ROME–With movement and bon vivant spirit, Rome-based designer Alessandra Giannetti’s designs are a perfect fit for a modern Audrey Hepburn – a woman with grace, nonchalance and a joyful spring in her step.
Comfort and nostalgia are cornerstones of the brand, which is headquartered in the center of the Eternal City. A breeding ground for dreamers and philosophers, Rome is the brand’s home because it feeds on its constant flow of inspiration.
BACO’s Editor-in-Chief Sofia Celeste and Creative Director Bonnie Dain chat with Alessandra Giannetti about her brand and why she chose fashion over Japanese literature:
BACO: There is a lot of movement in your brand. Why?
AG: I think that the clothes have to adapt to the the physical and mental movement. The clothes are an expression of the person who designed it, but also of the person wearing it.
BACO: Your designs are full of contrasts: minimalist yet modern, nostalgic yet bon vivant. Who is the Alessandra
AG: She is minimal, modern, nostalgic, bon vivant: these are four perfect adjectives to describe the Alessandra Giannetti woman. I would add that she is ironic and intelligent.
BACO: Why are your headquarters in Rome and not a design capital like Milan or Paris?
AG: I consider Rome my city, even if I was not born there. It isn’t easy to live here but I am cognisant of the value in this city that it is difficult to find elsewhere: there is a certain respect for freedom, curiosity and the openness to the new.
It is a bon vivant city that doesn’t judge. We are developing projects in Milan and would like to export them to Paris.
BACO: Why did you decide to become a designer?
AG: To some it might seem odd, considering I graduated with a degree in Japanese Literature! While I was studying, I traveled a lot in very stimulating places – from a creative standpoint. Japan taught me that beauty isn’t about appearance but it is always hidden within the folds and crevices of something and you need to have a very kee n eye to discover it.
BACO: Who are the artisans making your collections? Where are they from?
AG: They are tailors, knitwear makers, leather craftsmen that work in a artisanal and or semi-industrial way. At the moment everyone is in Rome, but in the past, some of my production was based in Puglia, a region defined by sartorial excellence.
BACO: Do you do made-to-measure?
AG: Absolutely. It takes a lot of time but fortunately, there is a lot of movement in my clothes and they adapt well to the body, so often there is no need for made-to-measure.
BACO: Your brand is really pret-a-porter casual but very sartorial at the same time. How do you define it?
AG: For me elegance is not excess but essential and functional combined with researched details. I love to unite a metropolitan atmosphere with the essence of an old tailor bottega or workshop.
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WHO: Alessandra Giannetti
WHAT: Ready-to-Wear
AVERAGE PRICE: EUR100 to EUR230
HEADQUARTERS: Piazza Capranica, 94 ROME
WHERE TO BUY: http://www.alessandragiannetti.com/e-shop/index.php
