ADELE DOMINI
CM: How would you describe your identity as a designer in a few words?
This is a very difficult question to answer, but I would describe my identity as colorful, artistic, and innovative. I started with artistic and figurative studies, which greatly helped me create outfits with interesting color combinations, thanks also to color theory. I consider my style innovative because I believe it is necessary to reinvent the concept of clothing, which has now too often become disposable. Instead, we need to create meaning around garments and outfits, giving them a story and lasting value.
CM: What inspired you to become a designer and start creating fashion?
There wasn’t a specific moment; it has been a slow and continuous process accompanying me since I was a child. From sewing wool felt bags by hand at my farmhouse in the hills, to making little dresses during the COVID lockdown, to my university studies that truly inspired me.
CM: What concept or message drives your work?
Creative freedom. My pieces aim to encourage people to see clothing not just as fashion, but as objects carrying stories, emotions, and movements.
CM: Where do you draw inspiration for your collections?
From everything around me, especially my artistic background and many artists in the art world.
CM: Is there a personal story behind your journey as a designer?
When I was little, after my shower, my mom would bring me a large rectangular towel, not a bathrobe. I would try to transform that piece of fabric into a different dress each time.
CM: What is your approach to design? Do you start from an image, a fabric, a feeling…?
Often, I go to fabric stores and spend hours searching for a textile that inspires me. From there, the drawing and sketch help me give shape to the fabric.
CM: How do you select the materials or techniques you work with?
I analyze high-quality garments already made to understand the techniques used. Then I experiment in the lab by sewing until my idea becomes reality.
CM: Is there a particular piece or collection you feel especially connected to? Why?
I’m connected to the entire collection because I designed and sewed all the pieces myself, making them very personal.
CM: What are the core values that guide you as a designer (e.g., sustainability, craftsmanship,
inclusivity)?
I won’t say sustainability because it’s a given and fundamental for me. Right now, uniqueness is what matters most: fashion that is born and grows in a unique and pure way, like a work of art.
CM: How do you relate to the concept of ethical or sustainable fashion?
I believe that here in Italy, with our methods and collections, fashion can be sustainable and ethical. The problem lies in fast fashion, which is unethical and unsustainable and dominates the market.
CM: Who do you envision wearing your creations? What does your ideal community look like?
A community open to change and experimentation, unafraid of judgment or confrontation. Not necessarily young, but willing to embrace what goes beyond trends and seasons.
CM: What does it mean to you to be “emerging” in today’s fashion world?
Being an emerging designer today means being an active creative who consistently produces collections every year, bringing a unique vision to the fashion world. It also means facing many challenges while keeping passion and the desire to innovate alive, while simultaneously building your own community and carving out your own space in the fashion landscape.
CM: What is your long-term dream or goal as a designer?
To work in the industry, acquire skills, and build a solid background to eventually launch my own
brand.
CM: Is there a mentor, figure, or brand that has deeply inspired you?
Many figures have inspired me, especially my professors who guided me throughout my studies.
Additionally, designer Craig Green has greatly influenced my perspective on fashion with his
innovative and conceptual approach. On the artistic side, Franz Erhard Walter deeply inspired me because he helped me create garments that are not just clothing in the traditional sense, but objects to be used, interpreted, and truly owned. Pieces that are not meant to be simply worn and then discarded, but to endure over time and carry a deeper meaning.
CM: How do you envision the future of independent fashion in the coming years?
It will be challenging, especially market-wise, as there isn’t a clear space for emerging designers.
However, more young people seek quality, uniqueness, and expression, and their demand will give us space.
CM: What role do you think fashion plays today in storytelling or activism?
A fundamental one. Fashion has always been a vehicle for stories and struggles, with a strong impact on people. Think of jeans or slogan t-shirts that mobilized movements and groups.
CM: Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations you’re currently working on?
I’m collaborating with VBRA Venezia, where I will showcase my collection in front of over 200 people, including designers and fashion insiders. It’s an exciting and inspiring moment.
