the 20th Century. It was the dawn of the ‘flappers’: young women whose behavior was far from what was considered appropriate. One would usually see a flapper driving a car with a cigarette in her mouth or with a drink in her hand, flirting with men while having the time of her life at a jazz club. These women were also characterized by a short hairstyle, high heels and dresses with long, slim silhouettes that would finish above the knee, and bras in the place of a corset; absolutely shocking in the 1920s. Their clothing was not only an act of rebellion, but also an act of practicality as dancing became way easier in a free-moving, shorter outfit, that itself caused many scandals in a society that was still not ready for the ‘skin show’. As a result, some states in the United States of America even tried to legislate the length of a skirt and ban slim-fit dresses. Although not the reason why those girls vanished from the streets, the Wall Street crash and the anticipated

Second World War forced women to return home in an old fashioned manner. Despite the crisis, the flapper spirit never fully retreated.

The next milestone in feminist fashion and self-expression appeared almost forty years later when, in the 1960s, Lesley ‘Twiggy’ Lawson took over the world’s catwalks. She was famous for her beautiful big eyes, long eyelashes, short hair and thin boyish figure.

Twiggy was in many ways a role model for many, not only in terms of her original look, but also because of her contemporary way of dressing. For example, the miniskirt, a piece of clothing showing the knee and part of the thigh was not appreciated in previous years, yet Twiggy made it fashionable. While it’s widely believed to have been created by British fashion designer, Mary Quant, Twiggy’s worldwide fame and recognition gave the miniskirt its well deserved appreciation that contributed to a wider social acceptance of showing women’s bodies. That process was arduous and required a fearless woman behind it.

Finally, the “Riot Grrrl” movement of the 90s brought about a 180-degree turn in the perception of femininity - a new wave of feminism. It was initiated by female punk rock groups who spread the idea of inclusion by neglecting commonly accepted standards of women’s beauty and behavior. The “Riot Grrrl” movement defined ‘girl power’, which is still a common slogan today. It’s disciples were against sexism, racism, homophobia and other types of intolerance. Their approach to fashion was very personal. They rejected anything directly associated with gender and their looks were based on contrasts: strong, short hairstyles and combat boots were worn with cute minidresses. Typically, the women would write messages on themselves to express their feelings. Even though the “Riot Grrrl” moment is not as present anymore, the values that they stood for have definitely prevailed. They broke women out from the cultural standards of the time into a more ‘feel-good-in-your-skin’ model, where everyone can be their true selves.

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So here we are, in

the 21 Century. It may seem like women have already fought enough for their freedom of selfexpression and, from a societal standpoint, for their access to basic human rights. However, the battle is not over, as the situation in Poland shows. Unfortunately, instead of going forward, we are going backwards.

In these difficult times, we are fighting in the best way we can and social media posts are the manifestations of the 21st Century. Natalia is one amongst thousands of protesters. In the photo she published on her Instagram, a courageous, beautiful woman poses in front of a red screen showing a very meaningful expression (see photo on page 8).

Having asked about the photo’s background Kuligowska replied, “In that photo I wanted to show a strong and aware woman. The model’s body is symbolically revealed in order to highlight her femininity: her breast is slightly uncovered, the tights, the absence of underwear, all these elements represent that she shows her body how she wants and when she wants. The clenched fist rolling up the sleeve symbolizes willingness to fight for her body and the middle finger on the covered womb clearly means ‘fuck off’”. It’s similar to what Aneta Chrzanowska of @najbardziej_ulubiona_pani says. She parst

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ticipated in a photoshooting with photographer Jacek Kloskowski (@kloskowski.jacek) and you can see the results on both of their Instagram profiles. One of the posts is captioned, “If you still do not understand that these photos are not about „boobies”, then it is not the place for

and the woman’s facial expression behind her hair inspires reflection, you can immediately feel the variety of emotions coming out of this portrait. On the other hand, the message behind the second portrayal is more straightforward. It shows Chrzanowska, exposed, with a collar on her throat;

talk with Aneta about the current situation in our country and the images presented on her Instagram. She expresses her views without hesitation; the situation needs to change. Some of the things she said could easily become the slogans for the manifestations; why is it men

you”. The black and white photo is also signed with #strajkkobiet, a hashtag that accompanies the current manifestations in Poland. The aforementioned image is hypnotizing, the nudity

A woman trying to escape from a trap that she is held in against her will.

This photo is a great metaphor, a representation of what women in Poland are going through.

I had the pleasure to

and priests who make the decisions about women’s fate, why do we lack an adequate sexual education, why is the help for mothers with handicapped children is so insufficient.

These are questions that remain unanswered. When speaking about the photos, she emphasizes that the body becomes a strength: „My body is mine and I will decide what to do with it” the essence of the strikes in Poland.

As women across the globe and over time have fought hard to break free from traditional and socially acceptable ways of dressing and self-expressing, women in my country are still on the battlefield to actually own their bodies.

Today, we are fighting against an inhuman ban to abortion access, a right that should be considered fundamental. A hundred years ago we used fashion to fight for the right to show our bodies, today, we use our bodies to fight for the right to own them. We were deprived of the freedom of self-determination. A reality back then and unfortunately still today.

model Aneta Chrzanowska portrayed by Jacek Kloskowski

era

theHOMEWEA

by Irene Lopez

Dior Chez Moi 2020, Source repubblica.it; in the next page, all pictures from ebay.

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R

Without a doubt, the fashion industry has been impacted heavily by the global pandemic. Not only from an economical point of view, but also in the way people dress. In this past year we have shifted from rejecting sweatpants as inappropriate to wear outside our homes to a new era in which homewear including the outlawed sweatpants became essentials of our daily look. It is a different kind of fashion, and the surge of homewear purchases across the board evolved into a new trend - the homewear era.

We weren’t used to this type of style, but in fact, it has given us a wide range of new possibilities. Retailers and luxury brands alike have taken this new trend and turned it into a guilt-free, fashionable way of dressing, perfect for spending most of our time in home office. Mixing and matching simple or minimalist garments while still combining them with the occasional extravagant piece can actually create a ground breaking outfit from a “stay at home” look. Now that wearing home gowns outside of our homes isn’t frowned upon anymore, it is fascinating to see what pieces have made it onto the global fashion agenda over the past year.

sition of cultural clothes into the world of homewear happen to the Turkish “salvar”.

Traditionally worn by both male and female land workers, it is nowadays used as a pajama, as homewear. Those really comfy pants have therefore become quite popular in the “sweatpants” departments across the globe.

The world is changing, fashion is evolving and the industry is adapting. From fast-fashion to luxury brands, the industry has jumped on the band-wagon of the homewear era launching collections, entirely dedicated to this new trend. Oysho, brainchild of Spanish fashion titan Inditex is leading among fast fashion retailers who sell this type of clothing.

By embracing very comfy types of garments, inspired by different cultures and habits, they were one of the first retailers to mark the homewear trend way before it became an era.

Joining the party much later, their big sister-brand ZARA launched its very first intimates apparel collection in fall 2020. It included over 125 pieces ranging from bras, underwear to bodysuits and sleepwear. On the other end of the spectrum, luxury brand Dior too has created its first homewear line last year; ‘Dior Chez Moi’ is a collection of home and leisure wear; full of neutral colors and comfortable garments to “celebrate the art of dressing elegantly at home”, as their official launch statement put it. It’s their way of embracing the situation and creating collections that people not only desire but actually need, while remaining fashionable by all means.

With the pandemic being a global issue, it’s not only the Western world that has adapted to the new way of dressing. Let’s take a look at some of the homewear-inspired styles that are now “in fashion”. In Western countries, pajama fashion mixes varied fabrics, usually frotted and soft, in styles ranging from monochromatic to printed.

In the Eastern parts of the globe, specifically in Japan, people sleep in traditional robes called ‘jınbeı’ or Hippari. It’s a set of a matching top and a pant, made from hemp and cotton, that are 1 later dyed with patterns that make each set unique.

In South and Central Asia, especially in India the halwar kameez is widely worn. This is a piece of clothing for both women and men. A unisex garment that is really similar to the shirts and pants that We1. traditional turkish salvar sterners normally wear. We 2. modern hippari 3. indian halwar kameez have also seen this tran-

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Creative Director: Laura Taglialatela Photographer: Mani Gupta Assistant Photographer: Naineka Patil Models: Pelin Burcu Öztürk, Aleksandra Pawłowska, Antonio Rubio, Romario Johnson Styling: Marianna Romano, Severo Capoquian Hair & Makeup: Naima El Khatteeb Post Production: Laura Taglialatela, Ingrid Frederichi Assinnata

Pelin wears Bustier ZARA

From left to right: Pelin wears Shirt & Bustier ZARA; Pants Uniqlo; Shoes Nike; Aleksandra wears Sweatshirt Nike; Coat Noname; Pants & Shoes Adidas; Antonio wears Suit & Beltbag ZARA; Sweathsirt Calvin Klein; Shoes ASOS; Romario wears Vintage Shirt & Vest; Pants Champion; Shoes Adidas

On the left Antonio wears Vest COS; Vintage striped Shirt; On the right Aleksandra wears Coat Noname; Sweatshirt Nike; Pants Adidas; Antonio wears Pants Diesel; Boots ASOS

On this page Pelin wears Bustier ZARA; Pants H&M; Mules Mango

On this page Pelin wears Bustier & Shirt ZARA; Pants Uniqlo

On this page Pelin wears Coat Noname; Pants Pull&Bear; Vintage Shirt; Sunglasses Dior Romario wears Vintage Shirt and Vest; Pants Champion; Shoes Adidas

