Interview with Pietra Pistoletto, Fashion Designer in Torino, Italy
Now that Pietra Pistoletto has been introduced, here is my very recent interview with her:
"Q. Pietra, do you think you are producing art or is it a fashion production?
A. I get my inspiration from the world of art to create fashion.
Q. Your creations are unique and obviously a lot of time is required to execute them (searching for and selecting the materials, producing the clothes...) - it could be called Haute Couture: how do you justify the elitism of Haute Couture when you follow the philosophy of recycling?
A. At the moment, my production is very small because I have chosen to dedicate myself more to research than to business. I have just made a collection of samples that I will present at the White Trade Fair in Milan on September 27/28/29, and I am organizing a production that could maintain costs ethically tied to the philisophy of recycling. It is certain that if we are to keep the production of my clothes "Made in Italy", it will show up in the product's final price. It is difficult to stay competitive nowadays with such large chains as Zara, H&M, Promod, Pimkie, etc.
Q. Does your work consist solely of creating prototypes for a possible industrial production, perhaps in limited series, or are your designs also proposed as examples and suggestions?
A. I have worked for many years producing unique specimens exclusively, they weren't prototypes, I sold them and they were for many a source of inspiration and suggestion. There are models I realised a long time before seeing others produce them later on. I have been working on my collection, which is to be put on the market, for a few months, and as I have been selected for the "White" in the "Basement" section of new trends, I will be able to come face-to-face with the buyers.
Q. Our world is surrounded by refuse, from the top of Everest to the atmosphere. Do you see yourself as a Bruce Willis saving the world or as a prophet (hopefully not unheard)?
A. I don't see myself as either. When I started, in 1994, nobody was talking about recycling and eco-sustainability, but seeing that now these are the most talked-about themes makes me think that many are realising that we have reached the time of over-abundance and excess."
I think Pietra is successfully combining recycling with art and highly individualistic design to create what I find to be a young, humourous and graceful look - she may also find a brilliant way of keeping costs down through a mini mass-production (contradiction in terms, I know) which would enable more of us to buy her clothes
Pietra's clothes and "anti-jewels" can be found at: Book-Shop Cittadellarte, Via Serralunga 27, Biella, Italy, Mood Libri e Caffe', Via Cesare Battisti 3/e, Torino and at the Temporary Shop Sciuasi', Via Gassino 20/b, Torino.
Photographs by Alessia Barucchi
"Q. Pietra, do you think you are producing art or is it a fashion production?
A. I get my inspiration from the world of art to create fashion.
Q. Your creations are unique and obviously a lot of time is required to execute them (searching for and selecting the materials, producing the clothes...) - it could be called Haute Couture: how do you justify the elitism of Haute Couture when you follow the philosophy of recycling?
A. At the moment, my production is very small because I have chosen to dedicate myself more to research than to business. I have just made a collection of samples that I will present at the White Trade Fair in Milan on September 27/28/29, and I am organizing a production that could maintain costs ethically tied to the philisophy of recycling. It is certain that if we are to keep the production of my clothes "Made in Italy", it will show up in the product's final price. It is difficult to stay competitive nowadays with such large chains as Zara, H&M, Promod, Pimkie, etc.
Q. Does your work consist solely of creating prototypes for a possible industrial production, perhaps in limited series, or are your designs also proposed as examples and suggestions?
A. I have worked for many years producing unique specimens exclusively, they weren't prototypes, I sold them and they were for many a source of inspiration and suggestion. There are models I realised a long time before seeing others produce them later on. I have been working on my collection, which is to be put on the market, for a few months, and as I have been selected for the "White" in the "Basement" section of new trends, I will be able to come face-to-face with the buyers.
Q. Our world is surrounded by refuse, from the top of Everest to the atmosphere. Do you see yourself as a Bruce Willis saving the world or as a prophet (hopefully not unheard)?
A. I don't see myself as either. When I started, in 1994, nobody was talking about recycling and eco-sustainability, but seeing that now these are the most talked-about themes makes me think that many are realising that we have reached the time of over-abundance and excess."
I think Pietra is successfully combining recycling with art and highly individualistic design to create what I find to be a young, humourous and graceful look - she may also find a brilliant way of keeping costs down through a mini mass-production (contradiction in terms, I know) which would enable more of us to buy her clothes
Pietra's clothes and "anti-jewels" can be found at: Book-Shop Cittadellarte, Via Serralunga 27, Biella, Italy, Mood Libri e Caffe', Via Cesare Battisti 3/e, Torino and at the Temporary Shop Sciuasi', Via Gassino 20/b, Torino.
Photographs by Alessia Barucchi
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