Una nuova generazione

Leonor Fini who, in 1937, designed the famous ‘Shocking’ perfume bottle, inspired by Mae West’s body, for Elsa Schiaparelli. Finally, Anita Pittoni who, besides still being a great example of a modern, multifaceted and free woman, revolutionised the field of textile craftsmanship. The twenty-third volume of the ‘Collana d’arte’, the series of monographic volumes dedicated to art and published by the Fondazione CrTrieste, is dedicated to her. Trieste’s treasures include the theatrical costumes preserved at the Carlo Schmidl Theatre Museum (Palazzo Gopcevich, via Rossini 4), which documents the life of theatre and music in Trieste from the 18th century to the present day.

Today, this important cultural heritage is enriched thanks to the new generation of Triestine designers who are building the future, without ever forgetting the link with the past. We present five of them to you: here is who they are and where to find them.

Mara Pavatich (Soba, via Milano 14/a) is a Trieste-based fashion designer from the Slovenian community. Her motto is ‘slow fashion with folk soul’ and in her clothes she treasures her origins and traditions, putting the female figure at the centre. Her creations are a mix of functionality, comfort, elegance, folklore and contemporaneity, and are designed for a strong and independent woman. The search for a sense of belonging is realised through malleable and sustainable materials, such as the latest collection ‘Bring me there’: a journey that speaks of places and identity.

Sustainability also guides the art of Roberta Meola (@roberta.meola) who, like Pavatich, uses so-called unwanted fabrics, waste materials, leftovers and stock. Her creative challenge is in fact to conceive a garment based on the amount of material available. For Meola, fashion is a primordial language with which to express one’s creativity and art, and it comes as a reminder: ‘one of the most beautiful sounds is that of scissors cutting cotton cloth’.

‘Radici’, one of his latest works, is an encounter between reuse and memory. The protagonists of the project are tights stockings found in her grandmother’s house transformed into decorations for her clothes.

It is the work of an artist, that of Marco Trevisan, who carries out all the steps of his creations by hand. The bags of his brand Marco Atelier (@marcotrevisan_official) are luxury accessories made of leather, cotton canvas and printed velvet. Every detail is taken care of, from the buckles to the fabric prints that he personally paints in watercolour. His latest collection is inspired by the Renaissance, a hymn to our roots and our past, revisited with modern colours and shapes.

There is certainly something fascinating about rediscovering ancient traditions, such as millinery. Michela Puzzer with Ullalà creates hats as they used to be made, on old wooden moulds purchased from old millineries in Trieste and France. In her workshop in largo Barriera 9, there is a den for wonder-seekers and a flood of headgear ready to find its head. At Ullalà, there is no shortage of machine-sewn models such as berets, headbands, veils and fascinators.

Finally, for the most demanding, there is FabTailors. At Via Donota 4, Fabrizio Pizzioli, Andreea Radut, Irina and Michela make everything to measure: from shirts to blazers. An allround service, as they used to do in the old tailor’s shops. You can customise everything: buttons, buttonholes, linings, style and fit. The only rule is that there are no rules.