On the left Aleksandra wears Sweater Lacoste; Vintage Dress; Sandals ASOS On the right Antonio wears Vintage Shirt & Pants; Overshirt Urban Outfitters; Shoes ASOS

On the left Antonio wears Vintage Shirt; Overshirt Urban Outfitters; On this page Romario wears Sweater H&M; Shirt Walbusch; Vintage Glasses Aleksandra wears Sweatshirt H&M; Overshirt Magpie; Pants & Belt ZARA; Scrunchie Invisibobble

Antonio wears Vintage Shirt & Pants; Overshirt Urban Outfitters; Romario wears Sweater H&M; Shirt Walbusch; Vintage Glasses & Trunks Aleksandra wears Sweatshirt H&M; Overshirt Magpie; Pants & Belt ZARA; Scrunchie Invisibobble; Sandals ASOS

KILL DOESN’T STRONGER

Y O UMAKES U

WHAT

YOU

by Mattia Maietti

I haven’t seen my colleagues in what feels like forever now. Hours became longer even when the days got shorter. I faced fear, loss and loneliness. I’ve been thinking about what they call “social distancing”. It was supposed to be “physical distancing with social support” but ended up building oil barrieres in a society made of water. I had days in which I would find my inner peace in my loneliness, that provided a safe harbour; some other days, seeing my reflection in the mirror was like staring at a sister that I never knew I had. It was scary and made my world tremble. I found myself only having digital conversations and sharing virtual hugs with those in need. I needed some as well but it felt like a band-aid on a bullet wound sometimes. I doubted myself like never before. I told her off, I took care of her, I slapped her, I kissed her, I loved her and eventually I hated her. I gave up my posh-life leisures.

I stopped being interested in the way others saw me. Well, I guess I will still have to care,

but at least I can hide it like children do with candy under their blanket, when mum isn’t looking. I stopped planning a future that is too far from the present. I became a chameleon that self-adapts on a day-by-day basis. I gave new meaning to the word “time” to convince myself that this year was not wasted. I worked hard and planted seeds that, someday, might provide me with juicy fruit. I understood what it’s like to be here in the present, to accept and forgive some very difficult realities about myself and push my limits further. I had to live a year avoiding to be touched and saw myself slowly changing habits and look. I got lost along the way and then, somehow, I found my way back. I stepped into 2020 convinced that it would fly by, but I ended up living every single minute of it. I used these months as a gym: I trained hard, I got dirty and sweaty and then I cleaned up and displayed my toned body fiercely. The fog is clearing. I am stronger now but I want to run.

Illustration by Naima El Khatteeb

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spotLIGHTon ALBERTO MICELI

by Mattia Maietti

Below, Alberto Miceli; on the left and bottom, Alberto Miceli Capsule Collection 2021; photo courtesy of Alberto Miceli.

23-year-old designer Alberto Miceli was born in Giussano, a small city near Milan, Italy. From a young age he showed a deep interest in art and fashion: his grandmother was a sewer and they used to entertain themselves by patching fabrics together and playing with different textures in her studio. Alberto also developed a sophisticated taste in music, especially after many years of attending piano classes. He then finally picked art in High School, choosing a further specialisation in architecture. According to Alberto art, architecture and classical music were vital to him as he “understood the rigidity of art, the boundaries of symbolism that should not be crossed to guarantee wearability and concreteness”. Alberto then attended pattern-making and design classes in Milan, quitting after only 2 years as “it didn’t meet his expectations”. With his love for the American way of life, he started to frequently travel to New York, to be where fashion happens, and began to work for emerging American fashion brands. His background is slightly more practical than theoretical and this is reflected in his garments: SMART is Alberto Miceli eponymous brand’s keyword. His Milan-based label Amich Couture was founded in 2019 and underwent a process of rebranding at the end of 2020, switching its name to Alberto Miceli. He wants his garments to be versatile, strong and boundary-breaking: “Big city life requires us to be adaptive, to celebrate our uniqueness and to be covered in tailor-made glamorous armours”. The label produces haute couture and ready-to-wear inspired by metropolitan life, the 21st Century Belle Époque. “I think about people I could possibly bump into while having a stroll in the city centre. Then I wonder about the way they would dress. That’s how my creative process begins.” For Alberto Miceli, there is no time to differentiate between men and women He strives to make his fashion garments as genderless as possible, adjusting cuts and patterns of the same outfits on both male and female models, only following the anatomical differences. In order to keep his garments versatile and to meet his target audience’s preferences, Alberto typically celebrates beauty through pop-coloured, oversized, geometric yet flawlessly sinuous shapes. The sinuosity of his garments celebrates the curves of women’s bodies, whereas the sharp geometric shapes are strictly connected to the metropolitan setting: “The idea is that we are all small bricks building a big city. In this sense we can sort of be considered street furniture”. Alberto Miceli’s style is deeply inspired by his cross-cultural life experiences, the sights and smells he discovers in cities all over the world and a few big names of fashion. His main muse is Yves Saint Laurent, who first eliminated the myth of “clothes for him and for her”, but also iconic designers such as Tom Ford and Karl Lagerfeld play a significant role in his creative process.

Alberto Miceli’s brand officially debuted during 2020 Torino Fashion Week, an event organised by Claudio Azzolini for emerging fashion brands. After having presented his 20-look capsule collection Alberto was honoured as one of the 5 winners, being acclaimed for his innovative designs. Alberto Miceli’s outfits and garments will be available at Mondo store in Turin as of Spring 2021 but the new collection is soon to be launched. According to Alberto this time genderless and pop colours will make the scene, leaving the stage to wide skirts, summer jumpers, shorts and t-shirts made of organic cotton, silk and organza.

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G -LESS ENDER

From the upper left, Oghale Alex for Cold Laundry; Brad Pitt photographed by Mark Seliger for Rolling Stones; Balenciaga resort 2020, courtesy of Balenciaga; Sasha Velour, photographed by Lucas Blair; Kang Daniel wearing Louis Vuitton on Elle; Moncler Genius by Piccioli, from dezeen. com; Jonathan van Ness on stylist.co.uk; Palomo Spain, 2017 spring collection; Ludovic de Saint Sernin spring 2021, photo of Bruno Staub / Courtesy of Ludovic De Saint Sernin; Maricón de España, courtesy of Carlos Carvento.

AS H I O N

by Antonio Rubio and Manuela Sapia

It’s been on fashion’s agenda for quite some time now, but 2020 saw a surge of protagonists from TV, music and social media spark a new kind of conversation around a topic that should have lost it’s taboo many years ago: genderless fashion.

Do not confuse the words ‘sex’ and ‘gender’, because they’re totally different. In fact, according to gender theory, ‘sex’ refers to someone’s identification from a biological point of view, while ‘gender’ concerns the differences between men and women from a sociological point of view.

But why is this relevant for the fashion industry?

Over centuries, every aspect of our life has been

influenced by the distinction between male and female. In fashion, the traditional differentiation of the genders was manifested, for example, in the use of different colors and garments: pink skirts for girls and blue pants for boys.

Lately, however, with the open-mindedness certainly accentuated by the LGBT movement of 1960, much progress has been made towards the abolition of unnecessary prejudices related to gendered fashion.

The industry started rethinking individual needs and thus contributed to the dissolution of gender boundaries that society has now put in place. Fashion both expresses and promotes a series of values, due to

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its influence and repercussions on the reproduction of stereotypes.

So while, over time, the distinction between male and female has allowed, in a certain way, to express the characteristics of one and the other, for example, the manhood of the man and the femininity of the woman, we see those features gradually being set aside.

In the end, if we should all have the same rights, why should we follow different rules of style?

Fashion is vital for identity search.

With our daily selection of accessories and clothing, we decide to show ourselves in a particular way in order to build our personality.

This is especially important for sexual minorities who refuse to wear clothes that define them in a way that they do not feel comfortable with, and thus breaking social rules. Transgender people, for example, who struggle to be iden-

own identity codes, by accepting conditions such as alienation, dissatisfaction with themselves, boredom and sterility. This freedom is, however, unfortunately limited by preconceptions often fueled by the media. In 2020 we witnessed the massive backlash towards artist Harry Styles, who appeared on the cover of American Vogue in a dress. The attacks on social media ranged from, “Men should not wear dresses”, to, “This is disgusting, our society is doomed”. While new generations are indeed more open-minded than their predecessors, since they don’t worry as much about the traditional gender of clothing, nor whether it is connected to your biological sex or not, it seems that there’s some more work to be done to free fashion from the gendered system entirely.

In the past, a multitude of desi-

So why does society want to define our gender at all cost if we can do it (very well) on our own?

And more importantly, if fashion is a pivotal tool for self-expression, putting the person at the center and nothing else, why should it be gendered in the first place? tified by a different gender than the one assigned to them at birth, use fashion as a tool of expression because the less gendered fashion is, the easier it is for them to move across the gender spectrum.

People who identify themselves as non-binary or gender-fluid use fashion in a similar way.

Professor Julia Emberley in this regard mentions the concept of the “fashion apparatus”, which offers the possibility for individuals to create fashion on their own, to free themselves from the chains of daily life and to create their

gners have played around with the mixing of traditional male and female garment styles, in an effort to break down these stereotype walls.

Giorgio Armani, for example, contributed to the insertion of garments that were, until then, seen as purely masculine in the women’s closet. His infamous long blazer, labelled masculine’ which, as such, actually gives sensuality; it proved to be very versatile, suitable for both casual and more formal occasions.

Jean Paul Gaultier, the ‘enfant terrible’ of the fashion industry,

followed Armani’s footsteps, creating the Men in skirts collection in 1984, where men wore wide skirts, quoting this aphorism: “Masculinity does not derive from clothing. It comes from something inside you. Men and women can wear the same clothes and still be men and women.”

