Was your training formal or self-taught, and which shaped your practice more?
The answer is simple: you never stop learning, and you should never think that you know everything. You have to stay humble, observe what others are doing, and keep pushing the bar higher and higher. Study, study, study, and experiment as much as possible, because every mistake can lead to new ideas and new awareness.
What are you working on right now that genuinely excites you?
I am currently writing my final thesis, and in the meantime I found a job as a design intern in the leather goods style office at Dolce & Gabbana. Thanks to this role, I am falling more and more in love with this material and becoming increasingly involved in the world of leather goods. For this reason, I will expand my projects by including handbags as well.
Where are you from, and how much does that place live in what you make?
The place where I grew up definitely had a strong influence on me. I come from a small town in the Veneto region, near Vicenza, which is well known for its leather tanning district. Ever since I was little, I had a passion for creating clothes using all kinds of materials, but thanks to the area where I lived, as I grew older I was able to source leftover leather from local companies and use it to create my work.
What has been the most difficult period in your journey so far and what got you through it?
During my studies, unfortunately my father became ill with cancer, so my entire project was developed between the academy lab and the hospital, keeping him company. That period truly put me to the test, but it also motivated me to keep going because every time I created something new, he was happy for me. And now that he is no longer here, I want to make him proud by continuing to pursue my greatest passion.