Perhaps the most emblematic and lasting representation of this style is Alessandro Michele, Creative Director of Gucci, with his first collection in 2015, ‘Borderless’, still recognized as one of the most followed in gender-fluidity. Michele has equipped Gucci with an a-gender style made of eccentric, colorful, flowery textures, with the brand’s unmissable monogram combined with other prints. In short, it is a triumph of mix. Michele clearly neglects femininity and manhood, making it difficult to distinguish men from women but by the same token, gives each individual the freedom to dress in self-confidence.

These examples are among the best established designers in international history and they paved the way for what is now gender-fluid fashion, and give encouragement for new artists of today to whom they pass the baton.

Think of Olivia Oblanc, who started her career by launching, at just 23 years of age, her Oblanc brand that was totally dedicated to gender fluidity and sustainability, by treating recycled materials. For her tenacity, she also won the ‘CDFA’s Geoffrey Beene’ Design scholarship as well as the Hugo Boss Award, and in 2018 she redesigned vintage pieces for the sports goods company Adidas in collaboration with supermodel Kendall Jenner. Zerobarracento is Camilla Carrara’s emerging brand made in Italy. The term “Zero”, decidedly not random, indicates the zero waste of outerwear fabrics with a soft and voluminous style, winning third

place at the Recycling Design Preis and securing two garments at Berlin Fashion Week 2016. Her motto remains: “A place outside of sex, age and time”. Last but not least, we look to Canadian designer Rad Hourani. Unlike his industry colleagues, Hourani defines the exact position of each person in society, while at the same time sharing a vision of neutrality. His message suggests that the clothes we wear are a direct reflection of who we are. His designs are unisex, haute couture and ready-to-wear, with each garment being completely genderless in colors and cuts, giving each of them their own personal identity.

Yet it wasn’t only designers who paved the way towards genderless fashion. We have seen the journey on stage and on the red carpet too, worn by celebrities who, especially throughout the 80s, 90s and 00s, wanted to send a clear message through their extravagant and eccentric clothing choices.

On the one side, we are clearly playing around with gender stereotypes in an effort to free fashion from gender norms in general. However, people still tend to cringe at a man in a skirt, and criticise broad shoulders on women. It is interesting to see this, especially in Western society, where a certain type of clothing is not considered appropriate. In fact, looking towards the south or the east, each culture defines its masculinity and femininity norms based on socio-cultural factors, such as religion, existing sexism or laws. Think, for example, of dresses worn by men in India, or Africa, as an expression of power and rank. Similarly, looking to the Middle East, pants on women are frowned upon. Certainly, culture plays an important part in the gender stereotypization of fashion.

But, in a globalized 21st Century, it is baffling that we insert cultures from all over the world into our own, appropriate traditional styles, but cannot fully overcome the notion of ‘dresses are for

women’ and ‘suits are for men’.

In most societies, the skirt is only worn by women, but in both Scotland and Ireland the kilt - a skirtlike garment - is exclusively worn by men. If a boy in Italy, Germany or the United States of America wore a skirt to school though, friends would most likely make fun of him. It’s even more reason as to why having Harry Styles in a dress on the cover of Vogue is both exciting and important. As people tend to follow influencers, trends and social media when it comes to fashion, these kinds of messages, by designers, actors, singers and influencers, as well as other celebrities of popular media, are vital to driving genderless fashion to a state of normality. It is how fashion plays a vital role in contributing to social inclusion and helping let go of society’s anxiety to go beyond the canons that were imposed decades ago.

David Bowie became a legend not only through his music, but also through his powerful style. He placed androgynous fashion in mainstream culture and overcame the boundaries of gendered clothing. Performing in heels, wearing dresses, blouses and crotch-hugging jumpsuits and by painting his face with neon colours and glitter, Bowie made gender-bending cool.

Photo credits: from the top, David Bowie for Elle Spain; Grace Jones poster, by goatboyjr.

Grace Jones can be considered the most androgynous women in the world. She is well-known for her work as a model, actress and singer. One of her most iconic photos is from the cover of her 1981 album Nightclubbing. Jones once said, “I go feminine, I go masculine, I am both, actually”. She has been able to push far beyond the established narratives by tapping into fantasy, exemplified in her video for Corporate Cannibal.

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The actor Billy Porter, best known for his role in “Pose”, has won an Emmy, Grammy and a Tony Award, and expresses gender fluidity in statement-making gowns on almost every red carpet he enters. Porter says of his style, “I represent something that I, as a young man, never had. That’s the greatest news. That’s where I have to leave it though so that I can continue to do the work.” Porter believes that society sets too many limits on what people should wear and that they are not interested in the idea that pants are strong and dresses are weak. This year, Porter is part of the cast in the upcoming film, Cinderella, and will play a gender-fluid Fairy Godmother. He says that kids are more than ready for it.

The British singer Harry Styles, who became world-famous with pop group “One Direction”, became a genderless fashion icon, as well as the first solo male appearing on the December cover of American Vogue, dressed by good friend and designer Alessandro Michele of Gucci.

“When you take away ‘There’s clothes for men and there’s clothes for women’, once you remove any barriers, obviously you open up the arena in which you can play,” the singer said. “Anytime you’re putting barriers up in your own life, you’re just limiting yourself.”

Since the success of the Twilight saga which began in 2008, Kristen Stewart has adopted a look that combines both female and male elements that make her a symbol of ‘gender fluidity’. She has also become a LGBTQ+ activist through social media, highlighting the idea of fluid gender and sexual orientation without boundaries.

The young American singer / songwriter of “Bad Guy”, Billie Eilish, is well-known for wearing oversized, genderless garments. She said in an Australia Vogue interview two years ago that dressing bigger than her size, “gives nobody the opportunity to judge what your body looks like”. The singer believes that if she were a man no one would be surprised by her style, as she has received criticism that she should dress, “like a girl”, but she believes that clothes have no gender.

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Photo credits, from the top: Billy Porter, on Vogue; Harry Styles, Vogue 2020.: Kristen Stewart on Vogue/Getty Images; Billie Eilish, photo of Joe Scarnici.

FEDERICO back THE C I N A ROOTS

TO

by Mattia Maietti

Federico Cina was born in Sarsina, a small village in the heart of Romagna, in the Forlì-Cesena area, Italy.

FEDERICO CINA, the eponymous brand, was founded in 2019. Its main purpose is to display the essence of Romagna’s history and heritage in its elegant and refined looks, primarily through the iconic Romagna traditional print.

How would you sum up your brand identity in three words and why?

I would say that craftsmanship, sustainability and humanity are the three pillars on which we founded our brand, since day one. ‘Craftsmanship’ because our mission is to actively involve local artisans in our supply chain, from ancient printworks to knitters. Talking about sustainability nowadays, it is doubtlessly vital to pick only recycled and eco-friendly fabrics.

Our approach is sustainable towards both the environment and human capital: we aim at guaranteeing work for small local craftsmen while respecting the environment through a careful fabric selection.

Last but not least, humanity. It is something that was lacking during my life in a big metropolis and therefore led me back to my land, Romagna. I do not care about timing, I like to know and understand who I am talking to, whether they are a potential business partner or an artisan. The human connection is fundamental to me.

In the current market, would you classify your brand approach as local or global?

How does your collaboration with MSGM insert in this glocal setting?

This match was carefully studied to build a bond between our two identities. Massimo [Giorgetti, co-founder of MSGM] sustained me as a brand, especially after the first lockdown in March 2020, and he shares my origins. In this sense MSGM and FEDERICO CINA are two sides of the same coin: Massimo tells the story of the pop and fun Romagna of the ’90s, while I showcase the land’s heritage and history embodied in the traditional tablecloth print. This capsule collection started with the iconic MSGM garments such as the trench and the shirts that underwent printing at our business partner’s Stamperia Marchi.

Gabriele Marchi came up with new techniques to make the typical MSGM pop colours, such as electric blue and fuchsia, while guaranteeing a 100% artisanal printing process. This collection represents the union between recent and ancient Romagna, a widely-known brand and an emerging one. I have always believed in the notion of “united we stand, divided we fall”, and even in this time I found evidence of this.

Right now I would definitely say ‘local’ due to my brand’s notoriety and supply chain. Our aim is still to amplify our traditions and values by taking advantage of a global spotlight, letting the whole world notice them, if possible. FEDERICO CINA steers towards a global market keeping its feet rooted in a local context. It is our brand DNA, the key to everything. There are aspects of the label that will certainly undergo certain shifts in the future but our ‘glocal’ spirit shall remain untouched. We are part of thoWhat is the gender structure of se creatives who speak about their land, just like Antonio Marras FEDERICO CINA? Is it unisex or does for his beloved Sardinia. So many highly-skilled artisans live genderless? in Romagna and their knowledge must be leveraged and preserved.

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I started without gender labels.

I do not speak about unisex nor genderless but about people who like my style. We decided to focus on men’s fashion in our FW20 collection, after which we avoided any kind of gender boundary. My target woman is definitely androgynous as the sketches are thought for a man’s niche audience, but the garments are then designed to avoid any gender-dictated sense of aesthetics.

We even ended up changing our overall website structure shooting the same outfits on both men and women. To reinforce the message we made available sizes that range from EU 36 to 54, and from XS to XL for each garment, to make them as versatile as possible. It is necessary to impose certain rules otherwise we won’t assist in any real life change. Think about it everybody speaks about genderless but men and women’s areas are still separate in shops. I want a young boy to buy a pair of pink trousers if he likes them, freed by any social dogma or restriction.

Tell us about your FW21/22 collection A EMILIA. A EMILIA first answered my need of creating a more contemporary connection through more realistic and less artistic clothing. I got inspired by ‘Per Strada’, a photography book by the artist Guido Guidi, shot between 1980 and 1994 along Via Emilia. It is the road that starts at Romagna’s coastline all the way to Milan, the great metropolis, through the Italian inland. This is the connection that I wanted to create - Romagna’s tradition nestled in a metropolitan setting. People will always feel comfortable in our versatile clothes regardless of their location along this road. The union between local and global was recreated on the garments as well: the apparently one-colour-only exterior

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is internally lined with Romagna traditional print, almost hiding it from the eyes of the big city and kept close to one’s heart. Regarding the colour palette, my choice was completely instinctive. I went to our partner Manteco’s premises and cut a few fabric samples creating colour associations accordingly. The pastel tones make me feel good and relaxed, especially in these times. It is why I unconsciously chose them. The photographs and the prints that inspired me are not loud, they quietly narrate my land’s history just like I do with my clothes. I loved it. I liked it to the point of turning it into a collection.

Creative Director: Federico Cina Art direction and photography: Gabriele Rosati Stylist: Marco Drammis Assistant Art Director: Giulia De Riso Stylist Assistan: Federica Musella Creative Production/Light Assistant: Luca Notarfrancesco Production Assistant: Matilde Morri, Rachele Castellucci Set Designer: Rachele Stagni Make Up Artist: Vittoria Ranieri Hairstylist: Paolo Venuta at Wella Professionals Italia Models: Filippo Pinna, Anita Sarto, Cristiano Naldi, Paolo Venuta and Chiara Fantini Bags: Camilla Marchi Shoes: Birk Alexandersson Location: Gaia Zattini Special thanks to Rosanna Paci and Marzio Cina Sponsored by Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana

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S OUTHCULTURE

A short guide to the subcultures of Southern Italy

by Marianna Romano

When it comes to Italy, in addition to acknowledging good food, art and beauty, one cannot but mention fashion too - an indisputable cornerstone.

Fashion, considered a concept for both the body and mind, has ancient roots in the country of ‘Made in Italy’.

Although the first real fashion show only took place in 1951, the idea of ‘style’ was present since the end of the 19th Century.

Today, however, we won’t talk about how this country has managed to manifest itself in the world of style and luxury; today we are here to discuss a more veiled, less known, but equally intriguing reality: the subculture of Southern Italy.

The term ‘subculture’ generally refers to a group of people who differ from a broader culture by their lifestyles, beliefs, and worldview. In the usual imagery, Italy is the country where all women go around with a décolleté garment, a black lace corset and backcombed hair.

Spoiler alert: there’s more to it.

If you make your way through the depths of this country, you will in fact discover a world of theatricality, folklore, and histrionics. A world that carries you beyond a modern yet ancient street style catwalk, loo-

king to the future while holding on to the past. It’s a place that seems to take inspiration from the likes of Alexander McQueen and Martin Margiela.

Italians, as many well know, are quite attached to tradition.

Those who have never visited the South, the authentic one that is characterized by its vast economic, social and cultural gap, cannot imagine the ordinary every day, different from the collective imagery suggested by brands like Dolce & Gabbana or the latest Muccino film, ‘Calabria Terra Mia’.

Southern Italy is marked by a strong attachment to theatre, which probably comes from the antique affiliation to the territory of Magna Graecia. The theatrical influences do not only manifest themselves when we talk about art, shows, and entertainment, but are deeply rooted in the everyday life of a reality that’s often underestimated.

Naples, par excellence, em-

bodies the true essence of theatre, with all its musicality and drama. Walking through the suburbs of Naples is like being transported to a dimension made of a thousand different facets. In 2019, i-D Italy interviewed London photographer Sam Gregg, who talks about this city and its people saying, “Neapolitans firmly believe they are unique. The way they speak, dress, and move is different. They are incredibly passionate, colourful, flashy, frantic, welcoming, clever, daring, proud, melodramatic, and misunderstood. Naples is the perfect paradigm of life itself”. It is no coincidence that this city is the cradle of what is called the Neapolitan Mask, a set of caricatured characters that embody the essence of the city. Pulcinella represents the popular spirit with its discomfort, its euphoria, greed and misery;.

On the next page, photos by Sam Gregg, from “ See Naples and die”; above, “Annunciazione” from Dramna.

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Don Felice Sciosciammocca embodies the bourgeoisie; Zeza, the woman of obscene jokes, proposes the clash between two generations: the old and the young. The boundary between mask and character is not always well defined; on the contrary, the two concepts are put together to give a thousand different caricatures, just like a satirical inventory of everyday life.

Even if these definitions have very ancient roots, today you can still walk around Naples and look for them. But how does this great theatricality, in the style of the community, present itself? How have these traditions influenced the concept of style as an attitude, as a representation of the self?

We might find the answers as we continue our journey through the twists and turns of this southern world. What we will find there is in fact an all-female reality - that of the ‘prefiche’.

The word comes from the Latin term ‘Praeficere’, to place before. Most won’t be able to imagine however, the role of these women: to cry at funerals. Yes, exactly that. The prefiche were, and in some remote areas still are, women who are paid to dress in mourning and wiggle in pain during funerals. The origins of this work are doubtful. Certainly, it was rather common in ancient Greece and among the Romans, who often hired a lady to ‘guide’ the shouts of despair during funeral ceremonies.

The reward was bestowed by the family of the dead person who, in this way, gave the funeral

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an atmosphere of quasi-theatrical desperation.

This tradition, handed down for many centuries, became a real full-time job for some women. They passed on the art of grief, yet the most crucial part of the ritual, apart from the heartbreak and the sudden struggle, was the clothing: a dark dress, the headscarf and a black veil to cover the face.

Although, today, the figure of the ‘prefica’ or Chiangia Muerti (The-Dead-Crier) is no longer as widespread as it was then, the concept of having to show the pain and carry it along, as a burden to flaunt and to be proud of, still persists.

Many women in Southern Italy ‘wear’ the mourning after the loss of a close family member (in most cases, the husband). Starting from the funeral until the end of their days, women would always wear black, under any circumstances, to pay respect to their deceased. As much as this practice may seem chauvinistic, as it is only women who have to wear mourning, and archaic, it represents one of the most remarkable ties that modern women have with tradition.

When I was younger, I used to spend the holidays in a small mountain village in Calabria, where it felt like time had stopped. I had the opportunity to meet powerful, antique women who can tell these kinds of stories, that are somewhere between dream and reality, and to enchant you with them.

One of the stories that always fascinated me is that of the wedding trousseau, yet another, rather archaic tradition, still deeply rooted in Southern Italy. The wedding trousseau is a set of goods given by the bride’s family, or by the bride herself, to her husband. The dowry was the woman’s contribution “ad sustinenda onera matrimonii”, indispensable both among the upper classes and the lower ones.

“

If you make your way through the depths of this country, you will in fact discover a world of theatricality, folklore, and histrionics.

”

Photo by Luigi Mazziotti; on the next page, photo by Vincenzo D’Ambrosio, from “Partenope vive”;

“Annunciazione” from Dramna; on the next page, photo by Luigi Mazziotti;

Growing up breathing these traditions, considering them part of the ordinary, I have developed a desire to investigate, to discover more, to inform myself and explore all these fragments of tradition that still aggregate my land. That is how I met Irene, a fashion designer from my homeland who wants to narrate the charm of such a genuine and passionate reality. Through her collection, she has portrayed Calabrian women in their traditional clothes, inspired by the wedding trousseau.

Could you please tell us something about you and your passion for fashion?

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My passion for fashion was born during my years in school. I had no idea of the world behind the clothes, but I felt that it belonged to me: I needed to communicate my unconventional ideas. I started to do it through art and how I dressed, which was different from my companions. I felt the need to undertake fashion studies very early. At the age of 15, I left art school to study directly at a professional institute, away from home. Topics were mainly focused on sustainability: I worked a lot on recycling, which led me to the art of reuse.

I then continued my professional training in Milan, where I graduated in fashion design.

You have recently completed your studies presenting a very peculiar collection, ‘I Luni’.

Could you tell where the desire to talk about Southern women comes from?

‘I Luni’ takes inspiration from the nickname of my family and its history, a story that I felt I had to narrate, especially thinking about Maria, my great-grandmother, who had been given the nickname ‘Luna’ because of her beauty.

Maria was a single mother, which created a scandal in the community. The idea of feeling ‘ashamed’ for something so natural, seen with the current perspective, intrigued me a lot, so I decided to research her story while, in the meantime, I heard many similar ones that created a mutual feeling among several women of Southern Italy.

to combine the two ‘eras’. The colours and the style were chosen according to my tastes: I tried to create a palette of tender nuances. In some dresses, I used black and white to accentuate a certain mood, in others, I focused on the voluminous shapes given by silk drapes and wrapped bodies to give a sense of non-perceptible heaviness and suffocation.

Over the years, many designers, directors and various artists have painted a certain ima-

ge of Southern Italy, playing on the most common stereotypes.

Could you, instead, illustrate the south of Italy seen through the eyes of an artist who knows it, respects it, and has decided to narrate it herself?

Another passion of mine is cinema. I watch many films directed

by Tornatore, Pasolini, Fellini, Rossellini, Antonioni and many other artists. They help me enter the past. Some people still imagine Southern Italy with

Your designs show a strong link between tradition and contemporary. Is there something, in particular, that has inspired you in the shapes, colours and style?

My research started by looking at old family photos. I carefully observe details, not only from a fashion point of view but also from a décor one.

I noticed that the precious pieces of the wedding trousseau, such as the wedding blanket, were often put on display. I began to study and research traditional textile culture to understand the making of a blanket: a quite complicated job, as it is a work that people start as children for their wedding vesture. This ritual caught my attention so I went to search for hand- embroidered fabrics, which are currently difficult to find. The idea began from the reuse of uncompleted wedding trousseau pieces, donated by women of my homeland, and to overlap them with remnants of industrial fabrics,

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an old man, his beret and the cigar in his mouth, with a wife waiting for him at home. I don’t support this idea. I find Southern women to be load-bearing columns of incredible strength. It fascinates me to observe the way they express their emotions, they transmit a strong sense of pain and joy in an amplified way; I am amazed by this emotional side, I think it was what influenced my choice.

Choosing

to recount these stories is not always easy; it means to deal with melancholic realities, hidden by a veil of light. Southern stories are like beautiful women marked by time, they preserve an innate charm, but on their face, you can read all the past they carry on their backs. Bringing to light the authentic reality of certain places, with all their characters, their colours, their strengths and weaknesses, is not an easy task. Telling the truth is never an easy task, but this should not take away anyone’s will to do it. When someone chooses to tell a story, they always try to include a happy ending. It is what I want for my homeland: for its value, beauty and truthfulness to be recognized. I want a happy ending.

Photo credit: from Daniele Rummo, 2019.

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SCO FRE

Interview: How this Brazilian entrepreneur built a fully remote agency model in Italy amid Covid-19

NCY AGE

by Karolina Kustusz

Ingrid, you moved from Brazil to Italy and within a few years started your own fashion agency. Tell us about Fresco and what led to opening the agency in 2020.

Ingrid Frederichi Assinnata, Fresco Agency‘s Founder & Creative Director

Fresco Agency is a fashion design agency headquartered in Rome. It connects new, young talent from around the world with fashion companies and start-ups. Its services include fashion and pattern design, trend research as well as brand and product development. We spoke with Founder and Creative Director Ingrid Frederichi Assinnata about her agency’s remote business model which she navigates between Italy and Brazil.

I have always notoriously planned every step of my career. But things changed in 2018. That year I found myself being promoted to Design Team Manager at a multinational Brazilian fast fashion brand. While that was an incredible opportunity, it did make me scrutinize all aspects of my life, and not long after I decided that it was time to experience other things before fully settling down in Brazil. I am half Brazilian and half Italian, and I always wanted to connect with that Italian part of myself. I decided to leave everything to embark on a new journey. Within a month I moved out of my apartment, gave my friends and relatives 95% of my wardrobe, and purchased my ticket. Shortly before leaving, my boss at the time offered me a fully remote position and just like that I became the first person in the company’s 80-year history to work 100% remotely.

After two years working by myself, dividing my time between my full-time job and five other clients, I decided that it was time to expand. I felt the need to develop something that would fully reflect my professional and personal values. In a few months, I adapted my remote business model and actually thanks to the pandemic, I got a great deal of acceptance from both clients and new staff who started working with me in an extended

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studio, which eventually became Fresco Agency. Fresco was born from the desire to create a home for the most talented individuals from the fashion and design industries and bring them together in a collaborative and open-minded community. Actually, rather than an agency, we are a network of people who get their strength from combining our skills and collaborating. We can provide our clients with a unique combination of multidisciplinary services, multiple cultural backgrounds, and the wide ranging skills of our young and dynamic team that are pretty much available 24 hours a day, considering that we are spread across the globe.

You called your agency “Fresco”. What does it mean?

Fresco has the same meaning in Portuguese and Italian; it means fresh. Fresco Agency is about glorifying the freshness of the new, the “out of the ordinary”, the modern, the unknown. At Fresco we channel the new creative minds that are out there. Within the agency we have a community of “fresh”, young people from various creative backgrounds that can contribute to the unique solutions for our business and clients in different ways.

Your staff works fully remotely, operating from different corners of the world. What made you decide on this fully remote business model, how does that affect Fresco and how did the pandemic influence this decision?

Photos by Jiwon Park for Fresco Agency Campaign 2021

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Since I moved to Italy in early 2019, I have been testing and living the fully remote working model by myself. When the Covid-19 pandemic struck, I simply adjusted my business model to a team of people. I mean, it worked for me for two years and 2020 saw this way of working finally getting the acceptance it deserves.

Another reason why Fresco was born this way was my desire to build something that did not follow all that’s wrong in the working

Photo by Jiwon Park for Fresco Agency - Campaign 2021

world, especially in the creative departments that I witnessed during my seven years in the market.

Being forced to work at a certain time, in the same place every day, in my opinion, doesn’t really fuel anyone’s creativity. Fresco’s schedules are flexible, we want our staff to have an actual work-life-balance.

For us, if you have time to go to museums and art galleries on a regular basis and watch the series you like, you will harvest more creative inspiration and consequently create more unique and interesting solutions at your job.

In 2021, we are all looking at new beginnings.

What will this new beginning look like for the fashion and creative industry?

None of us will forget 2020. It was a year of challenges and uncertainties. We slowed down. Lockdowns changed our lives in ways never imagined before. But, one thing hasn’t stopped evolving and appearing amid all these shifts - and that’s trends.

Trends have actually accelerated. In a matter of months, changes that major trend companies forecasted for the next decade, such as mass digitization, have gone mainstream. Every day there is a new “TikTok trend”. Who can keep up with that? If there is one thing that 2020 taught us, it’s to stop. We went too far on a lot of things, and we never truly had the opportunity before this year to stop and reflect. The pandemic brought a new perspective and customers

and their purchase decisions have changed. I think that the future looks brighter in 2021. Coming out of a year full of challenges, building new beginnings and directions will be more valuable than ever. The uncertainty of the coming years will require companies to be ready to adapt products and services to meet the customers’ new needs in the ever-changing post-coronavirus world. Adapt, innovate and evolve.

Did you have to overcome any specific obstacles that affected you as a female entrepreneur? What was the best advice you have ever been given?

It is far from simple to be a woman in a leadership role, and the combination of being young and leading a remote team can be challenging. Women in the workforce, as we know, often face an impossible choice between being assertive and perceived as bossy, or being conciliatory and perceived as weak. I used to push myself to be a more conciliatory leader rather than an assertive one. But a good friend and former boss of mine once told me that only a leader who inspires admiration will keep a successful business. Since then, I strive for my leadership style to be perceived as competent, confident, truthful and transparent. Having dealt with different professional profiles, I have learnt that people will not always agree with the way you think but if they appreciate and value you, you’re halfway there to build relationships based on trust and respect.

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Fashion and technology. A happy marriage or a toxic relationship?

While fashion has always been a multifaceted industry, quick to set trends and adapt to societal changes, it has been weary of the introduction of technology. Digital fashion shows for example were rather uncommon until now. AI-enabled online shopping and stores equipped with VR seemed to be playful experiments, soon to vanish into the abyss again. But, as a matter of fact, after the 2008 financial crisis it became abundantly clear that fashion has to adapt, and integrate the one omnipresent parameter: technology.

Fast forward to 2021, and into a world defined by Covid-19 - we have come to a point where fashion and tech seem to have become two parts of the same equation, wherein one is deprived without the other.

Technology has been helping fashion and optimising it’s processes to make it self-sufficient, smart and to a large extent way more agile than before, especially during Covid-19. We have seen a surge in online shopping, which has gone hand in hand with tech advancements in AI, machine learning and algorithms in order to personalize, optimize and gamify the customer experience.

While online retail has seen a boom in sales, what happened to brick and mortar in the meantime? Before Covid-19, technology seemed to have the potential to save physical retail stores from sliding into irrelevance, by introducing interactive elements to make the experience more enjoyable and memorable.

Placing AR and cameras on the floor and in the changing rooms not only to assist the customers in their shopping experience but also for better customisation, was supposed to merge online and offline. Companies such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci or Tommy Hifliger for example are trailblazers in this domain, with customer assistance via video conferencing, VR experiences and RFID tagging not only to personalize products for the

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by Ishita Roy, Angeliki Stefani, Nadya Chesanova, Aakriti Mishra, Rashmi Khairnar & Priyanka Gaikwad

Photo credits: On the left page, photo Ali Pazani from Pexels; below, Creative Concept for Online Shopping by dima_sidelnikov, courtesy of Getty Images/iStock

clientele but also to keep the essence of luxury hospitality alive without physically meeting the customers.

Brick and mortar was changing pre-Covid, but what will happen after?

Staying in the virtual world, especially blockchain, VR and AI have changed the way we experience fashion.

Have you heard of the blockchain dress that sold for almost 10k?

And while all this seems more like fashion has been experimenting with technology, because all the other kids did, technology actually does play a crucial role on a fashion business level, by way of optimizing the supply chain and leading this high-waste industry towards more sustainability. Technologically enabling each and every step of the supply chain with a unique ID at each level for example holds transformative potential for the company as each product becomes traceable. These unique IDs can be created in the forms of RFID tags and QR codes primarily in order to maintain accuracy throughout the supply chain.

Technology has so many applications in the day to day functioning of fashion businesses. Using those RFID tags, AI for online-store optimization or even blockchain technology in advertising and marketing is just the beginning of the plethora of roles that technology can play in this industry.

Does this look familiar? How many of us, during this past year, have spent hours on end browsing retail sites, comparing prices and making online purchases?

Interestingly enough, online shopping has its roots back in 1984 in England when a 72-year-old grandmother, named Jane Snowball, used her TV remote to place an order at Tesco’s. Back then, the system was called “Videotex”. And here we are now, a few decades later, ordering pretty much everything online, from Q-tips to designer gowns. Looking at the numbers, online analysis portal Statista estimates in 2021 that e-commerce sales will make almost $4 trillion.

Asia-Pacific is taking the lead with close to $2,5 trillion followed by North America with $749 billion and Western Europe with $499 billion. Central & Eastern Europe, Latin America and Middle East & Africa show numbers that range from $92 billion to $41,46 billion respectively. E-commerce is, for sure, here to stay, and those numbers indicate that there is room for growth and advancement. As far as fashion is concerned, even though there was a drop in 2020 due to Covid-19, fashion e-commerce is expected to reach $672.71 billion in revenue in 2023 with North America being the largest market and Asia-Pacific the fastest-growing. Another field of the online fashion world that has boomed in the past couple of years is second hand retail with big key players such as Vestiaire Collective and the RealReal taking fashion by storm and irreversibly changing how and what consumers shop.

It’s because second hand retail does not only promote sustainability but it has opened the door, so to speak, to accessible and affordable luxury fashion, with most second hand e-tailers offering an option for never worn/unused items at this point. From a shopper’s perspective, shopping online is easy and it is about to get even easier. A lot of physical stores too had to adapt quickly to the new digital world. There are more and more options, with a skyrocketing tendency. And then – AI and Algorithms will enhance the online shopping experience even further, especially when it comes to offering consumers the right item, at the right moment, for the right price – just a click away. Indicatively, StyleSnap is a feature implemented by Amazon.com where you can take a photo, upload it and the engine searches for similar clothes. “Hello, my little precious!!”

Respectively, Amazon also pushed voice-enabled shopping to the next level, and across the board voice technology is becoming incredibly popular. It is expected that in 2021 50% of the internet searches will be done using voice search while voice shopping is predicted to grow to $40 billion in 2022. And if you thought online shopping is impersonal and lacks interaction compared to shopping in a physical store, looking at the boom of gamified shopping experiences, wherein sellers offer a fun experience by motivating customers to behave in a certain manner in exchange for additional benefits. Some examples are promotional contests, spin-to-win opportunities and most recently, the introduction of designer clothing in virtual life-games, when Gucci announced their partnership with Zepeto, an app and social media platform to personalize avatars and create virtual worlds. So with everything that has been, and everything that is yet to come, online shopping is becoming increasingly easy and personalized – do we still need the physical store?

Let’s take a look at some of the areas where technology has infiltrated fashion in an effort to explore what lies ahead.

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THE In the wake of Covid-19 and its grave impact on the fashion industry globally, it’s time to think about the era of fashion post-Covid.

We aren’t able to go shopping.

Retail stores have been closed for months at this point. While before Covid, brick and mortar was already facing a crisis, the coronavirus pandemic has shown how quickly retail stores can become obsolete. How can fashion, and physical retail in particular transform into a thoughtful, friendly, welcoming environment, and something long lasting?

At the heart of retail’s ongoing transformation, is a tectonic shift in focus from the point of sale to the point of experience of customers. By dispelling the myth and highlighting that it is not just about technology; it is about how you adapt it and operationalize it.

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DEAT

THE STORE OF THE FUTURE THAT IS NEEDED TODAY IS PRETTY POSSIBLE: Trends in the retail fashion environment – to maximize the capabilities of digital and omnichannel retail.

The retail sector is changing like never before, and so are physical stores. Thanks to new technology, it is easier than ever for retailers to tailor to every individual customer’s fashion experience. These new technologies are helping customers buy with virtual fitting rooms and endless aisles, self-checkout, queue busting, easier access to relevant merchandise and multiple payment options. Neiman Marcus’s partnership with Memomi for example introduced smart mirrors in fitting rooms that can

create video playback so shoppers can see a 360-degree view of the item as well as send it to their friends and family for opinions.

Radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags upgrade the try-on experience while providing invaluable data on how often an item is tried on, but not purchased, and more. Technology is not visible in the store independently but is performing a very important role in the customer shopping experience. Online is not competing with offline stores actually but it’s serving as a discovery mechanism for the customers or even as an enabler in the store to help complete the customer journey.

Many contactless mechanisms have been deployed by store-based retailers, with an overall push to minimise stress among consumers with heightened health and

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OF

safety concerns. In Singapore, sports retailer Decathlon uses RFID smart tags and mobile payments to enable customers to use self-checkout kiosks at its newest stores without needing to scan the barcodes on the items they have placed in their shopping basket.

The future of the retail industry is a seamlessly connected and curated experience. With the use of augmented reality, a realistic representation of garments, cosmetics, eyewear, and more can be created by taking into account the shape of a shopper’s face, body and skin type. Looking for new sunglasses? Artificial Intelligence (AI) paired and Augmented Reality (AR) help you with the perfect frames for your face shape. Customers can record their try-on session, compare options, and share with friends to get a

RETAIL?

second opinion. This leads to a reduced shopping time and increased customer satisfaction.

In-store technology and innovation targeted at enhancing and personalizing the consumer shopping experience is successfully driving traffic and conversion in retail stores post-Covid and might actually help them to persevere.

Illustration by Naima El Khatteeb

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On this page, Johanna Jaskowska in ‘Iridescence’, the famous blockchain dress, by the Fabricant; Source Forbes.com

“Our work exists beyond the current concepts of catwalks, photographers, studios and sample sizes. Imagination is our only atelier, and our fashion stories are free from the constraints of the material world.” © The Fabricant.

While we all sat at home in sweatpants during quarantine, hoping to go back where we belong - mostly to our office desks, which actually makes this sad situation kind of funny, - there has been that other universe, the virtual one, where your avatar, or yourself for that matter was dressing up in virtual dresses ... Virtual dresses??

What even is that. The idea of fitting a garment to your photo without actually having it delivered, tried on and returned, sounds attractive and potentially a little black mirror-ish. But there are brands who actually monetize on this. Brands like TRIBUTE BRAND are leading the way. But let’s have a look at so-called digital “Haute Couture”.

In 2016, Dutch designer Amber Slooten presented a holographic collection on a physical model as part of her graduation project from Amsterdam Fashion

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Institute. Her tutors were hesitant, but she liked the freedom of digital reality and continued her journey.

Three years later The Fabricant, Amber’s digital fashion house in Amsterdam, sold the world’s first digital-only dress on the blockchain for $9,500.

Wait a second, what is so special about this dress? Well, all virtual garments belong to the platform, where they were created. This “Iridescence” dress belongs to the person, who bought it as a token with a blockchain code on it. To simplify this, the usual virtual garment is a Cinderella’s dress, which will expire at midnight as it belongs to the fairy. But the blockchain dress stays with you. Now the price seems more reasonable, right? Those who can’t afford that kind of item, neither in virtual nor in reality, might want to wait for the first digital vintage market though.

2.0

FASHION HOW TO CONNECT THE DOTS.

Smart Tech moves towards Sustainability Everyone in the fashion industry is looking for innovative sustainable business models to surive in a competitive environment as we can’t deny that there is both demand and opportunity for sustainable and tech-enabled fashion. Let’s take a look at some companies that are leading the flock.

Eliminating the guilty pleasure of shopping

Lark and Berry created ethical lab grown diamonds with Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) technology. It requires far less energy to produce diamonds than the natural way. Lab grown diamonds are highly traceable and they don’t harm the environment by destroying plants and animals in the way that regular mining does.

Unspun uses Eon’s Internet of Things platform to produce custom made jeans by keeping inventory at a minimum and digitizing every Genesis jean. That way they transform a circular theory into a fully enabled system.

The company uses a 3D scanning technology for perfect fitting jeans.

By replacing today’s petroleum based microplastics glitter with uniquely formulated biodegradable glitter made from FSC-certified Eucalyptus plant based shine, BIOGLITZ eradicates glitter’s toxicity and restores its magic sustainably.

The future of sustainable fashion definitely lies in technology. Using systems such as IoT for example, companies can transmit the future demands of their customers straight to the production plants which helps to create a balance between sustainability and have a competitive edge for brand growth. These three brands are functioning in 3 different ways with one single motive of building an ethical fashion to reduce the impact on the environment using the latest technology. The advantage of embedding intelligence into the products will result in building the brand in a holistic way. While this is just a glimpse into what’s possible, technologies will help the fashion industry at large to grow sustainably as there are limitless avenues when it comes to integrating technology and fashion. With that said, what else is going on in the world of fashion and tech?

Above, photo by David M. Benett, courtesy of David M. Benett/Getty Images; on the left, photo byJef Harris, courtesy of Flikr

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1. Tommy Hilfiger introduced Tommy Jeans Xplore, a new line of smart clothes and accessories that are equipped with smart chip technology.

This chip enables the user to track their movements and the frequency of wearing. An innovative angle to this was also introduced in the form of a game very similar to Pokemon Go which helps the customer to gain reward points or even gift cards.

2. Finery, a British fashion label, introduced an loT enabled tool to create virtual wardrobes based on female customers' purchase analytics. This is one of those essential tools that helps women create outfits from clothes, one of the most significant issues faced by working women today.

It also allows a wide variety of options from over 10,000 shops.

3. Balenciaga presented its fall 2021 collection on Afterworld: The Age of Tomorrow, a video game set post apocalypse.

The game was staged in December 2020 across a variety of locations. The locations depicted in the game were not your usual fashion show backdrops, but a Balenciaga store, a forest rave and even a post-apocalyptic city.

UMOOD -N

4. Japanese retailer Uniqlo partnered with university researchers to create an interactive in-store activation that matches a person's neurological state to their mood and recommends a T-shirt that fits the mood . In an increasingly personalised world, consumers can't help but get drawn towards a product that's specifically curated for them.

5. Memomi and Neiman Marcus's partnership introduced mirrors in fitting rooms that will help in creating video playback - so shoppers can see a 360-degree view of their look and ask family ..,__....._,__.,.._ and friends for opinions.

7. Rebecca Minkoff tripled clothing sales in her SoHo "connected store" with tech upgrades that are keeping shoppers in the store longer. Every interaction has a tech angle: items are scanned by RFID upon entering the dressing room and the smart mirror displays similar products and allows customers to order more sizes, styles, and even complimentary drinks.

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6. Image recognition technology such as Heuritech is used by brands like Zalando in order to predict style trends. Certain parameters used to forecast and analyse trends are social media posts which are analysed based on shapes, fabrics, prints, attributes and colors. This platform not only enables companies like Zalando to design the upcoming collection but also provides vital market and competitor analysis reports.

�IIDDrllJ AFFAIRS & �unntl1 EXAMPLES

FASHIONRESOLUTIONS 2021 Hazal, 23, // Turkey “My resolution for 2021 is wearing more quality clothes from local stores instead of brand-based ones.”

Mona, 35 // Dubai “I can’t wait for the day that I can walk out my door again, in style without trying to match my mask to my outfit.”

Rashmi, 24 // India “In 2021, I want to become a smart and conscious shopper and embrace a circular lifestyle!”

Logan, 40 // USA “In 2020 I realised everything I wear becomes a part of my own self and it’s a way to express my personality. For 2021, I want to stop buying useless clothes, and only wear what truly represents me.”

Katerina, 25 // Greece “This year I want to wear more colourful clothes.”

Helena, 23 // Greece “This year I want to buy ONLY sustainable or vintage clothes.”

Antonio, 22, // Spain “Express yourself. Wear clothes of all genders, colours and shapes. And don’t care what people say because life is too short and you don’t know when you’ll be going out again.”

Evangelia, 28 // Greece “My top fashion resolution for 2021 is to create a special casual-chic closet for my zoom meeting so that the pandemic of sweatpants will be over!”

Elif, 23 // Turkey “My hope for 2021 is wearing my jewelry and shoes outside of my home.”

Laura, 32 // Italy “For 2021 I want to stop buying anything that is involved even remotely to fast fashion and mass production, and become a more conscious buyer.”

Neta, 25 // Greece “This year I want to buy less shoes, otherwise I’ll end up eating these instead of food.”

Karo, 27 // Germany “In 2020 I realised how little “new” stuff I need. This year I want to make an effort to shop less, continue supporting local businesses and recycle more.”

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TAGUMPAY, by Severo Capoquian

Fashion is an art of self-expression that is strongly affected by culture. It speaks for people, it is a language that influences, and is also influenced by a lot of factors.

One of the most important factors is traditions.

They are passed on from generation to generation to eternalize cultural heritage.

IT IS A WAY OF CARRYING ONE’S HISTORY TO THE FUTURE.

It is possible to understand a civilization’s economic situation, social life, culture, politics and history by way of its traditional clothes. Getting dressed is a visual expression of who we are but also, of who we were. The past is an inspiration for today as well as an important tool to interpret the future. With everything that has been happening during the Covid-19 pandemic, we must ask ourselves - what is to become of traditional dresses?

Will they survive in a time where dressing up, showing up and representing culture through dress might have lost its charm? To give an illustration of traditional clothes and how they have changed, we look at two garments - the Maria Clara gown from the Philippines and the Turkish bindallı. Both garments have changed over time, yet today, these traditional dresses face an unprecedented pressure to evolve.

We wonder, will they prevail?

HISTORY

FORGOTTEN

by Severo Capoquian and Pelin Burcu Öztürk

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From the left, illustration of turkish woman of the 18th Century; turkish woman photographed by Pascal Sebah in 1870; turkish woman photographed by Abdullah Freres in 1880.

Below, Ekran Resmi, 18th Century.

THE BINDALLI The bindallı dates back to the Ottoman Empire, where the robe was first seen as part of the important traditional heritage. But one cannot overlook another Ottoman robe, the kaftan, in order to understand the importance and evolution of this traditional dress.

The kaftan was, and remains, a robe or tunic made from wool, cashmere, silk or cotton. Its fabric changed according to functionality. In a pre-Ottoman period, people generally wore lots of layers, including an inner robe or mintan shirt (a loosely cut collarless shirt), trousers, leather boots, a short kaftan with a belt and fur, due to natural conditions. The order of layers, however, was related to the economic and social status of the wearer. Additionally, the choice of fabric was an indicator of one’s wealth and occupation.

The 16th Century was the golden age of weaving as the Ottoman Empire was gaining economic and political power. Sultans and upper royal class had a special ‘royal tailor’ and would usually wear kaftans made from heavier silk material with fur-lining and jewel buttons. In this century, small patterns and various colors were used in fabrics, together with gold or silver threads. High quality fabrics such as brocade, velvet, atlas, taffeta, satin, silk and cashmere were woven and the look was completed with gold or silver belts.

After the second half of the 17th Century, the use of gold and silver in fabrics decreased due to the weakening of the economy. The patterns became smaller and simpler, and darker colors were used.

Simultaneously, during this period, Italy introduced new techniques in sericulture and silk weaving, and so began the ability to sell fabric with better quality at a cheaper price. Consequently, Turkish fabric manufacturers shifted towards using European fabrics.

A century later, the Ottoman Empire started opening up to the western world in order to improve its economy and regain its power and status. Local tailors were replaced by western designers and fashion

Bindallı literally means ‘thousand branches’ and it reminds one of the beautiful embroidery characteristic of this dress that, handed down through generations, is a symbol of the relationship between a mother and her daughter. It is usually worn by the future bride the day before her wedding, during a ceremony called kına gecesi, (henna night). The bindallı is worn over other clothing, completed with a kusak (gold or silver belt) and a cevre, which is a square shaped piece of cloth to be placed on the head. Bindallı is the symbol of a family tree consisting of thousands of branches. Wearing a bindallı before one’s wedding symbolizes a traditional approval that all family members will be there for the bride in her new life.

Turkey, today, is a modern country that still has a strong connection with its heritage.

After the Hat Revolution, the dress code might have changed but traditional clothes remain as a reflection of culture. The bindallı is a symbol of family roots and family, in Turkish culture, is held in the highest regard.

houses. With those changes, women started to wear three-skirt outer dresses made from thin fabric. The front of the dress was open, the sleeves were short while the collar, sleeves and slit edges were decorated with mortars. The ruffled collar of the shirt was visible and the inside of the kaftan was covered with fur instead of just fur-lining and imported fabric was used for tailoring.

Come the 19th Century, the dress code changed entirely. Three-skirts and four-skirts with slits on the sides, open at the front, with a few buttons at the waist and extending to the floor became popular. The main fabric was high quality silk. The gold embroidery and buttons made of jewels were used in these three-skirt dresses. Crochet and shuttle oya (Turkish lace) made of silk was used for the cuffs and hems of the dresses. The oya was a symbol of a young woman’s emotions and their important life events. Because of the European influence, Ottoman women also started to wear more fitted clothes. It was in the second half of this century that the one-piece, fitting bindallı dress took Turkish wardrobes by storm.

Made from draped, thin, silk fabrics, this one-piece garment usually had long loose sleeves, stretched to the floor, an open front and a grandad collar. The hems of the bindalli were expanded, starting from the waist, with triangular shaped inserts that were used on the sides and front openings. The long hems of the garment were attached to the fabric at the waist from the front ends. Bindalli were made of expensive fabrics, such as brocade, and were decorated with precious jewels, embroidery and various materials. Bindallı, prepared in small, medium and large sizes, were sold in bazaars. This style can be considered the first example of the marriage of Ottoman and western style, in a period when traditional clothing forms were broken. In addition, the bindallı can also be considered as the first example of ready-made clothing in the Ottoman Empire.

After the Hat Revolution in 1925, and the establishment of the Turkey Republic, European dress standards were taken as a model for the new look of Turkish citizens. Ottoman clothes, such as the kaftan and bindallı, were replaced by jackets and coats of western society. Although the Turkish dress was European in form, traditional designs and patterns found a place in this new era of Turkish fashion.

Today, the bindallı, while not entirely erased, is generally only worn on special occasions. It has seen multiple edits over time, due to changes in the economic situation and based on fabrics that were available at certain times. But it is bindallı’s cultural meaning that will see it prevail.

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THE MARIA CL Looking further east to the Philippines, another phenomenon of cultural dress changing over time is the Maria Clara gown.

Philippine traditional clothing changed over the years due to colonization, with Western styles having a huge impact on the country’s traditional clothing.

Nowadays, there are so many different kinds of garments that are inspired by the Maria Clara gown. We see bomber jackets or crop tops with the prominent butterfly sleeves in all kinds of fabrics. As our journey through this traditional garment’s history shows; its last remaining feature lies merely in a pair of butterfly sleeves. To see all the other features slowly disappearing over time highlights the importance of preventing the butterfly, or terno, sleeves from being diminished any further.

If not, the last remaining characteristic of the Philippines dress will be lost.

From the top, tree skirt, beginning of 20th Century; satin bindalli dress with a fur lining kaftan, end of 19th Century; the bindalli dress today.

LARA GOWN

The Maria Clara gown, also known as Filipina Dress or Traje de Mestiza is a traditional, aristocratic version of the Barot saya, that was worn in the pre-colonial Philippines. The Barot saya was a loose, long-sleeved blouse over a wide, ankle-length skirt made of four parts; a baro or camisa (a blouse), a folded rectangular piece of fabric worn over the shoulders, which is the pañuelo or fichu, a long skirt, the saya or falda, and a short rectangular cloth worn over the skirt, called the tapis.

1820 1840

folding the pañuelo. By the turn of the century, the Traje de Mestiza that was initially associated with a particular race or social class, eventual�ly extended to women of all walks of life in the Philippines. It became, not only the dress of mestizas (women of mixed heritage) but women in general who recognized themselves as Filipinas, as they awoke to a collective national consciousness.

As the American regime of the time continued, not only did it bring a new educational system to the Philippines, but also a new type of fashion.The Maria Clara gown slowly transformed

movement, giving way to the invention of the flapper dress, a style of dress that has no sleeves and a length falling just under the knee. In the Philippines, the Maria Clara gown transformed dramatically based on this new, western style. The sleeves were flattened giving them the effect of butterfly sleeves, or terno, edited by Pacita Longos. The pañuelo was also edited to be positioned lower at the back, revealing more of the nape, while the camisa was given a front opening and a sobrefalda, an overskirt of black tulle or lace.

1900

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1860

1920

1940 Before the Spaniards arrived, Filipina women wore baro (blouses) and saya (skirts), giving name to the traditional Barot saya. Before it was referred to as the Maria Clara gown, it was called Traje de Mestiza, meaning dress for a woman of mixed heritage but since the 1880s, the Traje de Mestiza silhouette has been referred to as the Maria Clara gown. The gown is named after the legendary character, Maria Clara, the heroine of Noli Me Tangere, a Novel written by Dr. Jose Rizal. Maria Clara remains a symbol of the virtues and nobility of the Filipina woman.

In the 1890s, during the last decade of the Spanish regime, leg of mutton sleeves dominated western fashion with their wide, voluminous design. This trend also influenced the Philippine fashion of the time and transformed, in particular, the camisa, which is now wider and more voluminous. The pañuelo became stiffened with starch and two dimples on either side were added.

Women’s necklines became more recognisable due to this new method of

1950 into a Serpentina silhouette, that is, a type of skirt that widens at the bottom with a semicircular flounce. The pañuelo and camisa became top heavy and made of abaca material. The camisa also opened wider and included a shirring on the neckline. The Serpentina skirts had flounces stiffened with Sinamay, a fabric woven from the stalks of the abaca tree that is stronger than cotton or silk, and as a result, holds a very firm shape.

Twenty years later, the arrival of jazz music brought the emergence of the terno, butterfly sleeves. In Western countries, dancing to jazz music required lots of arm and foot

Similarly in the 1920s, when a dress was simply called terno, it referred to a set of matching camisa, pañuelo, and saya/ sobrefalda.

These garments matched each other in their colors or design. Later in the 40s, western countries’ essential supplies became scarce and clothes had to be simplified, which was eventually characterized as utilitarian.

These practical clothes, which also appeared boxy, required less material and were easier to manufacture, while in the Philippines, the terno dress became one individual garment with the help of a zip and eliminating the camisa, saya and tapis. Ten years later, the Maria Clara gown, now called terno, was simply recognised as a dress with butterfly sleeves. By the end of the 50s, the style had gone through even more edits that saw the removal of the sobrefalda, saya de cola and finally, the pañuelo.

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On the next page, Severo Capoquian’s graduation project, a collection called TAGUMPAY inspired by the Maria Clara gown.

Capoquian used Banig, a typical Philippine material, which is made from dry leaves of the pandan tree.

Hannah Adrias, modern interpretation of Maria Clara Gown.

Arriving in the here and now, with Covid-19 having deprived many cultures from the opportunity to wear their traditional clothing due to the lack of ceremonious events. The example of the Maria Clara gown illustrates what happens to cultural fashion-heritage if it is not taken care of, which could be what we see in a post-Covid time.

Many industries were challenged during 2020, but fashion, especially cultural fashion, faces an existential crisis. Society’s interest shifted to lounge- and home wear, and nobody was interested in buying evening dresses, suits, shirts, or in countries where relevant, traditional gowns, because there was, and often still is, no place to wear them. Luxury fashion sales have seen a 50% reduction, while loungewear sales increased by 70%. Bindallı dresses are no longer bought because wedding and henna nights are not taking place, let alone allowed. The Maria Clara gown’s legacy is still present in that special form of terno sleeve but there is no place to wear it. Does this signal the end of traditional dressing? Will we see certain cultural heritages replaced by pajamas?

The fashion industry is frantically looking for solutions to perse-

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vere. Promotions and discounts, a shift towards online shopping, as well as changes in purchasing and selling habits are being considered in the lead up to coming out of the crisis. Designers have started rethinking elements like seasonality, and used this pandemic as an opportunity to test these ideas. Surely, the fashion industry will be able to survive, and perhaps, come out stronger than ever. But the case of traditional dressing is quite different. While fashion markets will be re-defined, some cultural clothing may become history.

A post-Covid world is a big question mark for everyone. Traditional clothes like the Turkish bindallı and Filipino Maria Clara gown are unique garments that are only worn in their country of origin.

They may disappear post-pandemic unless we can find ways to sustain that cultural heritage. It is not impossible to turn a traditional dress into something brand new.

There are some designers who use old trends in today’s world.

Think about the trends seen in the 1970s and 80s; many styles and trends are paid homage to today in a variety of different forms. In that sense, it is possible to find a way for traditional dress to prevail

too. When it comes to the Maria Clara gown, for example, the Philippines came up with an event called Ternocon, where designers showcase their modernized designs that are inspired by the Maria Clara gown and thus re-interpret the dress and salvage its cultural heritage. In Turkey, while women can’t wear bindallı right now, with weddings and henna nights being forbidden due to the pandemic, it doesn’t mean that it will be forgotten. There are brides that still open their mother’s dowry chest and imagine their own weddings in a post-pandemic world. It is a traditional dress that is deeply rooted in the culture; a symbol of family, which makes the dress immortal until the concept of family disappears.

It is a brave new world, and with it come lots of opportunities. There’s some hope in consumers keeping their cultural heritage alive, and companies and designers alike using cultural references to help those traditional garments be reborn from the ashes.

Or maybe, after all of this, we will have gotten so used to our pajamas that we will wear loungewear everywhere? Only time will tell.

2021

HION FAS

Aries

March 21 - April 19 You’ll find a way to reach your goals. Your keyword for this year is “productive”. Your love life sees a new dawn. There are important decisions to make… What can you do? Dream big and be ambitious. Carry on with the go-big-orgo-home attitude but keep an eye on your work-life balance. Nurture your relationships!

Leo

Gemini

May 21 - June 20 2021 will bring you fun and bold adventures. Take time to treat yourself. You’ll finally manage to restart after a year spent being stuck: so many news and unique experiences are waiting for you. Take the chance to hang out with your friends and enjoy each-other’s company.

Taurus

April 20 - May 20 Your private life will flourish this year; a few job opportunities are only a step away. Whether you like it or not, you need to stop controlling everything, a plot-twist is on its way. Make an analysis of your current situation and start planning your future accordingly. You’ll need to be flexible and adaptive, this year is going to be challenging.

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July 23 - August 22 Things are getting serious in your relationship! Many opportunities are waiting for you. Your job requires you to be a bit more patient.

Try to balance your wish to help others while keeping your own needs in check. Avoid excesses and keep an eye on your work-life balance.

Virgo

Cancer

June 21 - July 22 What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, and you are! 2021 will be kinder than 2020 guaranteeing much more freedom. Don’t let yourself be impulsive: take time, breathe and take control of the situation. 2021 is ideal for a complete metamorphosis.

August 23 - September 22 A breeze of fresh air blows away the old times. Change your life from scratch if you want to, be fearless - it’s time to dare. Soften your sharp edges, let your emotions be in command and be instinctive! Keep the focus on yourself: rethink one-sided relationships. Wellness is your watchword.

HOROSCOPE Libra

September 23 - October 22 You are truly unstoppable at work.

A big success is on its way! Your love life restarts stronger than ever and might guarantee long-lasting happiness. Your creativity flows unrestrained: try to understand how to leverage it.

Sagittarius

November 22 - December 21 Positivity is flowing back and forth inside your body. Use it to make 2021 terrific. Don’t reply instinctively due to the amount of stress, but wait and think about what is to be done. It could be the right time to widen your knowledge, maybe attending online classes.

Aquarius

January 20 - February 18 Happiness and luck: this is the tailor-made cocktail for you. New projects and steadiness are soon to be reached. You are the queen of the zodiac. Be careful on how to use your good energy though.

The right move will guide you to true success.

Scorpio

October 23 - November 21 It’s a lucky period for you Scorpio: you’ll shine bright at work like never before. A new challenge is waiting for you: get rid of the past and focus on the present and future. Have a positive attitude and keep the focus on your goals. And for the couples out there: you’ll finally get the nestling you were desperately looking for.

Capricorn

December 22 - January 19 It’s time for a makeover: choose what needs to be changed.

You’ll easily feel the need of a fresh start. Even your dedication at work could leave the scene to love. Keep your finances monitored though, it is not time to be spendthrift.

Pisces

February 19 - March 20 Dear Pisces, what goes around comes back around. This is your year, but it’s time to work hard to reap the reward in the months ahead. Listen to yourself and try to keep your focus. If you wish to turn everything around, this is the time to do it.

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1. Boss SS21 2. Valentino SS21 3. Sharon Wauchob SS21 4. Zero+Maria Cornejo SS21 5. Nina Ricci SS21 6. Valentino SS21 7. Salvatore Ferragamo SS21 8. Sonia Carrasco SS21

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FEDERICO CINA